Billy Photos - Broadway

Sometimes advertising and catch phrases become outdated and are not reflective of the current environment.  Not so with “The Jazz Corner Of The World”.  Birdland is still the rightful possessor of that Charlie Parker quote, and one need have only been in the audience Saturday night to hear Jazz great Alan Broadbent and his trio to understand the legitimacy of that nickname. 

When Monty Python's Flying Circus first premiered on television in 1969, few could have imagined how influential the program would become thanks to the inventive minds of its six main collaborators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Known for their surreal slapstick humor which satirized the over-politeness perceived to be the epitome of British culture, the series spawned multiple films, some stage performances, and the outrageously hysterical musical SPAMALOT, mostly based off the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and some of the television show's more memorable skits. The original 2005 Broadway production was nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including the scenery and costumes currently being used in the thoroughly entertaining 3-D Theatricals musical comedy extravaganza from August 4 - 13 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center and August 18 - 27, 2017 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.

Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2015.

Back by popular demand, ON KENTUCKY AVENUE: A Celebration of Atlantic City's Historic Club Harlem returns to City College's performing arts center Aaron Davis Hall on Friday, February 19, for a three-day encore engagement. The show, which shines a red-hot spotlight on a little-known piece of Black history, is presented by the City College Center for the Arts (CCCA) and Byron and Sylvia Lewis. An audience favorite, last February, the production was created by Jeree Wade and directed and written by Adam Wade with Ty Stephens. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the show!

Stage, screen, and cabaret star Julie Wilson passed away yesterday, April 5, from complications from two recent stokes. She was 90 years old. Below, BroadwayWorld takes you back through the last two decades of her versatile career.

Broadway fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, with dozens of shows having opened since January, hundreds of actors having made their debuts, and many more having returned to the stage for critically acclaimed performances. Not all news was good though, as we also suffered a loss of an incredible amount of talent. Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2014.

Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) held its 2014 Vision 2014 Gala on February 25th at Cipriani 42 in New York City. As Dance Theatre of Harlem celebrates its 45th Anniversary, this year's gala was themed 'Live the Moment' and raised $700,000, $75,000 of which resulted from the entertaining live auction conducted by Audrey Smaltz, with the proceeds benefitting the DTH School's Next Generation and Community Engagement Funds. Honorees were Grammy Award-winning recording artist Patti LaBelle with the Arthur Mitchell Vision Award; dance educator and arts advocate Jody Gottfried Arnhold with The Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation Medal; and Goldman, Sachs & Co. senior partner Valentino D. Carlotti with the inaugural Virtuoso Award. The evening's honorary chair was Billy Joel (not in attendance). Scroll down for photos!

In The Line King's Library: Al Hirschfeld at The New York Public Library, The Library for the Performing Arts presents the largest exhibition of Al Hirschfeld's artwork and archival material from its collection. On display through January 4, 2014, in the Library for the Performing Art's Oenslager Gallery, the free, multimedia exhibition celebrates the Al Hirschfeld Foundation's latest gift of Hirschfeld papers and objects to the Library, and commemorates the 110th anniversary of his birth. BroadwayWorld brings you a special sneak peek of the exhibit below!

Esther Williams, who starred in more than two dozen MGM 'aquamusicals' during the 1940s and '50s died today in her sleep in Beverly Hills. She was 91.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center presented the 40th Chaplin Award honoring Academy Award-winner Barbra Streisand yesterday at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center. The celebration in honor of the international film legend's groundbreaking career featured musical performances and film and interview clips culminating in the presentation of The Chaplin Award by President Bill Clinton. View photos of the arrivals below!

In celebration of Liza's birthday, the duo joined forces last night at The Town Hall to sing familiar songs from 'Cabaret' and Liza dipped into her repertoire of signature songs known the world over. Alan performed his renditions of songs - from Annie Lennox to his own original compositions. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos from the concert below!

In celebration of Liza's birthday, the duo joined forces last night at The Town Hall to sing familiar songs from 'Cabaret' and Liza dipped into her repertoire of signature songs known the world over. Alan performed his renditions of songs - from Annie Lennox to his own original compositions. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos from the after party below!

Guild Hall, the visual and performing arts center on eastern Long Island, recently honored the recipients of the 28th Academy of the Arts Lifetime Achievement Awards: John Alexander for Visual Arts; Walter Isaacson for Literary Arts; Nathan Lane for Performing Arts and Mickey Straus, who received the Special Award for Leadership and Philanthropy. Marshall Brickman was the Master of Ceremonies with special guest presenters: Ken Auletta, Alec Baldwin, Jack O'Brien and Lorne Michaels. The awards were presented during a benefit dinner on Monday, March 4 at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. BroadwayWorld has photos from the starry gathering below!

UnsungMusicalsCo. (UMC) presents The Fig Leaves Are Falling, now playing at the Connelly Theatre. Natalie Venetia Belcon (Avenue Q, The Glorious Ones), Jonathan Rayson (Legally Blonde, Adrift in Macao), Matt Walton ("One Life to Live", Burn After Reading) and Morgan Weed (Rent, Next to Normal, Saved) lead the cast of the 1969 musical comedy which also features Karen Hyland (Ghost The Musical), Nathan Keen (West Side Story), Antuan Raimone (In The Heights), and Morgan Rose (Shrek The Musical). Get a first look at the cast onstage below!

