Lea Black News

Singer/Actress, Liz Rubino, will return to the NY cabaret stage with her debut at the well known establishment, Don't Tell Mama, in 'Make Yourself Comfortable' opening Today, February 11th @ 7:30 p.m. Additional shows are 3/11 and 4/08. Music Charge is $15.00, Two Drink Min. $5.00 MAC member discount.

???????Liz Rubino, will return to the NY cabaret stage with her debut at the well known establishment, Don't Tell Mama, in "Make Yourself Comfortable" opening Saturday, March 11th @ 7:00 pm. Additional show is 4/08. Music Charge is $15.00, Two Drink Min. $5.00 MAC member discount. Music Director: Matthew Martin Ward.

The last remaining tickets are on sale for the desert's most anticipated annual star-studded concert event, Michael Childer's 'One Night Only', benefiting Jewish Family Services Of The Desert (JFS), to be held Thursday, April 20, 2017 at The McCallum Theatre. This 10th season's theme is 'Hello Jerry' and Michael and cast pay tribute to the incomparable composer Jerry Herman, bringing to the stage music form his popular musicals including Mame, Mack and Mabel, Grand Tour, La Cage Aux Folles and, of course, Hello Dolly. 'Hello Jerry' is directed by Jason Graae with musical direction by Christopher Marlowe. I had the opportunity to sit down with Michael Childer's to talk about this special tenth anniversary production, and more. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation …

As previously announced, Feinstein's/54 Below is will present the 'full-bodied' Mademoiselle Colombe, by Michael Valenti (Oh, Brother), Edwin Dulchin and Albert Harris, starring Samantha Massell (Fiddler on the Roof, La Boheme) as the beautiful and talented young Colombe. Joining Massell are KLea Blackhurst (Merman's Apprentice, The Nutty Professor, Bingo) as Madame Alexandra (a role originated by Tammy Grimes), Ben McHugh (Mamma Mia, Sleep No More, Tokio Confidential) and Jason Pintar (Oh, Brother!) as Deschamps. Also joining the ensemble is Shawn Verrier (Charlie and Algernon).

This weekend, February 10 and 11 at 7:30 PM, conductor Randall Craig Fleischer leads guest vocalists Debbie Gravitte, KLea Blackhurst, Ron Raines, Jason Graae, Scott Coulter, and John Boswell in a performance of 'Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert'.

Tickets are now on sale for the desert's most anticipated annual star-studded concert event, Michael Childer's 'One Night Only', benefiting Jewish Family Services Of The Desert (JFS), to be held Thursday, April 20, 2017 at The McCallum Theatre. This season's theme is 'Hello Jerry' and Michael and cast pay tribute to the incomparable composer Jerry Herman, bringing to the stage music form his popular musicals including Mame, Mack and Mabel, Grand Tour, La Cage Aux Folles and, of course, Hello Dolly.

On February 10 and 11 at 7:30 PM, conductor Randall  Craig Fleischer leads guest vocalists Debbie Gravitte, Klea Blackhurst, Ron Raines, Jason Graae, Scott Coulter, and John Boswell in a performance of "Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert". Tickets start at $21 ($15 for students), and can be purchased at www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Andrea Prestinario in sMOkeyTOWN: The Songs of Smokey Robinson on Sunday, February 19th, 2017 at 9:30pm.

HAZEL "A Musical Maid In America" was extremely vetted at The Madison Theatre at Molloy College last night.  The sweet show about that irrepressible maid from the 1960s Emmy Award-winning television series has music by Ron Abel, lyrics by Chuck Steffan and book by Lissa Levin.  As HAZEL climbs the creative ladder on it's way to NYC it gave some very professional theatre majors at Molloy College a chance to perform in a staged reading along side HAZEL's star Klea Blackhurst and a full compliment of musicians. Angelo Fraboni the artistic director and producer at the Madison Theatre cleaned up with all the accolades as Long Island theatre goers were swept up in the fun and tender story of HAZEL . The only place this musical should be deported to is Broadway.

The 92Y's Lyrics & Lyricists 2017 opened this weekend celebrating the music of Harold Arlen and BroadwayWorld was there.

January may bring 'Stormy Weather' and only a 'Paper Moon' but we've 'Got the World on a String' and are 'Over the Rainbow.' Lyrics & Lyricists 2017 season opens with 'Get Happy: Harold Arlen's Early Years,' celebrating the composer of those American Songbook classics, and hundreds more. The show will run January 21-23, 2017 at 92Y.

