Skits-oh-Frantics! - 1967 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 15

Today we are talking to an iconic Tony Award-winning star who made her name as a teenager singing on TV variety shows - THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW and SING ALONG WITH MITCH included - and then went on to a multimedia career in film and theatre, conquering Broadway with her Tony-winning turn in the Jule Styne/Arthur Laurents musical HALLELUJAH, BABY! in 1967 and returning to the stage in the subsequent decades in a host of Broadway productions, such as BLUES IN THE NIGHT, JERRY'S GIRLS, ANYTHING GOES, August Wilson's KING HEDLEY II and her celebrated Muzzy in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE - a role she reprises in the new Muny production of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical beginning this week - the one and only Leslie Uggams. Taking a thorough look back at her career thus far, Uggams opens up about her many successes and how she has endured for fifty years in show business and shares recollections of many of her most noted co-stars and collaborators, all the way up to the recent 2012 Encores! PIPE DREAM. Additionally, Uggams comments on her film and TV appearances over the years, speaking about her work in INHERIT THE WIND, TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN, ROOTS and beyond. Plus, she shares her candid opinions on GLEE, SMASH, Broadway then versus now, future plans for her Lena Horne solo show and thoughts on other roles she would enjoy pursuing - and much, much more!

Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Neal Street Productions and Kevin McCormick today announced that their production of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will open at the London Palladium in June 2013 after a preview period. The new stage musical will be directed by Sam Mendes, with a book by David Greig and new songs from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Obie Award winning director Austin Pendleton is now joined by playwright Marcy Lafferty for talkbacks for Mississippi Mud Productions reprise of her stunning play, VIVIEN LEIGH: THE LAST PRESS CONFERENCE, in New York, NY, July 6, 7, & 9, 2012 at the Alexander Technique Center For Performance And Development, 330 West 38th Street, Suite 805.

Frankie Valli, the frontman of The Four Seasons and inspiration for the Broadway hit JERSEY BOYS, recently performed for Chicago audiences on June 2nd at the Chicago Theater. Nick Cosgrove, who currently plays Valli in the JERSEY BOYS tour, had the opportunity to meet the man behind the show for the first time following his concert. BroadwayWorld brings you the exclusive photos of the two's encounter below.

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress Joanna Hackman, who recently made her debut at the Barn in the hit comedy Boeing Boeing, and who will be leaving Nashville shortly to give the West Coast a shot at her (and those of her husband Daniel Hackman) talents…

Everything about them was a statement. Their clothes, a rejection of materialism. Their drugs, a quest to get closer to God. Their long hair, a flag of freedom. They were hippies, the social watch dogs of the 1960s, and they played a pivotal role in American pop culture.

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress Andrea Hodgin Osborne, who made her debut at The Barn in 1994 in Smoke on the Mountain, quickly establishing herself as a favorite of Barn audiences and the Nashville theater community. Among my most vivid memories of Andrea was her performance-along with Tim Fudge and Darren Stuart-of "Our Time" from Stephen Sondheim's Merrily WE Roll Along, which was the closing number for the 1995 First Night Awards at Nashville Children's Theatre (and she toiled, for a while, as my personal assistant).

Mississippi Mud Productions will present a talkback with director Austin Pendleton on March 16th, opening night performance, of Marcy Lafferty's stunning play, VIVIEN LEIGH: THE LAST PRESS CONFERENCE, in New York, NY, March 16 - 19, 2012 at the Alexander Technique Center For Performance And Development, 330 West 38th Street, Suite 805.

Oh, what a story. Frankie Valli, who came to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of the Four Seasons, is hotter than ever in the 21st century. Thanks to the volcanic success of the Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys, which chronicles the life and times of Frankie and his legendary group, such classic songs as "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man," "Rag Doll," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" are all the rage all over again.

Oh, what a story. Frankie Valli, who came to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of the Four Seasons, is hotter than ever in the 21st century. Thanks to the volcanic success of the Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys, which chronicles the life and times of Frankie and his legendary group, such classic songs as "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man," "Rag Doll," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" are all the rage all over again.

The Gallery Players has announced cast and crew for the first New York City revival ofA Man of No Importance. The Gallery Players has reunited the creative team of last season's 4-time NYIT Award winning revival of The Drowsy Chaperone for their first production of 2012. Directed by Hans Freidrichs and produced by Robert Earle Jones, A Man of No Importance opens at The Gallery Players Saturday January 28.

