Jim J. Bullock News

Cabrillo Music Theatre is thrilled to announce that that it has met its fund-raising goal to keep its doors open and launch its 2014-2015 season, featuring MARY POPPINS, MEMPHIS, OKLAHOMA and COMPANY.

Ah, the rhythms of the 50s/60s! Got 'A Lot of Livin' to Do'! Lee Adams and Charles Strouse wrote the music and lyrics of Bye Bye Birdie to honor a generation of fans who swooned and literally gave themselves over to the rock and roll of Elvis Presley. Conrad Birdie (Austin MacPhee) is an obvious play on Conway Twitty, a rock star of that era who later became a superstar in the world of country. When Elvis went into the army, he became a national hero. Female teens adored him and would give up their own boyfriends just to be near him. This is Bye Bye Birdie in a nutshell now in a rollicking revival at Cabrillo Music Theatre through July 27.

Before Beatle-Mania, before Bieber Fever, there was the first, the original...Conrad Birdie! America's rock 'n' roll heart-throb drives the teen girls bonkers as Cabrillo Music Theatre brings back the nostalgic, Tony-winning family-friendly Broadway Musical, BYE BYE BIRDIE. BYE BYE BIRDIE opens today, July 18th, 2014, playing until Sunday, July 27th, and features an added mid-week matinee on July 23rd, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. BYE BYE BIRDIE takes us on a trip to the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, where the nation's most popular rock-and-roll singer, Conrad Birdie, arrives to give his biggest fan one last kiss to the Fan Club's President, Kim MacAfee, before going into the army - and on the Ed Sullivan Show, of course! At the same time, his manager, Albert Peterson, must deal with his frustrated secretary/girlfriend, Rose Alvarez, while handling his overbearing mother. Meanwhile, Mr. MacAfee fumes while Conrad Birdie takes over his bed, his house, his daughter, and his life! A town full of colorful characters, including crazed teenagers, a jealous boyfriend, a squeaky secretary, and a banquet-room-full of wild-eyed Shriners make for a rollicking, irreverent good time that the entire family will enjoy. BYE BYE BIRDIE features classic songs like 'Put On A Happy Face,' 'The Telephone Hour,' 'Kids,' and 'A Lot of Livin' To Do,' plus dances to rival the best of Broadway.

Sterling's Upstairs - housed at popular LA hot spot The Federal in North Hollywood's NoHo Arts District - has not only been described by the Los Angeles Times as "LA's cabaret destination;" but was just cited by LA Weekly as one of Los Angeles's top five supper clubs, With an arsenal of similar accolades from LA based media, Sterling's Upstairs celebrates its eight-year anniversary this month with Broadway performers Maura Hanlon Smith (June 9), Sandy Bainum (June 22) and Bernard Dotson (June 29-June 30). Kritzerland Records' Nobody Does it Better... The songs of Dorothy Fields kicked off the month-long celebration on June 1st featuring Tara Browne, Cynthia Ferrer, Zachary Ford, Kim Huber, Jenna Lea Rosen, Sami Staitman, Sarah Staitman, Robert Yacko and Special Guest... Broadway's Kerry O'Malley.

Todd & Heather, a comedic duo, reminiscent of Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, the Smothers Brothers, Donny & Marie and Lucy & Ethel, host this new show, which features "songs you know...unlike you've ever heard them before!" Todd Sherry & Heather Olt are proud to announce that they will be hosting, Up, With a Twist at Upstairs at Vitello's on Monday, June 2, 2014 with an all-star line-up!

Before Beatle-Mania, before Bieber Fever, there was the first, the original…Conrad Birdie! America's rock 'n' roll heart-throb drives the teen girls bonkers as Cabrillo Music Theatre brings back the nostalgic, Tony-winning family-friendly Broadway Musical, BYE BYE BIRDIE. BYE BYE BIRDIE opens on Friday, July 18th, 2014, playing until Sunday, July 27th, and features an added mid-week matinee on July 23rd, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. BYE BYE BIRDIE takes us on a trip to the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, where the nation's most popular rock-and-roll singer, Conrad Birdie, arrives to give his biggest fan one last kiss to the Fan Club's President, Kim MacAfee, before going into the army - and on the Ed Sullivan Show, of course! At the same time, his manager, Albert Peterson, must deal with his frustrated secretary/girlfriend, Rose Alvarez, while handling his overbearing mother. Meanwhile, Mr. MacAfee fumes while Conrad Birdie takes over his bed, his house, his daughter, and his life! A town full of colorful characters, including crazed teenagers, a jealous boyfriend, a squeaky secretary, and a banquet-room-full of wild-eyed Shriners make for a rollicking, irreverent good time that the entire family will enjoy. BYE BYE BIRDIE features classic songs like "Put On A Happy Face," "The Telephone Hour," "Kids," and "A Lot of Livin' To Do," plus dances to rival the best of Broadway.

FRIGID New York presents A Hard Sparks production: CHICKEN-FRIED CICCONE: A TWANGY TRUE TALE OF TRANSFORMATION, written and performed by J.Stephen Brantley and directed by David Drake. The show will run tonight, February 20th - March 3rd, 2014.

