Sam Harris News

Today, as a sideline to this weekend’s extensive, exhaustive and exclusive InDepth InterView Tony Awards Edition: Jeff Calhoun, we are shining a special spotlight on the career of Calhoun on the Great White Way thus far with an electrifying collection of clips beginning with his collaborations with master director/choreographer Tommy Tune on THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES - today’s 2012 Tony Awards Clip Countdown dedicatee - and BUSKER ALLEY, through to his directorial debut with GREASE and his subsequent work on ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, BELLS ARE RINGING, TABOO, GREY GARDENS, BIG RIVER, NINE-TO-FIVE and this year’s twofer of new musicals that he directed and choreographed, the recently-closed BONNIE & CLYDE and the still-running mega-hit NEWSIES. As a performer, Calhoun appeared in Tune productions like MY ONE AND ONLY and THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS - as well as the montage film ARIA - but, unquestionably, he is most well-known and best-loved by Broadway babies for his visionary work on so many new and original musicals, as well as some stupendous revivals along the way, as well. Cowboys to call girls to Pink Ladies; Boy George to Huck Finn to Edie Beale - this collection has it all! (more...)

Today we are kicking off the 2012 InDepth InterView Tony Awards Series with the director/choreographer of the hottest hit of the 2011-2012 theatrical season, NEWSIES, that was recently awarded with a boatload of Tony Award nominations, in addition to a short-running show that has a very vocal group of advocates and supporters that also received a handful of Tony noms, BONNIE & CLYDE - the passionate and visionary Jeff Calhoun. Discussing all aspects of his mega-hit with Disney’s NEWSIES and his success d’estime with Frank Wildhorn’s BONNIE & CLYDE, as well as all about his years spent developing both, Calhoun illustrates his process and sheds some light on many aspects of the creation of the wildly different vehicles, as well as his opinions on the theatrical environment of today. Additionally, Calhoun outlines his experiences working with NEWIES and BONNIE & CLYDE breakout stars Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes - both Tony nominees - as well as his many years spent as an associate choreographer for legendary Tony-winning master director Tommy Tune creating many remarkable musicals such as GRAND HOTEL and THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES. Plus, Calhoun conveys his infectious enthusiasm for his craft and discusses what drives him to create while also sharing his humbled appreciation for the recognition of both his new musicals this season by the Tony Award committee and reflecting on his vast multitude of experiences in the theatre so far in his career - everything from starring in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS and MY ONE & ONLY on Broadway to choreographing THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES and BUSKER ALLEY with Tommy Tune and transitioning into directing/choreographing with the hit revivals of GREASE, BIG RIVER, PIPPIN, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (with Graciele Daniele), BELLS ARE RINGING, as well as GREY GARDENS and the rest. All of that and much, much more in this career-spanning conversation with one of Broadway’s best! (more...)

GEORGE M! tells the life story of George M. Cohan, a giant of the American Musical Theater who gave us such songs asYankee Doodle Dandy, Over There, You're A Grand Old Flag, and Give My Regards to Broadway. The show follows him over a 60-year period period from the late 1880s until 1937. Beginning with his childhood in Rhode Island on the vaudeville circuit with his parents and sister as "The Four Cohans," to New York, where he starts his 25-year absolute reign of the Broadway stage. (more...)

The Annenberg Theatre will present Upright Cabaret’s RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT on April 27 at 8:00 pm. RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT is the third installment of Upright Cabaret’s “American Icon” Series and will star Olivier Award-Winner Lesli Margherita, Lexi Lawson (Rent, In The Heights)) and Rogelio Douglas Jr. (In The Heights, The Little Mermaid)). This high energy, multi-media Cabaret celebrates the music of Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Santana and features pop favorites such as Livin’ La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon-Bon, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Anything for You, Smooth, Let It Shine, and more, performed live with the Upright Cabaret band! (more...)

Broadway veteran Sam Harris recently teamed with Tony winner Levi Kreis for a duet on Kries' new album titled, 'It Ain't Over.' Go behind the scenes of the recording session in the video below! (more...)

Men Alive - The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus continues its successful 11th Season with POP GOES THE OPERA, a high-concept concert experience that blends two musical styles--Classic Opera and Contemporary Pop music--on the same stage. The concert event opens Friday, March 30 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre with two additional shows on Saturday, March 31. The genre mash-up includes selections from Lady Gaga, Verdi, Madonna, Puccini, Annie Lennox, plus a full, live-action re-enactment of the Warner Bros. cartoon classic "What's Opera, Doc?" (more...)

From Nick Jonas and Michael Urie to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand to Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters to Susan Boyle, Colin Quinn to GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever! (more...)

