Larry Hart News

Currently in its world premiere run at Burbank's Colony Theatre through May 19th, Falling for Make Believe is a 95-minute bio-musical-dramedy chock full Broadway nostalgia, debilitating alcoholism, covert homosexual dalliances and musical fantasy sequences that is often-times bewitching, occasionally bothersome, and at points just downright bewildering.

The Colony Theatre will present the final production of its "Season of Premieres" with the World Premiere of FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE, with Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, Book by Mark Saltzman, and directed by Jim Fall, with Musical Direction by Keith Harrison and Choreography by Lisa Hopkins. FALLING FOR MAKE BELIEVE will preview on Wednesday, April 24; Thursday, April 25; and Friday, April 26 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, April 27 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, May 19.

According to Variety, producers of the new musical THE MAN are plotting to run the show in Las Vegas this fall or spring 2014, followed by a national tour, with aims for Broadway. Casting and a solid timeline have not yet been revealed.

At last year's Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) Awards, two of the big winners were T. Oliver Reid (photo left) for Male Debut and Eric Michael Gillett for Major Artist, Male (and both could very likely be MAC nominees again this year). Almost a year later, two of New York cabaret's leading men performed new shows one night apart at 54 Below; Reid on February 6 with Drop Me Off in Harlem, and Gillett the next night with Careless Rhapsody: An Evening Dedicated to the Lyrics of Lorenz Hart. Ironically, what the shows had in common--besides being a fairly good fit of material to singer--was that the majority of their sets featured songs written in the 1930s but in very different styles. With Reid it was the jazz, swing and blues of Harlem; with Gillette it was the romantic Broadway musical sensibility of Hart's lyrics (paired with the timeless melodies of Richard Rodgers). While neither Reid's 'Harlem,' nor Gillett's 'Hart' were stirring or spectacular shows, they were both solid and entertaining enough that both could be nominated for BroadwayWorld.com Awards in 2013.

Journey through the last one hundred years of musical theatre through the lives and music of Richard Rodgers (Oklahoma, The Sound of Music), his daughter Mary Rodgers (Once Upon A Mattress) and his grandson Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza) in The Sweetest Sounds: A Century of Song from Rodgers to Guettell, a musical retrospective of one of Broadway's most important and enduring musical families. Conceived and written by Adrian Marchuk, the show will be presented for one exclusive performance at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street- between 8th & 9th Avenues) tonight, February 3 at 5:00 p.m. (Doors open at 4:30).

Journey through the last one hundred years of musical theatre through the lives and music of Richard Rodgers (Oklahoma, The Sound of Music), his daughter Mary Rodgers (Once Upon A Mattress) and his grandson Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza) in The Sweetest Sounds: A Century of Song from Rodgers to Guettell, a musical retrospective of one of Broadway's most important and enduring musical families. Conceived and written by Adrian Marchuk, the show will be presented for one exclusive performance at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street- between 8th & 9th Avenues) on Sunday, February 3 at 5:00 p.m.

Broadway actors Linda Hart (Hairspray, Anything Goes, and Catch Me if You Can), Jenny Powers (Grease and Little Women), Ramon Del Barrio (Guys and Dolls and Jersey Boys), Angela Grovey (Leap of Faith), Jeremy Gumbs (Scottsboro Boys), Nehal Joshi (Les Miserables), Grammy Award-nominated singer Ryan Shaw (Real Love and It Gets Better), and members of the Middle Church artists community lend their voices to Larry Hart's PRAISE!: An Irreverently Reverent Gospel Experience tonight, December 3 at 7 pm at Middle Collegiate Church (112 Second Avenue near East Seventh Street).

Broadway actors Linda Hart (Hairspray, Anything Goes, and Catch Me if You Can), Jenny Powers (Grease and Little Women), Ramon Del Barrio (Guys and Dolls and Jersey Boys), Angela Grovey (Leap of Faith), Jeremy Gumbs (Scottsboro Boys), Nehal Joshi (Les Miserables), Grammy Award-nominated singer Ryan Shaw (Real Love and It Gets Better), and members of the Middle Church artists community lend their voices to Larry Hart's PRAISE!: An Irreverently Reverent Gospel Experience on Monday, December 3 at 7 pm at Middle Collegiate Church (112 Second Avenue near East Seventh Street).

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, October 28, 2012 - Sunday, October 28, 2012.

Larry Hart's 'Praise!' benefit concert will play one night only tonight, October 28th, 2012 at 6 p.m. at Middle Collegiate Church.

