Why We Love Steve Brown - - West End Articles Page 19

On Sunday January 30 comedienne/singer Maxine Lapiduss brought a new show to Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's and received what few performers ever do in LA cabaret - a thunderous heartfelt standing ovation. This is one funny lady who can sing up a storm and make you laugh until your pants split. What an entertainer! Backed by an eight-piece orchestra under the musical direction of wonderful Michael Orland, Lapiduss wowed the SRO room with her nonstop hilarious comedy about life in LA, the fear of living and the need to change. Funny, yes, and with the delivery of a caring yet sarcastic next-door neighbor, she is down-to-earth, sassy and easy to like.

Today we are taking a look and a listen to the biggest and brightest Broadway beacons of the year that was, all amidst the dismal landscape of the Street as we now know it, though I won't name names or titles (hyphenated or otherwise). Between the ultimate diva triptych of Barbra, Liza and Cher each releasing not only new albums in 2010, but also DVDs of their work - and, in Cher's case, a smash-hit big-screen original movie musical, BURLESQUE, to the stars-on-the-rise of two leading men of far off shores - Stuart Matthew Price and David Campbell. In a year with far too few new cast albums, these solo albums certainly shine with lots of luster. On Broadway it might have been the year of epic disaster, but on record we may be able to find the Broadway we knew and loved once in any number of these highly-recommended releases. Oh, yeah - and Sondheim, too!

2010 was a year filled with all sorts of exciting BroadwayWorld interviews - here's some of this year's highlights!

Already one of the most acclaimed and beloved singers and songwriters around the world, Josh Groban breaks new ground of artistic and personal growth with his long-awaited fifth studio album, Illuminations, to be released on November 15th, 2010 from 143/Reprise Records. The album is the rewardingly surprise-filled result of the unexpected but stimulating teaming with veteran producer Rick Rubin, known for his iconic work with Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash and Dixie Chicks among many others.

Already one of the most acclaimed and beloved singers and songwriters around the world, Josh Groban breaks new ground of artistic and personal growth with his long-awaited fifth studio album, Illuminations, to be released on November 15th, 2010 from 143/Reprise Records. The album is the rewardingly surprise-filled result of the unexpected but stimulating teaming with veteran producer Rick Rubin, known for his iconic work with Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash and Dixie Chicks among many others.

Highline Ballroom is located at 431 West 16th Street between 9th Avenue and 10th Avenue.

Few stars - or even legends, like this one - boast a resume that includes a Tony Award, the leading role on one of the most cherished sitcoms of the early eighties, a star-making film debut in one of the greatest horror films ever made (with one of the most exciting casts ever assembled), as well as an unparalleled career on the concert and cabaret stages around the world - in addition to a dozen or so leading roles in musicals on Broadway and in the West End, and just as many notable film roles, ranging from intimate indies to big-budget behemoths. Yes, Betty Buckley has conquered every arena of entertainment and it is a rare thrill to reveal such exciting news as Ms. Buckley revealed to me in our comprehensive conversation last week. In this BroadwayWorld Exclusive InDepth InterView we discuss her upcoming albums, BOOTLEG: BOARD MIXES FROM THE ROAD and GHOSTLIGHT - the latter produced by Oscar and Grammy-winning producer extraordinaire T Bone Burnett - both in connection to her Town Hall concert on October 16th. Here you will also find the first news of working with Jason Moore, Jake Shears and the rest of the cast and crew of the hotly anticipated new musical based on Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY premiering next Spring in San Francisco where Ms. Buckley is creating the lead role of Anna Madrigal. We also talk the recent big Emmy-winner out of all of TV this year, HBO's miniseries THE PACIFIC. In this illuminating conversation, Ms. Buckley bares all and reveals that it is the supreme dedication to excellence and unwavering commitment to craft that has helped her to become one of the biggest Broadway names of our age with an astoundingly accomplished career almost beyond any comparison. And if all of this breaking news weren't enough, this is the complete unedited conversation where we also look back and talk about everything from CARRIE to TENDER MERCIES, CATS to SUNSET BLVD, William Finn to WYATT EARP, Roman Polanski to Robert Duvall, cabaret to country concert stage and much, much more. Now is the very best time of all to let the memory live again, so it's all eyes (feline and otherwise) on the extraordinary future in the life and career of the legendary Betty Buckley!