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston has announced the cast of My Fair Lady, the beloved Lerner and Loewe musical masterpiece about an arrogant and crotchety phonetics professor who transforms a spirited Cockney flower girl into an elegant, proper-speaking English lady. Broadway's Rick Hilsabeck (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Billy Elliot, the first national tour of Phantom of the Opera) stars as the curmudgeonly professor Henry Higgins. His real-life co-star Sarah Pfisterer (Phantom of the Opera, Show Boat, Children and Art) is his reluctant protégé Eliza Doolittle. Performances are August 10-19 in the Robinson Theatre, 617 Lexington Street, Waltham. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center honored Catherine Deneuve with its 39th Chaplin Award on April 2 in New York City. The annual gala is the Film Society's largest annual fundraiser, benefiting the ongoing programs of the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Monday, January 23 was the Aquarius New Moon AND Chinese New Year (year of the Dragon) - it was also the 80th birthday of one of our national treasures - James Rado - co-author of the legendary musical HAIR. Rado celebrated this milestone at The Copacabana, with a crowd of over 125 - family and friends - including original Broadway HAIR cast members - Natalie Mosco, Marjorie LiPari, Robert I. Rubinsky (aka Bobby The Middle-Aged Celebrity); HAIR alumni including Heather MacRae, André De Shields, Ula Hedwig, Zora Rasmussen, Dale Soules. Other guests included Luther Creek (SPIDER-MAN, 25th Anniversary tour of HAIR, RENT) who performed excerpts from Rado's latest musical AMERICAN SOLDIER (written with brother Ted Rado) at the party along with Rosalind Brown, A.D. Coughlan, Ula Hedwig, Sean Jenness, Marjorie LiPari, Michael Lynch, Natalie Mosco, Cheryl Pepsii Riley, Gordon Ramsey, Robert I. Rubinsky, Sam Underwood and Alex York.

Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist William Kennedy was the guest of honor at a special toast at popular Theater District eatery, Trattoria Dopo Teatro. Longtime friend and noted film and theater producer Barbara Ligeti along with Trattoria Dopo Teatro owners architect Emilio Barletta & Giuseppe Manica hosted the reception to salute the author on the release of his eagerly anticipated new novel, 'Chango's Beads and Two Toned Shoes'.

The Theatre World Awards presentation were held at Jujamcyn's August Wilson Theatre, 245 West 52nd Street (home of Jersey Boys), in an invitation-only ceremony yesterday, June 7, 2011 from 2:00 to 3:45 p.m. Peter Filichia hosted, Barry Keating directed, Mary K. Botosan and Erin Oestreich were the event's producers. There was also a tribute to John Willis, founder of the Theatre World Awards, who died last summer. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the evening and brings you photo coverage of the arrivals below!

The Theatre World Awards for Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut performances during the 2010-2011 theatrical season were presented by former Theatre World Award winners, including:Tammy Blanchard (Gypsy, 2003), Gabriel Byrne (A Moon for the Misbegotten, 2000), Zoe Caldwell (Slapstick Tragedy, 1966), Billy Crudup (Arcadia, 1995), Blythe Danner (The Miser, 1969), Edie Falco (Side Man, 1998), Tovah Feldshuh (Yentl, 1976), Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, 2007), RoseMary Harris (The Climate of Eden, 1953), and Andrea McArdle (Annie, 1977). There will also be performances by former Theatre World Award winners, including: Karen Akers (Nine, 1982), Ernestine Jackson (Raisin, 1974), and John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys, 2006).

The 2010-11 Theatre World Award winners were: Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart; Desmin Borges, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity; Halley Feiffer, The House of Blue Leaves; Grace Gummer, Arcadia; Rose Hemingway, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; Heather Lind, The Merchant of Venice; Patina Miller, Sister Act; Arian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo; Jim Parsons, The Normal Heart; Zachary Quinto, Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes; and Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The first annual Lunt-Fontanne Award for Ensemble Excellence will be presented to the cast of The Motherf**cker With a Hat: Bobby Cannavale, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Annabella Sciorra, and Yul Vázquez. Also presented at the TWA ceremony was the third annual Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence presented to Seth Numrich of War Horse.

Performing as part of THE TOWN HALL's Sixth Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival was Betty Buckley on Saturday, October 16th at 8:00 PM. Buckley is one of only a handful of women who can be referred to as a real Broadway star and a true legend. Tony Award winner and three-time Grammy nominee, she has acted in films, starred on television, and on Broadway. Buckley made her Broadway debut in 1969 and has been called 'The Voice of Broadway' by New York Magazine. Her rendition of 'Memory' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, established her reputation. She has recorded 12 solo albums and now tours extensively across the U.S. each year. She is also a composer; her first recording contains mostly songs she wrote.

Last night, March 15, the stars came out to celebrate 64 years of Liza Minnelli, who turned 64 on March 12, 2010. Friends such as Parker Posey, Joel Grey and Billy Stritch celebrated with a night of performances honoring Liza, one of theater's all-time greats. Minnelli herself took the stage at the end of the evening.

The Great White Way is bustling with construction, as shows of old are moving out and the newest crop for spring move in. Today, the PROMISES, PROMISES marquee is being erected and BroadwayWorld has the first shots of the completed project!

The Great White Way is bustling with construction, as shows of old are moving out and the newest crop for spring move in. Today, the PROMISES, PROMISES marquee is being erected and BroadwayWorld has the first sneak peak shots! Check back later for the finished product as construction is completed later today.