Larry Hart's 'Praise!' benefit concert will play one night only on Sunday, October 28th, 2012 at 6 p.m. at Middle Collegiate Church.

Broadway actors Linda Hart (Hairspray, Anything Goes, and Catch Me if You Can), Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story and Urban Cowboy), Jenny Powers (Grease and Little Women), Angela Grovey (Leap of Faith), Grammy-nominated singer Ryan Shaw (Real Love and It Gets Better), and members of the Middle Church artists community lend their voices to Larry Hart's Praise!: An Irreverently Reverent Gospel Experience today, June 17 at 6 pm at Middle Collegiate Church (112 Second Avenue near E. 7th Street). Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, the high-energy music of Praise! is inspired by The Common themes shared in world religions.

Broadway actors Linda Hart (Hairspray, Anything Goes, and Catch Me if You Can), Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story and Urban Cowboy), Jenny Powers (Grease and Little Women), Angela Grovey (Leap of Faith), Grammy-nominated singer Ryan Shaw (Real Love and It Gets Better), and members of the Middle Church artists community lend their voices to Larry Hart's Praise!: An Irreverently Reverent Gospel Experience on Sunday, June 17 at 6 pm at Middle Collegiate Church (112 Second Avenue near E. 7th Street). Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, the high-energy music of Praise! is inspired by The Common themes shared in world religions.

The Colony Theatre Company has announced its 2012 - 2013 season of shows. In this, its 38th season, the multi-Ovation Award-winning theatre company, for the first time in its history, will be bringing its subscribers and audiences six World, West Coast or Los Angeles premiere shows. The season includes a world premiere musical that looks at the life of lyricist Lorenz Hart - to a smack-down of biblical proportions in Savannah, Georgia; From a Hitchcock-ian style thriller to a behind-the-scenes look at a non-profit theatre; throw in a legendary Stradivarius violin and some Fiestaware and you have one of the company's most exciting seasons ever.

On Friday, September 16, McCarter Theatre kicked off its 2011-2012 season with Ten Cents a Dance, a musical conceived and directed by Tony Award-winning director John Doyle, featuring the songbook of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.

Not being one given to exaggeration, I can say in all honesty that Earl Turner is the best solo performer in Las Vegas. Well, sort of. Earl is certainly the best, one of the people who earned Las Vegas the name "The City of Entertainment." But, sadly, he's not here often enough these days. Like so many other talented people, the economy has sent him packing, to other cities, on cruises - and Las Vegas-based entertainers are a staple of cruises these days - to anyplace there is work. In his case, that is a pity. Earl Turner is his generation's Sammy Davis, Jr. (Remember, no exaggeration!) He can sing, he dances and is a fine actor, too. While his show doesn't feature the latter, it certainly showcases his singing and dancing. He is also the only man I've ever seen perform And I'm Telling You (from Dreamgirls) and do it as well as Jennifer Holliday did.

For tickets, call the Concerts & Lectures Department at 212-570-3949 or visit www.metmuseum.org/tickets, where updated schedules and programs (including additional lectures that are free with Museum admission) are available. Tickets are also available at the Great Hall Box Office, which is open Tuesday-Saturday 10-5:00, and Sunday noon-5:00.

When Pop Icon Michael Jackson put his stamp of approval on Larry Hart's award winning, critically acclaimed musical, 'Sisterella', he probably would have never imagined his young nephew TJ Jackson would one day grow up to star in the role that was originally developed for him. When TJ Jackson steps into the role of Prince Jean Luc, he will be fulfilling part of his famous uncle's Legacy to American theater. Sisterella, was originally developed by it's author Larry Hart at MJJ Music, with Jackson in mind to play the Prince. 'We were going through Sisterella archives a few weeks ago and found those original Costume sketches for Michael' Hart said, 'it was a surreal, bittersweet moment. Michael loved Sisterella, and at the time was looking for a creative role in Theater.

For tickets, call the Concerts & Lectures Department at 212-570-3949 or visit www.metmuseum.org/tickets, where updated schedules and programs (including additional lectures that are free with Museum admission) are available. Tickets are also available at the Great Hall Box Office, which is open Tuesday-Saturday 10-5:00, and Sunday noon-5:00.

The City of Cleveland Heights and Cain Park proudly announce that Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by Hugh Wheeler) opens Cain Park's 2010 season in the Alma Theater June 11-27 (preview June 10). Paul Gurgol, founder/artistic director of Kalliope Stage, directs this 1979 Tony Award-winning musical thriller with music direction by Jodie Ricci.