Arthur Schwartz News

BroadwayWorld continues our exclusive content series, in collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, which delves into the library's unparalleled archives, and resources. Below, check out a piece by Annemarie van Roessel, Assistant Curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division on: The Designs of Jo Mielziner.

Waterwell welcomes Broadway regulars, Military veterans, and civilian artists for the Blueprint Specials, presented in association with the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival.

A cast of Broadway stalwarts will join Tony Award winning legend and international stage and film star Liliane Montevecchi in The Ziegfeld Society's gala benefit performance of Ziegfeld Follies Of The Air: The New 1934 Live from Broadway Broadcast Revue, devised and directed by Walter Willison with musical direction and special musical arrangements by Mark York.

'For 47 years, the world of entertainment was blessed with a force of nature called Judy Garland,' Michael Feinstein begins, 'and for Judy, it all began at MGM.' As the artist takes his time with Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz's 'That's Entertainment,' screens on either side of the stage show clips from the film of the same name deftly edited to reflect every lyric. A coda of special material makes 'star' recognition even more specific. In Feinstein's A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER at Feinstein's/54 Below, we hear songs from Garland's films and appearances, some iconic, others less known. Despite a life of trials, we're told, the performer left a legacy of optimism and joy. She had a quick-witted sense of humor, especially about herself. On one occasion, when Lucille Ball was praised for her humor, she responded that it was scripted, while Judy Garland's was spontaneous. The show is peppered with illuminating anecdotes.

Liliane Montevecchi headlines an all-star cast in The Ziegfeld Society of New York City's gala benefit performance of Ziegfeld Follies Of The Air: The New 1934 Live from Broadway Broadcast Revue.

The Old Globe today announced the remaining productions in its 2017 Summer Season, including a brand-new comedy, Ken Ludwig's Robin Hood!, and a Summer Shakespeare Festival lineup featuring Robert Sean Leonard in the title role of the towering history play Richard II, directed by Erica Schmidt. Shakespeare's exhilarating tragedy Hamlet follows, directed by Old Globe Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, one of the leading American authorities on the works of Shakespeare.

Waterwell announced today the revival of the Blueprint Specials, a series of lost WWII-era musicals composed principally by Broadway legend Frank Loesser to be presented in association with the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival. The production will star Tony Award nominees Laura Osnes (Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde) and Will Swenson (Hair) and be directed by Drama Desk nominee Tom Ridgely.

For their 2016-2017 season, American Classics takes a novel approach, drawing all three programs on great literature.  They open with Shakespeare in Song, in honor of the 400th anniversary of his death, with songs from The Boys From Syracuse (Rodgers & Hart, based on The Comedy of Errors), Kiss Me Kate (Cole Porter, based on The Taming of the Shrew), West Side Story (Bernstein and Sondheim, based on Romeo and Juliet), The Lion King (Tim Rice and Sir Elton John, based on Hamlet), and some unusual songs from drawn from Shakespeare.  Caroline Musica, Cynthia Mork, Eric Bronner make up the quartet of singers, with Bradford Conner presiding at the keyboard.  

The Old Globe today announced the first production of its 2017 Summer Season: Guys and Dolls, a musical fable of Broadway. Based on the stories and characters by Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, Guys and Dolls will be directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, returning to the Globe after the great successes of Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, which he directed, and Bright Star, which he choreographed.

Debonair cabaret veteran Richard Holbrook returns to EAG's Guild Hall with his musical tribute to the legendary entertainer Fred Astaire.

The second of a six-part, decade-by-decade video series sampling the legendary artist's performances of musical theatre classics.

42nd Street Moon concludes its 23rd season with Frank Loesser's glorious Napa Valley romance, the Tony Award-winning THE MOST HAPPY FELLA. This masterpiece with book, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser (Guys and Dolls, How to Succeed in Business …, Where's Charley?) is an unconventional and sweepingly romantic love story set in the vineyards of Napa Valley. Considered one of Loesser's greatest works, the stunning score includes "The Most Happy Fella," "Standing on the Corner," "Joey, Joey, Joey," "Rosabella," "Big D," "My Heart Is So Full of You" and "Song of a Summer Night." Directed by Cindy Goldfield, with musical direction by Dave Dobrusky, THE MOST HAPPY FELLA will run April 27 - May 17, 2016 (Press opening: Saturday, April 30) at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco. For tickets ($25-$75) or more information, the public may call (415) 255-8207 or visit www.42ndstmoon.org. 

In a follow-up to their 2013 presentation Sin Twisters, on Wednesday night at Feinstein's/54 Below, show biz veterans Anita Gillette and Penny Fuller offered stories from the Broadway trenches, songs from their musical history, and affectionate one-upmanship, again deftly directed by Barry Kleinbort.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: Show Biz After Hours with Frank DiLella and Special Guests; Turn the Beat Around - 54 Below Celebrates Studio 54; Anita Gillette & Penny Fuller in Sin Twisters, Too!; Michael Zahler & Will Van Dyke in Still It's True; and Josh Young Sings Andrew Lloyd Webber. 

Attending a Steve Ross show is often akin to time travel. The audience is transported back to eras when urbanity and dash were watchwords, when interpretation meant being as true to the period as the meaning of lyrics. The classy Mr. Ross, known primarily for iconoclastic solo performance, appeared at Birdland Monday night with a zealous 11-piece band helmed by long time confederate Brian Cassier. The joint was jumpin'.

What qualities define a leading man? Charisma, soul-searching masculinity, and a deep, lustrous voice--once upon a time, we had entertainers who possessed them all. With his Cafe Carlyle debut show that opened last night, Plays With Music--following his Tony-Award winning Broadway performances, 12 years on the road in concert, a couple of recent, all too brief New York theatrical turns, and television work--Brian Stokes Mitchell proves that few such leading men exist. Soon it may be like finding unicorns.

With new Sunday evening Jazz Party host Carole J. Bufford performing elsewhere last night, the Birdland Jazz Club recruited drummer Ray Marchica and his vocalist wife Nina Hennessy (right), who rounded up some of their talented friends for an evening of vocal and instrumental jazz, new compositions, and golden standards. Marchica's band featured Sean Harkness on guitar, Tom Hubbard on bass, and Bob Quaranta on piano. Special guests included vocalist Marissa Mulder and composer/pianist Ian Herman.

The sin twisters are back at 54 Below!

Cabaret star Steve Ross will debut STEVE ROSS ON BROADWAY: Songs He's Always Wanted To Sing and Songs You've Always Wanted to Hear at Birdland Jazz Club on Monday, July 7th at 7pm. Mr. Ross' very special guest star will be International icon Liliane Montevecchi, featuring Jesse Bielenberg on bass. The wide-ranging program includes songs by George and Ira Gershwin, Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim and others.

India Adams and Annette Warren, whose voices have entertained generations of moviegoers in such MGM classics as 'Show Boat' and 'The Band Wagon,' will bring their new show 'Hollywood's Secret Singing Stars' to the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood tonight and tomorrow, June 26 and 27 at 8:30 PM.