Motown the Musical - 2017 - US Tour Articles Page 17

American Authors and Brandon Victor Dixon join the incredible slate of performers for NBC's annual "Macy's 4th of JulyFireworks® Spectacular," which airs Wednesday, July 4 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT) with an hourlong encore presentation at 10 p.m. Dixon will be joined by the iconic Harlem Gospel Choir for a rendition of the patriotic "America the Beautiful."

Alberta Bair Theater has added four additional shows since the season preview for its stakeholders on May 24:  for fans of 60's rock: Felix Cavaliere & Gene Cornish's RASCALS with special guest Carmine Appice on drums on Friday, September 7 at 7:30; for fans of 80's rock and Broadway musicals: ROCK OF AGES on Monday, November 19 at 7:30;  for a fun ladies night out during the holidays: 'Twas a Girls Night Before Christmas on Friday, December 14 at 7:30;  and for family entertainment at its best the multi Tony awarded THE SOUND OF MUSIC on Monday, April 8 and Tuesday, April 9, both at 7:30.

Goodman Theatre announces a line-up of free staged readings written by members of its Playwrights Unit-a year-long residency for Chicago-based writers to develop their plays-in-progress with the Goodman's artistic team, in partnership with Chicago Dramatists. Members of the 2017/2018 Playwrights Unit include Sam Collier, Ricardo Gamboa, Isaac Gomez, Kristin Idaszak and Nigel O'Hearn. Free, one-time-only readings take place July 14-18 at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); to make a reservation call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/PlaywrightsUnit. Availability is extremely limited.

Goodman Theatre announces a line-up of free staged readings written by members of its Playwrights Unit-a year-long residency for Chicago-based writers to develop their plays-in-progress with the Goodman's artistic team, in partnership with Chicago Dramatists.

The Flat Rock Playhouse 2018 season continues by bringing audiences another hit musical theater experience, Broadway on the Rock, running July 6th - July 21st on the Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage. In response to the 2017 hit production of Music of the Night: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Flat Rock Playhouse's brand new production of Broadway on the Rock, will feature music from Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Hair, Oliver, Brigadoon, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Wicked and more!

An inspired mash-up of posh and punk, Head Over Heels is an unpredictable, Elizabethan romp about a royal family that must prevent an oracle's prophecy of doom. In order to save their beloved kingdom, the family embarks on an extravagant journey wrought with mistaken identities, jealous lovers, sexual awakening, scandal and self-discovery, where everything (and everyone) is not quite what it seems. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

Matt Manuel was born and raised in Detroit, MI, 'the heart of Motown.' He got his start as a competitive gymnast. When he was 13, he had to quit gymnastics, which he says broke his heart. His mother convinced him to try a piano lesson while his brother took a voice lesson. The teacher accidentally switched their lessons, which made Manuel realize he could sing. He studied theatre in high school, but once in college, focused more on vocal performance, so he would be classically trained. He was a contestant on season 13 of AMERICAN IDOL, which jump started his career. Since then, he has never stopped working. Manuel plays Marvin Gaye in MOTOWN THE MUSICAL. I had the chance to speak with him while MOTOWN recently had a tour stop in Boston, MA.

Creators Carly Brooke Feinman and Cassie Willson are thrilled to announce the casting for their original musical If Sand Were Stone, making its Off-Broadway debut this July as part of the 2018 New York Musical Festival's (NYMF) Next Link Project. Featuring original music by Ms. Willson and original book & lyrics by Ms. Feinman, If Sand Were Stone will play a 5-performance run at The Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row beginning July 18, 2018.

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) announces Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Ethan Slater as the 2018 NYMF Honorary Chair.

Producers Carmen Pavlovic (Global Creatures) and Roy Furman have announced additional casting for the new musical King Kong. Joining the previously announced Christiani Pitts, (A Bronx Tale) as Ann Darrow, and Eric William Morris (Mamma Mia!) as Carl Denham, will be Erik Lochtefeld (Misery, Metamorphoses) as Lumpy.

On Thursday, June 7, Hill-Freedman World Academy (HFWA), a public high school in the School District of Philadelphia, will release the original album WHAT'S GOING ON, the second offering from the school's Hill-Freedman Records label. The label, and the album, are part of Hill-Freedman's IB Design/Music Technology curriculum. The album will be released at a ceremony at 9:30 AMin the school auditorium at 1100 E. Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Philadelphia.

The date was May 25th 2018. On the Friday evening blessed with clear skies, Graha Bhakti Budaya was filling out with people coming to watch the 9th musical drama production by Jakarta Performing Arts Community (JPAC) - DREAMGIRLS. It was the opening night and the anticipation coming from everyone was palpable. The event had 7 months of preparation and promises of being bigger and better than before. Following last year's WEST SIDE STORY, JPAC once again bought the performance license for DREAMGIRLS, this time through Tams-Witmark Music Library.