Cincinnati Landmark Productions to hold auditions for two Showboat productions: Arsenic and Old Lace and George M! on Sunday, February 5 and Monday, February 6, 2012, @ 6:30 – 9:00 pm (more...)

CHRIS ISAACSON has announced the performers for UPRIGHT CABARET's AMERICAN ICON SERIES' second show of their 3rd Season, THE TROUBADOURS, starring American Idol’s JACKIE TOHN, MATT WOLPE (The Buddy Holly Story) YVETTE CASON (Dreamgirls, Play On!, Stormy Weather) and JAKE SIMPSON (Star Search Grand Champion, Arena: Born to Rock, Oprah favorite) celebrating the music of Bob Dylan, Carole King and James Taylor! (more...)

Sam Harris, Star Search Grand Champion and Broadway star, will work one-on-one with participants in this intimate and supportive class designed to help participants delve more deeply into a song and strengthen thier live performance. He will provide insight and coaching in such areas as lyric interpretation, phrasing, connecting with the audience and acting, in order to help to bring the story of the song to its greatest potential. (more...)

On January 13 and 14, the Columbia Club will host the first Cabaret show of 2012 with Sam Harris: Broadway, Ballads & Blues. Harris brings his singular interpretation and inimitable style to an eclectic collection of Broadway and Pop Classics from Hammerstein to Sondheim and U2 to Lennon. (more...)

Cincinnati Landmark Productions to hold auditions for two Showboat productions: Arsenic and Old Lace and George M! on Sunday, February 5 and Monday, February 6, 2012, @ 6:30 – 9:00 pm (more...)

CHRIS ISAACSON has announced the performers for UPRIGHT CABARET's AMERICAN ICON SERIES' second show of their 3rd Season, THE TROUBADOURS, starring American Idol’s JACKIE TOHN, MATT WOLPE (The Buddy Holly Story) YVETTE CASON (Dreamgirls, Play On!, Stormy Weather) and JAKE SIMPSON (Star Search Grand Champion, Arena: Born to Rock, Oprah favorite) celebrating the music of Bob Dylan, Carole King and James Taylor! (more...)

Sam Harris, Star Search Grand Champion and Broadway star, will work one-on-one with participants in this intimate and supportive class designed to help participants delve more deeply into a song and strengthen thier live performance. He will provide insight and coaching in such areas as lyric interpretation, phrasing, connecting with the audience and acting, in order to help to bring the story of the song to its greatest potential. (more...)

Sam Harris has perfected a pretty good stand-up act over the years. He loves to expound on everything from show business and Liza Minnelli ... to surgeries and artificial body parts ... to dieting and even whine about how a toddler can radically alter one's comfortable lifestyle...he's into sharing news, issues, trends, gossip...take his New Year's resolutions over the course of three years: "Don't look back!...Don't look!...Don't." In there somewhere is a valuable lesson on how to downsize. Wait a minute, does all this jabber need a point? Even if he says absolutely nothing, Harris' greatest talent is to entertain, to put on a show. And that he blessedly does. As witnessed by Saturday evening's joyful Sam Harris & Friends on the El Portal Mainstage, boy oh boy, he can also still SING! So can all of his guests: Tony winner Levi Kreis, David Burnham, Todd Schroeder and Olivier/Ovation winner Lesli Margherita. It's been a while since I've seen this much overwhelmingly glorious talent assembled on one stage. (more...)

El Portal Theatre in association with producers Jay Irwin and Pegge Forrest proudly present a very special New Year’s Eve celebration December 31, 2011 with an all-star lineup for two performances only at 4 pm and 10 pm. The all stars are headed by Sam Harris with Todd Schroeder at the piano, 2010 Tony Winner Levi Kreis, 2011 Ovation Winner Lesli Margherita and David Burnham one of Broadway’s bright lights. (more...)

On Tues, Dec 20, 2011, Chris Isaacson presented Upright Cabaret's 6th Annual "A Broadway Christmas" at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, CA. (more...)

On Tues, Dec 20, 2011, Chris Isaacson presented Upright Cabaret's 6th Annual "A Broadway Christmas" at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, CA. See Jacobs performing "My Grown Up Christmas List" below! (more...)

On Tues, Dec 20, 2011, Chris Isaacson presented Upright Cabaret's 6th Annual "A Broadway Christmas" at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, CA. (more...)

On Tues, Dec 20, 2011 at 8pm and 10pm, Upright Cabaret will transform Catalina Jazz Club into a wonderland of song as Upright Cabaret celebrates their 6th Annual Broadway Christmas Revue! (more...)