DONOVAN Comes to The Cutting Room for One Night Only
Donovan Leitch is widely regarded as one of the most influential songwriters and recording artists working today. At his induction into the R & R Hall of Fame in 2012 it was stated, 'Donovan singlehandedly initiated the Pysychedelic Revolution with Sunshine Superman'. This masterwork album he created late 1965 at 19 years of age, one year before his friends The Beatles, influencing their album Sgt Pepper's Lonely heart's Club Band, and leading the way for many other artists.
Tony Scialli Presents DRAGON SLAYER THE MUSICAL
Tony Scialli's musical The Dragon Slayer, directed by Andrea Andresakis with musical direction by Kenneth McQueen III, will get its world premiere as part of Winterfest at the 2017 New York Theatre Festival. The show will get three initial performances between January 9 - 14, 2017 at the Hudson Guild Theatre (459 West 26 Street). Tickets are $18 and can be purchase by visiting http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2717927
TV Exclusive: Sneak Peek at 'Here Come The Vampires' from New Musical Mockumentary Series THE HUNTED: ENCORE
As previously announced (and just in time for Halloween!) THE HUNTED: ENCORE is a brand-new, action comedy, vampire slayer, musical mockumentary web series centered on Megan and her band of slayers as they fight (and sing) to eradicate the vampire scourge from New York City. Click below to watch an exclusive preview clip of John Krause (Fun Home), Kyle Matthew Hamilton (creative team of The Spongebob Musical) and John Steven Gardner (Once) performing 'Here Come The Vampires' from the show!
Adirondack Theatre Festival's Carner & Gregor Cabaret
Adirondack Theatre Festival's (ATF) 22nd summer season continues with its CABARET SERIES featuring CARNER & GREGOR (ISLAND SONG). Performances will be held at the Charles R. Wood Theater (207 Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls), in the recently renovated Cabaret space on July 31st and August 1st at 7:30pm. Tickets are $26 and are available at the Wood Theater Box Office, online at ATFestival.org, or by calling (518) 480-4878. Discount season flex passes are available for the full seven show line-up.
BWW Reviews: Actor/Singer Jason Graae Premieres 49 1/2 Shades of Graae at Sterling's
As a teen in Tulsa, Oklahoma who aspired to be a dramatic actor, Chicago-born Jason Graae was advised to 'Be a Clown' and to 'Make 'em Laugh'. Not everyone can fill the shoes of a clown; those shoes are pretty damn big. But for Graae, whose mind never stops clicking with its razor-sharp wit, fierce timing and shotgun-speed spontaneity, clowning seemed the natural choice, and thank heaven for us, he not only followed through but has turned into one of the most endearing comic performers the world has ever known. On Monday March 10, Graae premiered his brand new cabaret show 49 1/2 Shades of Graae at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal to an ecstatic packed house. Introducing his material, he said it was based on the porn novel 50 Shades of Grey, but...'This is gonna be dirtier.' 'Dirty' in Graae terminology means... yes, indeed, some smut thrown in, but with a whole lot of charm, pizazz and miles and miles of genuine humor. There are a few serious scenarios included in the mostly autobiographical show, but every one with heart and banners waving high. And when I mean autobiographical, there are not only career stories but personal anecdotes as well. Expertly staged by Heather Lee and with fab musical direction from John Boswell, the evening was, to quote Graae, in an improv-takeoff of my supposed BWW review, 'the best show I saw in NoHo all day...' and for those lucky enough to get reservations, it will repeat next Sunday March 16.
BWW Reviews: Singer Nita Whitaker Scores Big with Love 'n Stuff at Sterling's
On Sunday January 26 divine singer Nita Whitaker brought her brand new show Love 'n Stuff to Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Looking positively stunning in a black and white pageant dress accentuated with sequins - she was Miss Louisiana in the Miss America Pageant some years ago - and displaying much more of her oh so glorious range than she has in the past, Whitaker gave an 80 minute knock out performance expertly accompanied on the piano by musical director Nelson Kole and on percussion by Walter Rodriguez. There were also a couple of exciting surprises in store for the packed house. In the audience were celebrity friends actress Jennifer Lewis and the one and only triple threat Ben Vereen, who came onstage and did a couple of unrehearsed but delicious duets with Whitaker.