A television staple since the very beginnings of the format, the Christmas episode is a tried and true trope of TV this time of year and no show promises more hatfuls of holiday cheer and buckets of glee more than, well, GLEE does - and, last night, on the seasonally-themed "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" (titled after one of the two new original songs penned for the episode), GLEE was a cool, neon blue star in the oft-midnight black galaxy - one far, far away, evidently; especially given the Chewbacca cameo and STAR WARS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL nods - of network TV today (or ever, for that matter). Capturing the copious charm of the cast and commonalities of the holidays among us all, the Matthew Morrison-directed Christmas special was a jolly Santa, his decked-out sleigh and all the merry reindeer to go along with them. Positively overflowing with song selections from the simply spectacular GLEE: CHRISTMAS VOLUME 2 - available now - last night's GLEE was not only a holiday music lover's and gleek's dream, but it also came with a maraschino cherry on top for the Broadway babies among us - THE SOUND OF Music's "My Favorite Things"; sung in Summer in the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein show and Robert Wise film version, the song has nevertheless become widely associated with the season due in no small part to Barbra Streisand's unforgettable inclusion of it on her peerless 1967 classic, A CHRISTMAS ALBUM. "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" also gave Sue Sylvester some room to exact her ongoing revenge - and redemption - while the rest of the episode contained a multitude of New Directions-centric plot developments, surprises and, of course, seriously Santa-friendly musical numbers - all, fascinatingly enough, with an all-inclusive (and, even, religion-friendly; in Rory's nativity story scene) style. Not that Judy Garland's Christmas classic special wasn't paid as much homage as Santa and the baby Jesus were - as we should always expect from GLEE - because it was. More on that in a moment. So much to discuss!

THE MARIE-JOSÉE KRAVIS PRIZE FOR NEW MUSIC AT THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC NAMED HENRI DUTILLEUX INAUGURAL RECIPIENT. Honoree To Share Proceeds with Three Composers, Including Peter Eötvös, To Be Commissioned by the Philharmonic. Music Director Alan Gilbert To Conduct NY Philharmonic in Works by Dutilleux on June 26, 2012.

Joe's Pub has announced its upcoming events.

Noted thespian and master theatre and film director Kenneth Branagh has found himself at a career peak in 2011, excelling in both entertainment arenas with his striking, visionary blockbuster THOR being one of the year's biggest hits as well as his simply incredible portrayal of Laurence Olivier in the new film MY WEEK WITH MARILYN generating considerable Oscar buzz. Sharing his cordial and candid insights on a number of topics ranging from his beginnings in Shakespeare to his directing and acting in a string of Shakespearean stage plays and films - his iconic films of HENRY V and HAMLET among them - Branagh also illustrates his impressions of fellow acting titans such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir John Gielgud, Ralph Fiennes, Dame Judi Dench, Simon Callow and many more. Plus, he shares his deep affection for the most famous musical theatre Shakespeare adaptation of all time - the classic WEST SIDE STORY; based on ROMEO & JULIET - as well as his love of the work of Stephen Sondheim as a composer/lyricist in his own right. Plus, news on his desire to do Broadway in the future, as well as all about Branagh's new lead role in the Belfast-to-West End transfer of THE PAINKILLER - and much, much more!

The State Theatre in Easton announces 8 new shows to the 2012 Season.

Joe's Pub has announced its upcoming events.

It was a night of new victors and returning champions at 'The 45th Annual CMA Awards' Wednesday night in Nashville. Taylor Swift won her second CMA Entertainer of the Year trophy. Newlyweds Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton won Female Vocalist and Male Vocalist for the second consecutive year. Jason Aldean won his first two CMA Awards for Musical Event of the Year with Kelly Clarkson, and Album of the Year for My Kinda Party.

Tribute artist Peter Mac happens to be one terrific actor/singer who does his very best work in a dress. In our interview, he talks about how it all started, the characters he honors and his gig at the Gardenia over the next year. Like Charles Pierce and Jim Bailey before him Peter Mac is keeping the art of creating impressions alive and vibrant.

JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater, reopened October 4th, 2011 from a top to bottom renovation, debuted in October 1998 and quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists. Check out the full November schedule below!

The original Jersey Boy Frankie Valli will headline a one-night-only concert for his first-time-ever appearance at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. With his three-and-a-half-octave vocal range, over 100 million records sold and a multi-decade career, iconic Frankie Valli, along with his The Four Seasons, demonstrate why they are still the hottest ticket in town with a catalog of hits like: 'Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You,' 'Big Girls Don't Cry,' 'Rag Doll,' 'Grease,' 'Dawn,' 'Let's Hang On,' 'Sherry,' 'December 1963 (Oh What a Night)' and so many more.

Act II Playhouse is set to present Charles Ludlam's comic masterpiece The Mystery of Irma Vep, directed by Associate Artistic Director Harriet Power. Performances run Oct. 25 - Nov. 19.

The moon is in the Seventh House and Jupiter is aligning with Mars on Oct. 25 - Nov 20 at the Golden Gate Theater where the Tony-award winning HAIR is getting ready to open. It's definitely the place to Be-in! Leading the HAIR tribe is actor Steel (yes, that's his real name) Burkhardt, whose long tresses and loincloth are set to bring back the 60's revolution in the city where it all began....BroadwayWorld.com's Linda Hodges had the chance to interview the Broadway star about the show, his thoughts on the darker side of the 60's movement, the craziest audience member they've had and more. That interview follows.

Act II Playhouse is set to present Charles Ludlam's comic masterpiece The Mystery of Irma Vep, directed by Associate Artistic Director Harriet Power. Performances run Oct. 25 - Nov. 19.

Renowned actress, producer and humanitarian Mary Tyler Moore will receive Screen Actors Guild (SAG)'s most prestigious accolade - the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. Moore created a new paradigm for female leads in television, won top honors for her courageous performances in film, television and on stage, produced some of the most lauded television programs of all time, and for thirty years, has served as a tireless advocate giving hope to all those afflicted with Type 1 diabetes.