The Book of Merman - Articles Page 5

Producing Artistic Director Mark Cortale, now entering his fourth season at the helm of Provincetown's Art House Theater, has made the picturesque Cape Cod town a must-do stop on the itinerary of Broadway's brightest stars. The Art House continues to somehow top itself with each successive summer's celebrity lineup.

Today we continue the 2014 edition of our annual BroadwayWorld feature series spotlighting the very best Tony Awards-related moments of all time with a special spotlight on one of the most revered and revived musicals of all time, GYPSY!

In honor of this weekend's sure-to-be spectacular BroadwayWorld special event EVERYTHING'S COMING UP BROADWAYWORLD.COM: A JULE STYNE TRIBUTE, today we honor the man behind the music for many of the greatest musicals of all time.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, March 23, 2014 - Sunday, March 23, 2014.

Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment and Robert McWhir of The Landor Theatre are delighted to announce the full programme of work for the second annual From Page To Stage Festival, a season of new musical theatre at the Landor Theatre from Monday 10 February to Sunday 9 March 2014.

Executive produced by James Lapine and Frank Rich, the exclusive HBO presentation debuts MONDAY, DEC. 9 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT).

While it was billed as a presentation celebrating the release of his 13-song CD, Tales From the Bonus Round, and his 60th birthday, Steven Schalchlin's recent show at the Metropolitan Room was so much more than that. It was also one about fear, fortitude, anxiety, anguish, compassion, courage, and love, all expressed in poetic and often clever lyrics and melodies ranging from uplifting gospel to Billy Joel-sounding mid-tempo pop to sensitive ballads, many colored with musical theater undertones. At their core, most of the songs conveyed what Schalchlin has thought, felt and experienced since early 1993, when he was diagnosed with AIDS, launched one of the first internet diaries/blogs (in early 1996), stared death in the face on a daily basis, took an experimental AIDS drug (Crixivan), and ultimately regained his health and career. When you listen to his songs, it's not hard to believe Schalchlin when he claims that during those scary days writing music and the “healing properties of piano vibrations” also helped save his life, and the 17 years since are what he calls his “Bonus Round.”

The Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts has announced its 2013-14 schedule. Check out highlights below!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, September 15, 2013 - Sunday, September 15, 2013.

With the International Al Jolson Society's 17th Annual Long Island Festival just three weeks away (On August 17, from 9am to 4:30pm, at Oceanside Knights of Columbus, 2985 Kenneth Place, Oceanside, NY 11572.), BroadwayWorld.com Cabaret Review/Columnist and passionate Al Jolson fan Stephen Hanks fantasizes about what it might be like to have a conversation with 'The World's Greatest Entertainer,' 53 years after he died. You ain't read nothin' yet.

Undercover Productions will present the WORLD PREMIERE of ETHEL SINGS: Espionage in High C, written by Joan Beber. ETHEL SINGS begins previews on June 27th, with a June 28th opening at Walker Space. Directed by Jules Aaron, ETHEL SINGS has set design by Gary Guidinger, lighting design by John Eckert Original Music by Max Kinberg & costume design by Michele Young. Sarah Brown stages manages & Sherry Netherland assistant directs. Ethel Sings is produced by Linda Toliver & Gary Guidinger for Undercover Productions.

International Drag Sensation Varla Jean Merman is returning to London for the first time in 10 years, joining newcomers Well-Strung,The Singing String Quartet, for a two-act evening of sublime entertainment at Leicester Square Theatre from Thursday 19 September - Saturday 21 September.

James Rocco is the vice president of programming and producing artistic director of the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minn. He is also the director, host and a performer in the Ordway's latest edition of BROADWAY SONGBOOK, this time, focusing on American musical theatre master, Cole Porter. I recently sat down to learn about James, the BROADWAY SONGBOOK: Cole Porter and what's next for the theatre.

There are only a few more performances to catch for Gerard Alessandrini's FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND KICKING! at the 47th Street Theatre (304 West 47th Street). The smash musical, which received unanimous raves from critics and audiences alike, broke all box-office records at the 47th Street Theatre and won spots on the Top Ten Lists of Time Magazine and the Associated Press, will begin its hiatus on Sunday, April 28, in order to make room for The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre's own season, as required by the show's lease agreement with the theatre.

The Lost Treasures Collection, a series of rarely performed musical gems presented in concert/cabaret version on Lakewood Theatre Company's Side Door stage, presents the final offering in its third season, the 1950 musical Call Me Madam. Food, wine and other beverages will be available for purchase before and during the show.

Since launching the series two years ago in Provincetown, Broadway @ The Art House's success has most recently spawned runs in New Orleans, Sydney, Melbourne, this June in London and this coming fall/winter in Santa Monica.

