That's Life! - 1994 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 19

"You gotta have heart!" That's the central conceit of any production of "Damn Yankees". Without that heart they might as well be singing about golf. Well luckily the current production at the 5th Avenue Theatre in conjunction with the Paper Mill Playhouse has heart to spare combined with a killer cast and visually spectacular set.

The Old Globe's 2012-13 Season will feature the World Premieres of two new musicals: Allegiance - A New American Musical by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak. The season also includes George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion in celebration of the classic play's 100th anniversary and the World Premiere of a new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House by Anne-Charlotte Hanes Harvey and Kirsten Brandt. Two recent Broadway hits will make their San Diego debuts at the Globe: David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People and Jon Robin Baitz's Other Desert Cities. Rounding out the season are the West Coast Premiere of Bekah Brunstetter's Be a Good Little Widow and the Southern California Premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney's The Brothers Size.

The Kennedy Center presents Come Fly Away in the Eisenhower Theater from April 18-29, 2012. Conceived, choreographed, and directed by Tony Award® winner and Kennedy Center Honoree Twyla Tharp (Movin' Out) and by special arrangement with the Frank Sinatra Family and Frank Sinatra Enterprises, Come Fly Away blends the legendary vocals of Frank Sinatra with a live on-stage big band and 14 of the world's finest dancers. The show's score combines classic and newly discovered vocal performances from the Sinatra archives, along with Sinatra's signature arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Quincy Jones, among others, and brand new charts, for this fresh innovative musical. Press night will take place on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Movie director Kevin Smith plans to add a third, live chapter to his well-known comedy films Clerk and Clerks II, according to a report by Contactmusic.com. Smith wants to premiere the show on Broadway near the end of 2014.

The Kennedy Center presents Come Fly Away in the Eisenhower Theater from April 18-29, 2012. Conceived, choreographed, and directed by Tony Award® winner and Kennedy Center Honoree Twyla Tharp (Movin' Out) and by special arrangement with the Frank Sinatra Family and Frank Sinatra Enterprises, Come Fly Away blends the legendary vocals of Frank Sinatra with a live on-stage big band and 14 of the world's finest dancers. The show's score combines classic and newly discovered vocal performances from the Sinatra archives, along with Sinatra's signature arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Quincy Jones, among others, and brand new charts, for this fresh innovative musical. Press night will take place on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.

With its funny, sexy and sentimental book by master craftsman George Abbott and a catchy and clever score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, Damn Yankees is a textbook example of the kind of big and brassy musicals that made Broadway's Golden Age glitter.  Paper Mill's terrific new production is packed with boisterous comic performances and, as the song says, miles and miles and miles of heart.

The April 2012 at the B. B. King Blues Club and Grill, NYC, has been announced, featuring Melanie and Oleta Adams.

The Highline Ballroom has announced a program including Chick Corea and Sam Sparro for April.

Musical geniuses Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones and Jim Steinman will become the newest members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization's 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner. The star-studded event is slated for Thursday, June 14th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Don Gregory, has announced the full company for the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey starring Jim Parsons (Elwood P. Dowd), Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons), Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson), Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.) and directed by Scott Ellis.

If a $100,000 prize package and bragging rights as TOP SHOT aren't enough to tickle a marksman's trigger finger, consider this: one sharp shooter will also walk away from the new season of TOP SHOT with a professional contract with Bass Pro Shops. The hit competition series will be fully loaded with more twists and history-inspired challenges than ever before when it returns for a 4th season on Tuesday, February 14 at 10pm ET on HISTORY.

Following his highly popular one man show format, director/writer/podcaster Kevin Smith will discuss anything and everything when he takes over the big screen with Kevin Smith: Live From Behind Featuring "Jay and Silent Bob Get Old", a one-night-only in-theater event on Thursday, February 2 at 9:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p. m. CT / 7:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m.

Following his highly popular one man show format, director/writer/podcaster Kevin Smith will discuss anything and everything when he takes over the big screen with Kevin Smith: Live From Behind Featuring "Jay and Silent Bob Get Old", a one-night-only in-theater event on Thursday, February 2 at 9:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. Alaska & Hawaii.