"Country crooners, '80s hitmakers and man's best friend are among the headlining talent Poway OnStage have lined-up for their 2018/19 Professional Performance Series. This season we are delighted to welcome old friends and new talents to the Poway stage," says Poway OnStage President and CEO Michael Rennie.  "Returning Poway OnStage alum include perennial Poway favorites and equal opportunity offenders The Capitol Steps, guitar masters the Romeros; and celebrity talents from Dancing with the Stars and American Idol performing the all-new Motown with a Twist."  

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the 13th Annual Chicago Sings concert; Chicago Sings The MGM Musicals, Monday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m., at Second City's UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave, directed by Keely Vasquez and Artistic Director Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Beckie Menzie.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, (www.theritzmusical.com) is set for a staged reading for the theater industry at 7pm, Monday, June 18, and 1PM Tuesday, June 19 at the Dramatists Guild Fund's The Music Hall, 356 W. 40th St., 2nd Floor.

Following the sold-out debut event earlier this year, the orchestral Northern Soul and Motown music event is back and is stomping its way to theatres later this year. The innovative Manchester Camerata and renowned composer Joe Duddell will perform the very best of Northern Soul and Motown at Blackpool Opera House on 25 August, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on 2 November, and London's O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on 3 November.

Music nonprofit LiveConnections' 2017-18 concert series, which features collaborative concerts especially for adventurous music-lovers, dares to ask a bold question: Can music build community?

Soulful Productions presents a sizzling celebration of soul, Motown, funk, show tunes and drag with Sweet Bubbling Nights on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 8pm at the Vancouver Playhouse. The performance will bring together 23 of the city's most iconic musical talents, female impersonators and dancers in support of the LGBTI Pulse Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is the first of its kind in the United Nations system presented by International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Migration Agency, and is awarded to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (and Queer) youth worldwide who are in pursuit of a university or college degree.

Pittsburgh CLO is proud to open the 2018 Summer Season with the Pittsburgh premiere of Broadway sensation, ON YOUR FEET!, June 12-17 at the Benedum Center. Pittsburgh CLO remains steadfastly dedicated to the creation of new work, and co-produced the Broadway production of ON YOUR FEET! as part of this ongoing commitment. Pittsburgh CLO has brought over 20 new shows to their "Feet" on the Broadway stage, including the recent productions of An American in Paris, Kinky Boots, Matilda The Musical and many others.

Summer is here and the Flat Rock Playhouse is ready to celebrate by transporting the beach to the mountains with upcoming Music on the Rock Concert, Carolina Shag! Celebrating the musical phenomenon that developed in the early 50's on the Carolina Coasts, Carolina Shag will feature upbeat beach music from artists such as The Embers, The Tams, Chairmen of the Board, The Drifters. Carolina Shag, a genre sometimes known as the "swing of the South", promises all the lighthearted fun of a lively summer night at the beach, perfect for experts and rookies.

Jakarta Performing Arts Community (JPAC), the Jakarta-based musical theater community which in 2017 produced and performed an officially licensed version of WEST SIDE STORY will return this May with their 9th production, DREAMGIRLS.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

Allee Willis loves Detroit.  So much so that the Detroit native named her one-woman show, ALLEE WILLIS LOVES DETROIT!  And fans are invited to party and sing along with her at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 18-19 at Detroit's City Theatre. The Grammy, Tony, Emmy and Webby award-winning-and-nominated songstress--writer of many mega-hits including Earth, Wind & Fire's 'September' and 'Boogie Wonderland;' 'Neutron Dance,' the theme from television's 'Friends' and Broadway's Oprah-produced musical The Color Purple has been defending 'The D' from her kitschy Pepto-Bismol-pink house in North Hollywood, Calif. for over 40 years.

We want the same songs we (or our parents or grandparents, as the case may be) grew up with, every note of the horn arrangements, and the original singer's voices, imparting each smidgen of intonation and pacing that the original singe added to the song. A historical frame for the musical is perfect for catering to that simple but demanding taste: You want to see Otis Redding singing (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay? Fine, we've reached 1967 in the story, so here he is! And damn, doesn't he sound good?

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Wild Young Hearts: The Marcus Scott Songbook on May 24, 2018 at 9:30 PM. The concert explores the world of what Scott calls 'Afro-Americana' and what it could be through his music and lyrics. The centerpiece of the concert is Scott's show Cherry Bomb (2017 Drama League First Stage in Artist Residence and Finalist for National Black Theater's I am Soul and Yale Institute for Musical Theatre's residencies), an original musical that tells the story of an ambitious young man and the depths he and his high school friends will go to in ensuring that they and their dreams have a place in the world.