The Lost Treasures Collection, a series of rarely performed musical gems presented in concert/cabaret version on Lakewood Theatre Company's Side Door stage, presents the final offering in its third season, the 1950 musical Call Me Madam. Food, wine and other beverages will be available for purchase before and during the show.

Megan Mullally is a two-time Emmy-winning star of TV's Will & Grace, and recent star of Broadway's Young Frankenstein. On April 6, she makes her New Orleans debut in the acclaimed Broadway @ NOCCA series for two shows only, at 7:30PM and 9:30PM, joined by Seth Rudetsky at piano. For tickets please visit http://www.broadwaynola.com/. Megan will also attend a special Meet and Greet reception directly following her 9:30 show that will benefit The NOCCA Institute. Tickets to the reception, which will take place at Reilly Hall at NOCCA, are also available at the above link. The Broadway @ NOCCA series is also announcing that it will initiate a new, $2,500 per-year scholarship.

Let's see what the critics have had to say about the show recently...

The national touring company revival, now appearing at Carol Morsani Hall at the Straz Center, is filled with dazzling, high energy, polished, production numbers, that will have you out of your seat cheering!

York Theatre Company's Winter 2013 Musicals in Mufti Series presentation of the 1956 musical hit, Happy Hunting, with book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, lyrics by Matt Dubey and music by Harold Karr, is currently in rehearsals to prepare for an opening tomorrow, March 15. Directed by David Glenn Armstrong and with music direction by David Andrews Rogers, the cast stars KLea Blackhurst, and will feature Janine DiVita, Joy Franz, Jessica Grove, Sean Martin Hingston, Michael McCormick, Heather Parcells, Andrew Samonsky, Eric Sciotto, Michael Sharon and Lynne Wintersteller. Check out photos of the cast in rehearsal below!

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director) continues the Winter 2013 Musicals in Mufti Series with the 1956 musical hit, Happy Hunting, with book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, lyrics by Matt Dubey and music by Harold Karr. Directed by David Glenn Armstrong and with music direction by David Andrews Rogers, the cast stars Klea Blackhurst, and will feature Janine DiVita, Joy Franz, Jessica Grove, Sean Martin Hingston, Michael McCormick, Heather Parcells, Andrew Samonsky, Eric Sciotto, Michael Sharon and Lynne Wintersteller.

Gerard Alessandrini's, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND KICKING, which received unanimous raves from critics and audiences alike, broke all box-office records at the 47th Street Theatre, and won spots on the Top Ten Lists of Time Magazine and the Associated Press, will wind up its current edition at the 47th Street Theatre on Sunday, April 28, in order to make room for The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre's own season, as required by the show's lease agreement with the theatre. In a statement, Mr. Alessandrini said, "We knew from the start that the theatre could only be ours until the end of April. Although we hate to leave town when we're a hit, I actually think this is a perfect time for us to wind up "Alive and Kicking", which has been a thrilling return to New York for us, to take a brief break; and to begin plans to return with another edition later this year." The show, which has recently added extended parodies of Cinderella and the movie version of Les Miz, is also a Critic's Pick for The New York Times, The Daily News and New York Magazine. This edition stars Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Natalie Charle Ellis, Scott Richard Foster, Marcus Stevens and David Caldwell on piano. DRG Record's cast recording FORBIDDEN BROADWAY; ALIVE AND KICKING! The UN-Original Cast Album, is available in stores, on iTunes and Amazon.com.

Meet the cast and creative team for York Theatre Company's Winter 2013 Musicals in Mufti Series presentation of the 1956 musical hit, Happy Hunting, with book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, lyrics by Matt Dubey and music by Harold Karr. Directed by David Glenn Armstrong and with music direction by David Andrews Rogers, the cast stars Klea Blackhurst, and will feature Janine DiVita, Joy Franz, Jessica Grove, Sean Martin Hingston, Michael McCormick, Heather Parcells, Andrew Samonsky, Eric Sciotto, Michael Sharon and Lynne Wintersteller. Scroll below for photos of the company!

The York Theatre Company continues the Winter 2013 Musicals in Mufti Series with the 1956 musical hit, Happy Hunting, with book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, lyrics by Matt Dubey and music by Harold Karr. Directed by David Glenn Armstrong and with music direction by David Andrews Rogers, the cast stars KLea Blackhurst, and will feature Janine DiVita, Joy Franz, Jessica Grové, Seán Martin Hingston, Michael McCormick, Heather Parcells, Andrew Samonsky, Eric Sciotto, Michael Sharon, Eric Sciotto and Lynne Wintersteller.