Joe Benincasa News

Amas Musical Theatre will celebrate its 39th year with a Gala evening on Monday, March 31 featuring a special 'Blast from the Past' concert performance of Mama, I Want to Sing, a star-studded concert of the gospel, pop, and rhythm and blues hit musical that began at Amas in the early nineteen eighties. The Amas Gala will also honor award winning actress Phylicia Rashad and PricewaterhouseCoopers with 'The Rosie Award', named for Amas Founder Rosetta LeNoire.

I sat with Brian Stokes Mitchell on the lobby steps of Carnegie Hall, where one week from tonight, he will make his solo debut on the world's most famous stage with a 42-piece orchestra. Here's what he had to say...

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today the Nominating Committee for the 2007-2008 Broadway season

Kevin Spacey, Vanessa Redgrave, Jennifer Ehle, Xanthe Elbrick, Swoosie Kurtz, Jan Maxwell, Martha Plimpton and Julie White will join the casts of dozens of Broadway show for the annual concert 'Stars in the Alley

Broadway gives its regards to fans when the biggest stars come together for Stars in the Alley, held in historic Shubert Alley on Wednesday, June 6 at 11:00 a.m.

On Sunday, March 11th at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.), there was a Special Performance of Chicago, presented as part of the Actors' Fund Special Performance series.

The Actors' Fund hosted 2 evenings to premiere the new documentary entitled 'Words and Music by Jerry Herman' - a film by Amber Edwards produced by NJN TV

Carol Channing, Jerry Herman, Amber Edwards and the Actors' Fund's Joe Benincasa recently attended a screening of Amber Edwards' film Words and Music at the Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs.

In anticipation of the upcoming 12th Annual 'There's Nothing Like a Dame' benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Phyllis Newman hosted a reception in her home

A capacity crowd filled the Luckman Fine Arts Complex on Saturday night, and they thrilled to The Actors' Fund tribute to legendary Broadway composer Jule Styne

Brian Stokes Mitchell, Joanna Gleason and David Henry Hwang will be among the members of the 2006-2007 Tony Award Nominating Committee

The cast of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas--the next star-studded Actors' Fund Benefit concert--recently posed for pictures at a press preview, and BroadwayWorld was there for the sneak peek!

On Saturday, 29th July at the Laundry Restaurant, East Hampton, close friends, family, and Broadways finest gathered for a surprise party for the president of the Shubert organization, Philip Smith

The legendary Liza Minnelli received the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement from The Actors' Fund of America on Sunday, June 11, 2006 at the 10th Annual Tony Awards Party at the Skirball Center in L.A

On Thursday June 1st, Josephine Baker's adopted son Jean-Claude Baker held a celebratory birthday luncheon in the late chanteuse's honor, and BroadwayWorld was there to capture the festivities!

Actors James Earl Jones and Actors' Fund President Brian Stokes Mitchell Stokes will be on hand at 12 noon on Monday, April 17, for the official groundbreaking of The Actors' Fund of America expansion and renovation project at The Lillian Booth Actors' Home in Englewood, New Jersey.

The Actors' Fund of America will celebrate Shakespeare's 442nd birthday at noon on Monday, April 17, with a birthday party and groundbreaking ceremony at The Lillian Booth Actors' Home, the New Jersey residence for retired entertainment professionals; James Earl Jones and Brian Stokes Mitchell will take part in the festivities

Over two dozen divas, leading ladies and ingenues shared the stage of Nothin' Like a Dame and BroadwayWorld was there!

On Sunday, January 29th a special performance of Sweeney Todd was held to benefit the Actors' Fund of America and BroadwayWorld was there to cover the red carpet.

Alice Ripley, Tonya Pinkins, Alan Cumming, Lillias White and others performed in Hooray for Love: A Celebration of the Music of Harold Arlen on November 12th