FRIGID New York presents A Hard Sparks production: CHICKEN-FRIED CICCONE: A TWANGY TRUE TALE OF TRANSFORMATION, written and performed by J.Stephen Brantley and directed by David Drake. The show will run February 20th - March 3rd, 2014.

StageWorks is pleased to announce that veteran television and film actress Stefanie Powers is scheduled to appear in "The Man Who Came to Dinner" at 6:00 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the Annenberg Theater in Palm Springs. Powers, best known for her role as Jennifer Hart in the 1980's television series "Hart to Hart," joins a roster of celebrities for this one-night-only performance to benefit Coyote StageWorks, a not-for-profit company dedicated to advancing theatre as a vital art form in the desert communities of the Coachella Valley.

Obie Award-winning playwright/performer David Drake, who most recently headlined an all-star ensemble benefit of his landmark show The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS last spring, returns to the New York stage with TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE. Written by and starring Drake, this drag tragicomedy with music will be directed by Robert La Fosse (Tony Award nominee for Jerome Robbins' Broadway) featuring musical direction by Lance Cruce (Joan River's longtime pianist, Karen Finley's Make Love), original music by Trevor Kuprel, and video by Ned Stresen Reuter. Performances begin October 19th at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

The award-winning hit comedy web series Old Dogs & New Tricks celebrates the completion of its successful second season with a new 30-minute retrospective special "Is This Goodbye?" debuting today. Watch it below!

In a pair of benefit performances this holiday season, Obie Award winner David Drake will return to the stage of Baltimore's Spotlighters Theatre for the first time in over 20 years with his acclaimed new theatrical creation Tawny Heatherton in A Very Tawny Christmas! Tonight, December 28th & 29th at 8pm, Drake's loveably eccentric showbiz survivor and "one hit wonder" from the disco zeitgeist of the 1980s will bring her blonde-swept brand of sunny, funny cheer to the Spotlighters' stage with seasonal songs, sparkly dresses and wild stories about her globe-trotting adventures.

Just in time for the holidays, Obie Award winner David Drake will return to the Spotlighters stage for the first time in over 20 years with his acclaimed new theatrical creation Tawny Heatherton in A Very Tawny Christmas! For two nights only -- on December 28th & 29th at 8pm.

In a pair of benefit performances this holiday season, Obie Award winner David Drake will return to the stage of Baltimore's Spotlighters Theatre for the first time in over 20 years with his acclaimed new theatrical creation Tawny Heatherton in A Very Tawny Christmas! On December 28th & 29th at 8pm, Drake's loveably eccentric showbiz survivor and "one hit wonder" from the disco zeitgeist of the 1980s will bring her blonde-swept brand of sunny, funny cheer to the Spotlighters' stage with seasonal songs, sparkly dresses and wild stories about her globe-trotting adventures.

Annette Bening addressed the Los Angeles cast of The Book of Mormon prior to their benefit performance for The Actors Fund on Wednesday, October 13th. Check out photos of Bening with the cast and more below!

Following her holiday show in Provincetown last Christmas, and her debut at the Laurie Beechman Theater in New York City this past February, David Drake's newest theatrical creation Tawny Heatherton will bring her blonde-swept brand of cheer back to the tip of the Cape for her very first summer-long engagement - with the premiere of TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE at the Crown & Anchor in Provincetown, MA. With onstage musical direction by John Thomas, TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE opens tonight, June 17th and performs every Sunday at 10PM thru Sept 2nd in the Crown Cabaret Room of the Crown & Anchor, 247 Commercial Street. Tickets are $25, and can be obtained in-person at the box office, or online at www.onlyatthecrown.com. (Note: *No performance on July 8th.)

Coney Island USA & HT productions present Wonder Woman: A How To Guide for Little Jewish Girls, written by Cyndi Freeman and directed by David Drake @ Sideshow By The Seashore Theater, located at 1208 Surf Ave. Brooklyn, NY tonight, June 6 at 9pm. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit www.coneyisland.com.

Following her holiday show in Provincetown last Christmas, and her debut at the Laurie Beechman Theater in New York City this past February, David Drake's newest theatrical creation Tawny Heatherton will bring her blonde-swept brand of cheer back to the tip of the Cape for her very first summer-long engagement - with the premiere of TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE at the Crown & Anchor in Provincetown, MA. With onstage musical direction by John Thomas, TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE opens June 17th and performs every Sunday at 10PM thru Sept 2nd in the Crown Cabaret Room of the Crown & Anchor, 247 Commercial Street. Tickets are $25, and can be obtained in-person at the box office, or online at www.onlyatthecrown.com. (Note: *No performance on July 8th.)

Coney Island USA & HT productions present Wonder Woman: A How To Guide for Little Jewish Girls, written by Cyndi Freeman and directed by David Drake @ Sideshow By The Seashore Theater, located at 1208 Surf Ave. Brooklyn, NY on Wednesday, June 6 at 9pm. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit www.coneyisland.com.

Obie Award-winning playwright/performer David Drake makes his long-awaited return to New York with the premiere of MY TAWNY VALENTINE.