Singer/Actress, Liz Rubino, will return to the NY cabaret stage with her debut at the well known establishment, Don't Tell Mama, in 'Make Yourself Comfortable' opening Saturday, February 11th @ 7:30 p.m. Additional shows are 3/11 and 4/08. Music Charge is $15.00, Two Drink Min. $5.00 MAC member discount.

For the second time, the Broadway at Birdland concert series welcomed internet sensation Randy Rainbow on the historic stage, this time with his Pre-Inaugural Situation. The show was awash in political parodies, news updates, outrageous humor, non-partisan insults and special guests, including Ryan Raftery, Molly Pope and Brian Nash, Gerard Salvador, and Hannah Rose DeFlumeri. Scroll down for photos!

The Broadway at Birdland concert series presented internet sensation Randy Rainbow hosting a Pre-Inaugural Situation at the historic music room last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

Birdland is proud to present the seventh consecutive year of "A Swinging Birdland Christmas," starring Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch.  This is a limited engagement of 3 performances, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 23, 24 and 25.  All shows are at 6pm.

You might think of Bing, Andy or Perry when you think Christmas Music Specials, but for the past seven years it's been BIlly, Jim, and Klea with an an extraordinary presentation of swinging Holiday music.  This year it's only on the Birdland schedule for 3 nights because the the trios sleigh took them to folks on the other side of the country too.  You can still get this present  on Sat. 12/24 and Sunday 12/25 at Birdland. 

I will end my Twelve Days of Christmas clips with this performance by one of our newest Broadway stars, Cynthia Erivo. Thanks to YouTube, I was blown away by her extraordinary gifts long before she made her Broadway debut in Color Purple. Her welcome addition to the local scene has been like a shot of adrenaline - the word "powerhouse" can only scratch the surface when describing Cynthia. We shared a memorable evening together in the audience of a Barbra Streisand concert, where her entrance caused almost as much happy chaos as did Ms. Streisand's! Cynthia Erivo is the real deal, and this clip shows you why. The miracle of her singing voice is only matched by her laser-beam focus, and this simple performance of one of the most reverent songs ever written seems to be a prayer for a world gone slightly mad. I wish you all a happy holiday. Whatever you celebrate, may it be joyous and filled with music, hope and laughter!

This choice will not surprise one person who has ever met me. Here's the history: I grew up an only child. I unsuccessfully begged my mother for a brother or sister until she was well into her 80's. I discovered the Osmond Brothers during their "One Bad Apple" phase, which led me into a few unfortunate years of bell-sleeved shirts and fringed vests. The Osmonds' obvious joy at singing together, to say nothing of their vast musical talents, would bring tears to my eyes as I watched them perform. I knew that Andy Williams had discovered the brothers, and gave them their debut on his TV show. However, I was unaware that Andy and his brothers were the original clean-cut singing siblings…that is until I saw this production number on an Andy Williams Christmas special! Boy, were my eyes…and ears…opened! This performance of "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" features the two bro-acts harmonizing their heads off. The irony is that Kay Thompson discovered the Williams Brothers (crooning background vocals at MGM), and Andy discovered the Osmond Brothers (singing barbershop quartet at Disneyland). Little did I know back then, that I would spend three years of my life performing as one-fourth of the Williams Brothers, along with Liza Minnelli as Kay Thompson, in what would become the Tony-winning "Liza's At The Palace." During that period, I enjoyed a phoner with Andy and cavorted with Dick Williams (whom I played), and am happy to call Donny Osmond a pal. In a funny kind of way, I found my long-awaited brothers.

After an impressive career, jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi was hired to score "A Charlie Brown Christmas," followed by seventeen other Peanuts television specials, until his untimely death in 1976. Can you even imagine those animated features with any other soundtrack? Guaraldi and his trio gave sophisticated heart and depth to what could have been just another forgettable cartoon score. At least one night every Christmas season, I walk the cold sidewalks of New York City, headphones on, and Guaraldi playing. I can be the star of my own movie…enjoying my own slightly melancholy, wistful scene while I reminisce about another year spent in the city I adore.

I'm pretty sure there's nothing Leslie Odom, Jr. can't do. This recording of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" perfectly shows off his good taste, style and that exemplary voice. The song is, of course, an American classic, with lyrics by Kim Gannon and a melody by Walter Kent. Gannon wrote it from the point of a World War II soldier stationed overseas, telling his family that he'll be home for the holidays, and to prepare the Christmas fun. Of course, the last lyric is one of the most melancholy ever written - "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams." When the song was first pitched to folks in the music business, it was roundly refused, since it all seemed incredibly sad. But Bing Crosby smartly threw caution to the wind and recorded the tune, with immense success. Interestingly, after the lyricist's death, he left the royalty rights to the American Heart Association, which has benefitted greatly ever since.