BWW Reviews: Singer Cortes Alexander Returns to Sterling's with a Swell Noel
On Sunday December 22 the amazing Cortes Alexander presented his Thou Swell Noel to a packed house at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Alexander has such frenetic energy and charm that, and I've said this before, you just want to wrap him up. What a joyous Christmas present...and with his two glorious backup singers, the Swell Girls Melissa Bailey and Julie Garnye, who could ask for anything more? Yes, a band! There was an electric four-piece band with musical director Norman Ludwin on bass, David Arana at the piano, Mark Converse on drums and Paul Landry on guitar.Paul's 10-year old son Zeut Landry was a very special guest who accompanied Alexander on a Cajon Drum Box during his beautiful composition 'Marguerite'. This 'Little Drummer Boy' is also big on talent!
BWW Reviews: A Mirthful Kritzerland Christmas III Plays Sterling's
On Sunday, December 1 Kritzerland Records presented its 40th show and annual Christmas presentation entitled A Kritzerland Christmas III at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal with special guest star Terri White. It was a beautiful evening of mostly familiar Christmas music with a few lesser known but still great tunes. This is the whole point of Kritzerland to spotlight those songs that somehow got away without becoming hits. On hand as well as dynamic Terri White were songsters Dan Callaway, Robert Yacko, Ashley Fox Linton, Lisa Livesay, Jenna Lea Rosen, Sarah Staitman, Kelsey Scott and nine year-old Hadley Belle Miller, under the super musical direction of Richard Allan.
BWW Reviews: Actor/Singer Will Collyer Scores at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal
On Sunday September 29 at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal, Los Angeles theatre actor/singer Will Collyer presented Will Collyer in Concert directed by Mandy Kaplan and with musical direction by Brett Ryback. The 75-minute set featured guest appearances from Kaplan and Melissa Lyons. Collyer is an exceedingly affable 34 year-old openly gay actor who looks more like 19. Cute, drole and consistently mobile, Collyer did a retrospective of his life so far, which included his birth - very amusing segment on the music his mother was listening to in hospital when she gave birth to him - boyhood background, college days, his first kiss with another boy, local musical theatre, and a tribute to his life partner of 14 years... a mixture of banter and songs that he grew up with, some of which he actually performed in shows.
BWW Reviews: Kritzerland Celebrates Third Anniversary with The Songs That Got Away Part II
On Sunday evening September 1, Kritzerland celebrated its third anniversary and 37th show at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Entitled The Songs That Got Away II, it featured a batch of songs from various composers/musicals that Bruce Kimmel considers great but that over time have received far less airplay than deserved. In short, they have just not attained a solid popularity. Many of these songs are familiar like 'Some People' from Gypsy, but, it certainly did not gain the fame of, say, 'Everything's Coming Up Roses'... but should have. Some of the lesser known but beautiful tunes like 'It Must Be Spring' by Michel Legrand and the Bergmans are so good that it seems a shame it did get nominated for awards. Featured on this stellar program were dynamic singers Valerie Perri, Kay Cole, Jane Noseworthy, speciaLguest star Sharon McNight, Dan Callaway, Joshua Finkel, Jenna Lee Rosen, and sisters Sami and Sarah Staitman. John Boswell brilliantly served as musical director at the piano throughout the 90-minute set.
BWW Reviews: Kritzerland Extols Meredith Willson and Gene de Paul
On Sunday August 4 Kritzerland presented its monthly tribute this time in honor of composers Meredith Willson (right) and Gene de Paul. On hand were regulars host Bruce Kimmel, musical director par excellence Tom Griep and terrific singers Jane Noseworthy, Chelsea Emma Franko, Robert Yacko, and newcomers to Kritzerland: Charlotte Mary Wen, this year's winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2013, Allen Everman, Justin Jones, Bruce Merkle and David Zack. Special guest star was the beautiful Sue Raney who had a record contract at Capitol Records at the age of 17.