John Hamm News

?HBO has confirmed the debut date for BESSIE, with the HBO Films presentation scheduled to debut SATURDAY, MAY 16 at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO.

Queen Latifah sings the blude in her new film BESSIE. The multi-talented actress and singer, who produced and stars in the new HBO film, stopped by ABC's Good Morning America to talk about the film.

At the 19th annual Pell Awards, Trinity Rep will award Debra Messing with the Pell Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts. John Chan, jazz promoter and owner of Chan's Fine Oriental Dining in Woonsocket will be honored with a Rhode Island Pell Award for Excellence in the Arts. Dancer and choreographer Julie Strandberg will receive the Charles Sullivan Award for Distinguished Service in the Arts and Trinity Rep's former executive director, Michael Gennaro, will be awarded with the Pell Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts. The ceremony will be held Monday, June 15, 2015 at Trinity Rep with a reception to follow at the Providence Public Library.

Starring Oscar® nominee Queen Latifah ("Chicago") in the title role, BESSIE focuses on legendary blues singer Bessie Smith's transformation from a struggling young singer into "The Empress of the Blues," one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and an enduring icon today. Check out the first trailer for the film below!

Ten-time Grammy Award-winning artist and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master George Benson returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for one night only tonight, March 27 at 8 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

?HBO has confirmed the debut date for BESSIE, with the HBO Films presentation scheduled to debut SATURDAY, MAY 16 at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on HBO.

Oscar nominee Queen Latifah ('Chicago') stars as legendary blues singer Bessie Smith in the HBO Films drama BESSIE, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees ('Pariah') from a screenplay by Rees and Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois. With a story by Rees and Horton Foote, the film focuses on Smith's transformation from a struggling young singer into 'The Empress of the Blues,' one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and an enduring icon today.

The Society of Voice Arts & Sciences (SOVAS) will hold the 1st Annual 'Voice Arts Awards' on Sunday, November 9th in New York (Astoria) at the Museum of the Moving Image at 8:00pm ET. The 'Oscars for Voice', the awards s ceremony recognizes top tier voiceover artists from film, television, audiobooks, video games, and commercials. It's the first awards program to honor A-list entertainers and voiceover artists in this billion-dollar industry. Among the esteemed nominees are Kate Winslet, Gretchen Mol, Katy Perry, John Hamm and Bobby Carnavale.

In December of 2013, Geva Theatre Center was selected as a recipient of a prestigious grant from the Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation to create a multimedia celebration on the life and work of legendary blues guitarist, Son House. The 18-month project, entitled "A Journey to the Son," will bring together musicians, writers, artists and the area's leading regional theatre company in a "creative collision" to celebrate one of Rochester's own, Eddie "Son" House. The project will culminate in a four-day celebration in August weaving together stories, music, theatre, film, audio recordings, storytelling and lectures.

Ten-time Grammy Award-winning artist and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master George Benson returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for one night only on Friday, March 27 at 8 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

Orphans, the Tony award winning play by Lyle Kessler, is running at Wichita Center for the Arts for another weekend. Shaun-Michael Morse and his small but mighty cast of three have created an unforgettable evening of theatre.

The Boulder Theater will present the Blues Hall of Fame Tour featuring Charlie Musselwhite and John Hammond to the Boulder Theater on Friday, March 20th, 2014. Tickets are on sale Friday, September 12th for $24.50 General Admission, $27.50 Reserved and $35.00 Gold Circle.

Comedian/ vocalist/ beatboxer/ actor / musician/ improvisor extraordinaire Reggie Watts will be performing his highly-anticipated, first full NYC show of the year this summer. After a sold out show at Irving Plaza last December, Reggie will be bringing his mindblowing improvisional mix of music and comedy to NYC's Town Hall for a headlining show today, June 18 as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival.will benefit JazzReach.

Following a successful engagement in Sydney, Australia, Atomic, the new musical based on the creation of the atomic bomb, will make its highly anticipated U.S. premiere with a strictly limited 8-week Off-Broadway engagement from June 26 - August 16 at The Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues). The official opening is set for Sunday, July 13. With book & lyrics by Danny Ginges and Gregory Bonsignore, and music & lyrics by Philip Foxman, Atomic is choreographed by Dean Walsh and directed by Damien Gray. The cast met the press earlier this week and you can check out full photo coverage from the event below!

Tickets for Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts' new 2014-15 season will go on sale to the public on Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. Among the offerings are more than 50 live performances of dance, music, theater, comedy and more. Additional events will be announced at a later date.

John Hammond will perform at Bridge Street Live on Saturday, May 24th, 2014 at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $27 GA, $40 VIP, and available at http://41bridgestreet.inticketing.com/events/JHammond2014.

Comedian/ vocalist/ beatboxer/ actor / musician/ improvisor extraordinaire Reggie Watts will be performing his highly-anticipated, first full NYC show of the year this summer. After a sold out show at Irving Plaza last December, Reggie will be bringing his mindblowing improvisional mix of music and comedy to NYC's Town Hall for a headlining show on Wednesday, June 18 as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Tickets are on sale tomorrow, Tuesday April 15 at http://www.livenation.com/events/353154-jun-18-2014-reggie-watts, A portion of the proceeds will benefit JazzReach.

PonoMusic is a revolutionary movement conceived and founded by Neil Young. Our mission is to bring the highest-quality digital music to discerning, passionate consumers, who wish to experience music the way the artists intended,

Danny Zelisko Presents George Thorogood & The Destroyers live at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts tonight, Feb. 27, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the concert go on sale Monday, Dec. 9, 2013 at 10 a.m.

In spite of Winter Storm Hercules, over 300 well-wishers filled La MaMa's La Galleria, 6 East 1st Street, on Friday, January 3 for the opening of 'Desperate Archives' by Split Britches, the legendary lesbian performance troupe. 'Desperate Archives' is a gallery exhibition in which Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver of Split Britches re-purpose their own archival material from the last 20 years to explore the issues of having, holding, and letting go. Scroll down for photos from the opening!