Few stars - or even legends, like this one - boast a resume that includes a Tony Award, the leading role on one of the most cherished sitcoms of the early eighties, a star-making film debut in one of the greatest horror films ever made (with one of the most exciting casts ever assembled), as well as an unparalleled career on the concert and cabaret stages around the world - in addition to a dozen or so leading roles in musicals on Broadway and in the West End, and just as many notable film roles, ranging from intimate indies to big-budget behemoths. Yes, Betty Buckley has conquered every arena of entertainment and it is a rare thrill to reveal such exciting news as Ms. Buckley revealed to me in our comprehensive conversation yesterday. In this portion of the forthcoming BroadwayWorld Exclusive InDepth InterView we discuss her upcoming albums, BOOTLEG: BOARD MIXES FROM THE ROAD and GHOSTLIGHT - the latter produced by Oscar and Grammy-winning producer extraordinaire T Bone Burnett - both in connection to her Town Hall concert on October 16th. Here you will also find the first news of working with Jason Moore, Jake Shears and the rest of the cast and crew of the hotly anticipated new musical based on Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY premiering next Spring in San Francisco where Ms. Buckley is creating the lead role of Anna Madrigal. We also talk the recent big Emmy-winner out of all of TV this year, HBO's miniseries THE PACIFIC. In this illuminating conversation, Ms. Buckley bares all and reveals that it is the supreme dedication to excellence and unwavering commitment to craft that has helped her to become one of the biggest Broadway names of our age with an astoundingly accomplished career almost beyond any comparison. And if all of this breaking news weren't enough, be sure to stay tuned to BroadwayWorld next week for the complete unedited conversation where we also look back and talk about everything from CARRIE to TENDER MERCIES, CATS to SUNSET BLVD, William Finn to WYATT EARP, Roman Polanski to Robert Duvall, cabaret to country concert stage and much, much more. We'll wait until next week to let the memory live again - for now, it's all eyes on the extraordinary future in the life and career of the legendary Betty Buckley!

Already one of the most acclaimed and beloved singers and songwriters around the world, Josh Groban breaks new ground of artistic and personal growth with his long-awaited fifth studio album, Illuminations, to be released on November 15th, 2010, from Reprise Records. The album is the rewardingly surprise-filled result of the unexpected but stimulating teaming with veteran producer Rick Rubin, known for his iconic work with Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash and Dixie Chicks among many others.

Last week I conducted an illuminating InDepth InterView with legendary producer and director Harold Prince in which we discussed his singular career, having won more Tony Awards than any other person on the planet for his near one-hundred productions since his start as George Abbott's assistant producer over fifty years ago. He produced such landmark musicals as DAMN YANKEES, THE PAJAMA GAME and WEST SIDE STORY in the 1950s and then went on to become a director in his own right with Kander & Ebb's FLORA, THE RED MENANCE (Liza Minnelli's Broadway debut), CABARET into the Sondheim series of masterpieces in the 1970s - COMPANY, FOLLIES, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, PACIFIC OVERTURES, SWEENEY TODD - bridging into his two biggest commercial successes, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals EVITA and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Celebrating its 23rd year on Broadway in January, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is the most successful entertainment of all time, more than any other musical, television show or even feature film in history. It's a juggernaut like no other and the mystery, magic and majesty that had made the show such a rousing success is thanks to the masterful eye-of-all-eyes, the true master director of the American Theatre, Harold Prince. But, will he be doing the sequel?

HOWL! Arts Project and The Actors Fund present HOWL! ARTS PROJECT 2010, a month-long series of theater, performance art, music, poetry, film, entertainment for and by kids, and much more at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place). Proceeds benefit HOWL! HELP, an emergency services assistance and health fund for eligible and qualifying East Village artists, administered by The Actors Fund.

HOWL! Arts Project and The Actors Fund present HOWL! ARTS PROJECT 2010, a month-long series of theater, performance art, music, poetry, film, entertainment for and by kids, and much more at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place). Proceeds benefit HOWL! HELP, an emergency services assistance and health fund for eligible and qualifying East Village artists, administered by The Actors Fund.

HOWL! Arts Project and The Actors Fund present HOWL! ARTS PROJECT 2010, a month-long series of theater, performance art, music, poetry, film, entertainment for and by kids, and much more at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place). Proceeds benefit HOWL! HELP, an emergency services assistance and health fund for eligible and qualifying East Village artists, administered by The Actors Fund.

