J. C. Johnson News

GINGER ROGERS, the Academy Award winning screen legend from the films 42nd Street, Top Hat, The Gay Divorcee and dozens more, would have been 100 this year. She will be celebrated with a live performance and an exhibition of her archive and memorabilia created in celebration of her life and career as one of America's most luminescent and talented motion picture actresses. The special exhibition opens at Boston's Mugar Library Building on Monday, October 24. Hosted by Nick Clooney, the event will feature an appearance by special guest Angela Lansbury. The live performances will debut at the Tsai Performance Center (October 24) in Boston and the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline (October 25). (more...)

GINGER ROGERS, the Academy Award winning screen legend from the films 42nd Street, Top Hat, The Gay Divorcee and dozens more, would have been 100 this year. She will be celebrated with a live performance and an exhibition of her archive and memorabilia created in celebration of her life and career as one of America's most luminescent and talented motion picture actresses. The special exhibition opens at Boston's Mugar Library Building on Monday, October 24. Hosted by Nick Clooney, the event will feature an appearance by special guest Angela Lansbury. The live performances will debut at the Tsai Performance Center (October 24) in Boston and the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline (October 25). (more...)

The New York Musical Theatre Festival is pleased to announce the world premiere production of TRAV?LIN by Gary Holmes and Allan Shapiro, with musical direction by John Dipinto and choreographed and directed by Paul Stancato. TRAV'LIN will play a limited engagement at TBG Theatre, (312 West 36th Street, NY, NY 10018). Performances begin Monday, October 11 and continue through Sunday, October 17. (more...)

The New York Musical Theatre Festival is pleased to announce the world premiere production of TRAV?LIN by Gary Holmes and Allan Shapiro, with musical direction by John Dipinto and choreographed and directed by Paul Stancato. TRAV'LIN will play a limited engagement at TBG Theatre, (312 West 36th Street, NY, NY 10018). Performances begin Monday, October 11 and continue through Sunday, October 17. (more...)

Today we kick off our series on the 2010 New York Musical Theater Festival with the warm and fuzzy memories - as well as some less than fond remembrances - of the life and career of Broadway triple-threat leading lady Brenda Braxton. From the original company of DREAMGIRLS on Broadway under the direction of Michael Bennett to CATS and LEGS DIAMOND and George C. Wolfe's JELLY'S LAST JAM all the way up to her many stints in the Broadway revival of CHICAGO - as well as directing and recreating the original Bennett/Avian/Peters choreography for the post-9/11 star-studded DREAMGIRLS concert starring Audra McDonald, Lillias White and Heather Headley - we talk it all, plus all the exciting new musicals she is participating in - such as her NYMF starrer TRAVELIN' and another new musical reading, as well as projects of her own creation - both onstage and, now, behind-the-scenes! Ms. Braxton was generous enough to spend some time on a rainy afternoon earlier this week to discuss her career, the state of Broadway, the necessity of new musical theatre voices, working with Michael Bennett, and all the details on the new musical she is starring in that premieres this Friday at the NYMF, TRAVELIN' as well as some exciting news of what lies ahead! (more...)

The New York Musical Theatre Festival is pleased to announce the world premiere production of TRAV?LIN by Gary Holmes and Allan Shapiro, with musical direction by John Dipinto and choreographed and directed by Paul Stancato. TRAV'LIN will play a limited engagement at TBG Theatre, (312 West 36th Street, NY, NY 10018). Performances begin Monday, October 11 and continue through Sunday, October 17. (more...)

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has announced the full slate of 27 musical productions, a developmental reading series and special events for their seventh annual festival. This year's Festival will begin September 27th and continue through October 17th. A full breakdown of this year's performances follows. (more...)

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) today announces the 11 musicals that have been invited by NYMF to be presented with the 12 previously announced Next Link Project productions. NYMF will also announce the festival's Developmental Reading Series and other special events in the upcoming weeks. This year's festival will be presented September 27 - October 17 at venues around Manhattan. A complete list of shows and their writers are below. (more...)

The award-winning York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) announces casting for Trav'lin, the next offering in its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series. As always, these readings are open to the general public and admission is free, but reservations are required. For more information on the York, visit www.yorktheatre.org. (more...)

Come pursue the varieties of jazz experience at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem! From conversations and live performances to educational sessions and panel discussions, you're sure to have a ball and learn a lot too. (more...)

Come pursue the varieties of jazz experience at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem! From conversations and live performances to educational sessions and panel discussions, you're sure to have a ball and learn a lot too. (more...)

Come pursue the varieties of jazz experience at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem! From conversations and live performances to educational sessions and panel discussions, you're sure to have a ball and learn a lot too. (more...)

Come pursue the varieties of jazz experience at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem! From conversations and live performances to educational sessions and panel discussions, you're sure to have a ball and learn a lot too. (more...)

Come pursue the varieties of jazz experience at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem! From conversations and live performances to educational sessions and panel discussions, you're sure to have a ball and learn a lot too. (more...)

The York Theater Company presents the Developmental Reading Series GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK BOOK BY MELBA THOMAS, MUSIC BY DAVID FRIEDMAN, LYRICS BY MURIEL ROBINSON Based on the wonderful short story by Grace Paley, set on Manhattan's lower east side during the era of the Yiddish theatre, Goodbye and Good Luck tells the story of Rosie Lieber, whose life is upended and set on a new track when she loses her job in a sweatshop because she wants to sit by a window. Her search for her "window" leads to a job as cashier at a famous Second Avenue theatre and a livelong involvement with its charismatic and considerably older star. This is the story of an "ordinary" girl who makes "extraordinary" choices that lead to a life full of surprises, twists and turns. (more...)

The New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) will continue its season with a program titled At Harlem's Height on Wednesday, February 23 at 8:00pm as part of Lincoln Center's American Songbook in the Rose Theatre at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The featured soloists will be soprano Dana Hanchard, tenor Darius de Haas, and baritone James Martin, with Steven Blier at the piano. (more...)