TV, film,and Broadway actress J. Elaine Marcos can't shy away from the fact that she's a distant relative of the Marcoses, the Philippines' most controversial political clan. Apart from the obvious last name and broadly similar facial features as Imee Marcos, the current governor of the northern province of Ilocos Norte, J. Elaine even made a cameo appearance as Imee's mom, Imelda Marcos, the Philippines' former first lady, in the Broadway musical comedy THE WEDDING SINGER five years ago. Nonetheless, the Marcoses (and Filipinos around the world) should pay attention to this petite, brown-skinned, talented actress - J. Elaine happens to be carrying an impressive Broadway resume that includes MISS SAIGON, FLOWER DRUM SONG, WONDERFUL TOWN, SWEET CHARITY, again THE WEDDING SINGER, A CHORUS LINE, and her latest assignment, PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT, where she does a show-stealing turn as Cynthia, a feisty Filipina mail-order bride who performs the late '70s hit single 'Pop Muzik' (interspersed with lyrics in Filipino, e.g.'isa, dalawa, tatlo, I'm rapping in Filipino') while blowing out ping pong balls into the audience.

If a $100,000 prize package and bragging rights as TOP SHOT aren't enough to tickle a marksman's trigger finger, consider this: one sharp shooter will also walk away from the new season of TOP SHOT with a professional contract with Bass Pro Shops. The hit competition series will be fully loaded with more twists and history-inspired challenges than ever before when it returns for a 4th season on Tuesday, February 14 at 10pm ET on HISTORY.

FX has closed a deal with acclaimed actor/comedian Russell Brand for six half-hour installments of an unscripted late night series (untitled), which will debut in the spring of 2012, announced Nick Grad, Executive Vice President, Original Programming, FX.

Following his highly popular one man show format, director/writer/podcaster Kevin Smith will discuss anything and everything when he takes over the big screen with Kevin Smith: Live From Behind Featuring "Jay and Silent Bob Get Old", a one-night-only in-theater event on Thursday, February 2 at 9:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p. m. CT / 7:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m.

The legendary Grotta Azzurra Ristorante, located on the corner of Broome and Mulberry Streets in one of lower Manhattan's historic neighborhoods - Little Italy -- is transforming its famous lower-level 'grotto' into an intimate live music room on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 PM starting in mid-December. The policy will be a $20 cover charge plus a two drink minimum. Dinner at this fabled Italian restaurant will be available upstairs in the main dining room at 6 PM. A limited snacks menu will be available in the 'grotto" during the performances. The capacity of the 'grotto" is 50 people.

On November 29, the New York City-based nonprofit JazzReach launches its 2011-2012 national touring season with a special one-night-only event at The Jazz Standard in New York City.

I've always counted on the Rep to bring in the new and fresh stuff to the Seattle Theater community. And while I understand their nostalgic aspect of choosing to bring back a perennial favorite with their current production of "Sylvia" by A.R. Gurney, I have to question "why this one?" which has become such a staple of smaller theaters and High Schools around the country since the Rep's first production in 1994. But looking beyond that, this production manages to infuse itself with tons of heart and charm and even turns in some extraordinary moments.

On November 29, the New York City-based nonprofit JazzReach launches its 2011-2012 national touring season with a special one-night-only event at The Jazz Standard in New York City.

The Rat Pack, starring sensational Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. impersonators Gary Anthony, Andy DiMino and Lambus Dean, returns to Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston for one show only on Sunday, November 13 at 2 p.m. in the Robinson Theatre, 617 Lexington Street, Waltham.

BroadwayWorld.com's Richard Ridge and I, on two different occasions, have recently interviewed Lea Salonga about her newest project in New York City: SUITES BY SONDHEIM, a tribute concert to Stephen Sondheim, that will feature Filipino-American Broadway actors, and singers in a one-night-only performance at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center tomorrow, November 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Superb from beginning to end, 4-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald's one-night-only solo concert at the lush Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on October 15--her only Southern California stop before her return to Broadway in the revival of PORGY & BESS--was a musical testament as to why she's earned her place as a genuine Broadway superstar. Possessing that magical combination of impressive acting skills, perfect control, and a blessed voice, her cabaret concert far surpassed this reviewer's already excited expectations.

The Rat Pack, starring sensational Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. impersonators Gary Anthony, Andy DiMino and Lambus Dean, returns to Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston for one show only on Sunday, November 13 at 2 p.m. in the Robinson Theatre, 617 Lexington Street, Waltham.