Guild Hall Academy of the Arts presented their annual Lifetime Achievement Awards at Cipriani on 42nd Street. The 2008 honorees were Candice Bergen/performing arts, Ken Auletta/literary arts, Jennifer Bartlett/visual arts and Donald Zucker/ leadership & philanthropic endeavors. Ruth Appelhof, Executive Director of Guild Hall, East Hampton’s cultural center for decades, welcomed guests to the celebration of artistic achievement, where Marshall Brickman (Jersey’s Boys book scrbe) presided over the lavish dinner/ceremony.

Read more >

As part of Black History month La MaMa e.t.c. is showcasing acclaimed playwright Leslie Lee with the world premiere of his surreal play The Book of Lambert, set in an abandoned NYC subway tunnel, where six lost souls drift in a dreamlike world haunted by the demons of their past. The Obie Awarding winning Lee is a founding artist of La MaMa e.t.c. and many of his plays have been staged there over the years. Lee is going through a bit of resurgence. His Tony Nominated The First Breeze of Summer, which was originally produced by the Negro Ensemble Company, was revived in a stunning 2008 Signature Theatre production starring Leslie Uggams.

Read more >

The Metropolitan Room was packed for Jamie DeRoy’s Annual Celebration of The Academy Awards on Monday, February 16, 2009. Jamie opened up the show with a funny song called “Academy Awards” – a piece of special material of someone thanking everyone from their chiropractor to their dog walker and it set the tone for a festive evening with many of her talented “friends.” She also interspersed interesting facts about the Oscars over the years. Lanny Myers was the musical director at the piano and the show was directed by Barry Kleinbort.

 

 

 

Read more >

Fresh from his thrilling performance this season in the new Broadway musical " A Tale of Two Cities" James Barbour’s successful concert series at Sardis has been extended through March. His "Love Songs" concert, which began in January, is a unique opportunity to hear the powerful vocalist interpret a stellar list of classic love songs. The show varies every week, and Mr. Barbour always has a different special guest so you might want hear him more than once.

Read more >

On Thursday, March 19, LongHouse Reserve of East Hampton will host an intimate evening benefit at one of the oldest literary clubs in the United States, The Lotos Club in New York City. Longtime supporter and Pulitzer Prize winning author Edward Albee will join Tony Award winning actress Marian Seldes for a dramatic reading of Edward Albee’s play Counting the Ways. Counting the Ways is a humorous and poignant exploration of a couple questioning their love for each other.

Read more >

Different stars will appear every Sunday Night 6:30 PM at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, where Scott Siegel will host a talented list of vocalists singing songs from Broadway"s Jukebox Musicals. Julia Murney (Wicked) pictured here with Scott was a special guest this Sunday at James Barbour’s "Love Songs" series at Sardis. Some of the other stars scheduled to perform in March for Mr. Siegel under the musical direction of Tedd Firth are Cheryl Freeman (The Acid Queen in the Who’s Tommy), AAaron Lazar (Tale of Two Cities), Brad Oscar (The Producers), Emily Skinner (Side Show) and more! For Reservations and more information call 212 581-3080

Read more >

Charles Busch and Lypsinka starred in a one night only staged reading of the legendary play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright James Kirkwood. This hilarious benefit reading for Friends in Deed was held at Town Hall and kept the audience laughing with delight. The evening was Directed by Mark Waldrop, Narrated by Fran Lebowitz and featured a script that was adapted for the reading by John Epperson. The comedy also cast "Mad Men" star Bryan Batt, Dashaun Young and Todd DuBail.

Read more >

In anticipation of the Guild Hall Annual Lifetime Achievement Awards Richard and Renee Steinberg hosted a intimate party at the Core culb on East 55th Street. Guild Hall, the cultural center of East Hampton, will present the awards to Jennifer Bartlett, Candice Bergen, Ken Auletta and Donald Zucker in a lavish ceremony to be held March 1 at Cipriani, where Roy Furman, President of the Academy will do the honors and Marshall Brickman will emcee.

 

 

 

Read more >

Broadway legends and rising stars gave their all for "Broadway Backwards 4," a benefit for the LGBT Center.

 

 

 

 

Read more >

Legendary theater and cabaret performer Julie Wilson joined Mac & Bistro award winner Steven Brinberg, considered by many to be the definitive Barbra Streisand impressionist, for A Simply Barbra Holiday party at Symphony Space on Broadway at 95th Street, where the stage veterans joined forces for a heartfelt benefit/show for The Ali Forney Center. The evening also featuring Broadway’s Tituss Burgess from the Little Mermaid and The Broadway Boys was hosted by the star Barbra/Brinberg, who sang the bulk of the musical numbers including many of the Diva’s signature classics with a few entertaining twists.

Read more >

Liza Minnelli brought her electrifying presence to Broadway in her new show “Liza’s At The Palace…, " where the three time Tony Award winning superstar "razzle dazzled" the opening night audience with a confident, grity and of course magical display of showmanship. Liza’s very personal show plays tribute to her godmother Kay Thompson, who as vocal coach and arranger for MGM during that studio’s musical heyday period in the 1940s and 1950s taught Lena Horne and Judy Garland how to sing.

 

Read more >

Urban Stages kicked off their 25th season with the world premiere of Joe Iconis’ delightful new musical ReWrite, a trio of off-beat mini musicals by the award winning composer, who’s Things to Ruin, a revue of his songs just completed a well received run at The Zipper Factory. With ReWrite, a trio of mini-musicals (Nelson Rocks, Miss Marzipan, and The Process, Iconis takes a look at normal people in frustrating everyday situations that seem to overwhelm them. The evening directed by John Simpkins with ditzy style is performed by a wonderful cast of young performers, who pull out all the stops to lift this little musical a mile high.

Read more >

Andrea Marcovicci has returned to the Oak Room of The Algonquin Hotel for an unprecedented 22nd season and will be performing her outstanding show called “Marcovicci Sings Movies 11” until December 27th. Her long-time Musical Director, Shelly Markham was on piano, with Jared Egan on bass. This show brings us back to the romantic era of the movies with songs that serve as a “catalyst in recalling our memories.” Andrea entered the Oak Room in an obviously good mood, as she had just celebrated her 60th birthday the day before. She was wrapped in a shawl for the first song and then removed it to reveal a dazzling antique gown worthy of any movie star in an MGM musical.

Read more >

"The Return of the Playwright," a stimulating panel discussion featuring Tina Howe, Leslie Lee, Adam Rapp, Joseph Stein, and Michael Weller was presented at Sardi’s by the Outer Critics Circle in partnership with Samuel French, Inc.

Read more >