In September, DC area theatres are filled with almost a dozen musical productions opening -- classics, family shows, and many wonderful plays being performed on our over 200 theatre venues. The humidity is finally melting away, and it's a perfect time to welcome the cooler weather and the colors of the Fall by making a trip to the Nation's Capital and catching a show or two or three. There are family shows with canines and rabbits, a Labor Day weekend theatre festival that's FREE, a new jazz musical with some of the area's most talented singers, and bugs and ants that swing on trapezes. Mr. Ripley is finally coming to town, while I'm hoping that all will be well at Shakespeare Theatre. Someone is trying to deal with a very troubling inch, a Bar-Mitzvah boy has to deal with his crazy family, spelling champions battle it out, and a beagle pilot takes flight. There's so much to choose from, so read on and see what's playing in September in this monumental town. Happy New Year to all my fellow Jewish lovers of the theatre!

The National Jazz Museum in Harlem announces its August 2010 Schedule. This month of public programs presented by the National Jazz Museum in Harlem features retrospectives (Louis Armstrong and Hank Jones), discussions with two of the most prominent and influential contemporary saxophonists (Joe Lovano and Steve Coleman) as well as a talk with top jazz journalist Bill Milkowski, and live performances that riff on the connection between visual art and jazz, by trumpeter Marcus Printup and trombonist Ryan Keberle at the Rubin Museum of Art, and the NJMH All Stars at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Whether your taste leans toward the historical and traditional, or to the futuristic and cutting edge, you'll find it this month. Mark your calendar and bring some friends!

The National Jazz Museum in Harlem announces its August 2010 Schedule. This month of public programs presented by the National Jazz Museum in Harlem features retrospectives (Louis Armstrong and Hank Jones), discussions with two of the most prominent and influential contemporary saxophonists (Joe Lovano and Steve Coleman) as well as a talk with top jazz journalist Bill Milkowski, and live performances that riff on the connection between visual art and jazz, by trumpeter Marcus Printup and trombonist Ryan Keberle at the Rubin Museum of Art, and the NJMH All Stars at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Whether your taste leans toward the historical and traditional, or to the futuristic and cutting edge, you'll find it this month. Mark your calendar and bring some friends!

The Metropolitan Room hosts Manhattan's most exciting 'American Idol' style competition. The third annual 'Metrostar Talent Challenge' Trials begin July 12, 2010 with a grand finale on August 30th, 2010.

This Week At Cornelia Street Cafe Mon Jul 12 at 9:00PM AKSHARA PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

Five-time Emmy Award winner Kelsey Grammer makes his Broadway musical debut alongside Olivier winner Douglas Hodge in this funny and touching tale of one family's struggle to stay together... stay fabulous... and above all else, stay true to themselves. La Cage aux Folles, the splashy, high-kicking musical comedy, comes to Broadway this spring in a gloriously reconceived production that took London by storm. La Cage features Jerry Herman's Tony Award-winning score, with such fabulous songs as 'I Am What I Am,' 'The Best of Times' and 'Song on the Sand,' and a Tony Award-winning book by Harvey Fierstein.

Theatre and science become creative companions for the world premiere production of The DNA Trail: A Genealogy of Short Plays about Ancestry, Identity and Utter Confusion, commissioned by Silk Road Theatre Project and produced in association with Goodman Theatre.

As the Helen Hayes Awards ceremony on April 5th honors performances and productions from the past year, DC theatergoers will be hearing two gorgeous scores by Jason Robert Brown and Jeanine Tesori, and seeing a new opera about a boxer, a splashing pool on stage, Tyne Daley as diva Maria Callas, Maurice Hines tapping his way on the Lincoln Theatre stage, Mrs. Robinson seducing Benjamin, a red balloon thrilling young audiences, Harvey Fierstein wishing he was a rich man, tales and songs from a Scottish Jewish composer, a new children's show with lots of princesses, a little musical with the title in [ ], a triumphant mounting of a short-lived Broadway musical, and a wordless Kafka classic performed in Georgian style. The crocuses, cherry blossoms, and azaleas will be in full bloom, as the nation's capital will be awash in beautiful colors. It's the perfect time to visit and see some great shows in our DC area theatres.

Solo Performance Festival (SPF #4: Can You Get My Back) presented by Theatre Off Jackson is the fourth installment of Seattle's annual solo performance festival, and is dedicated to presenting fearless, cutting-edge, diverse performances by solo theatre artists.

Theatre and science become creative companions for the world premiere production of The DNA Trail: A Genealogy of Short Plays about Ancestry, Identity and Utter Confusion, commissioned by Silk Road Theatre Project and produced in association with Goodman Theatre.

Solo Performance Festival (SPF #4: Can You Get My Back) presented by Theatre Off Jackson is the fourth installment of Seattle's annual solo performance festival, and is dedicated to presenting fearless, cutting-edge, diverse performances by solo theatre artists.

2nd Annual Company of Heaven Jazz Festival: Jan. 8-10, Fri Jan 08