Luther Henderson News

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

The Huntington Theatre Company continues its 28th season - a season of American Stories - with A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration, a new uplifting holiday event by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive, The Mineola Twins, The Baltimore Waltz). Steppenwolf Associate Artist Jessica Thebus (Intimate Apparel, Dead Man's Cell Phone, Sonia Flew) directs. Andrew Resnick (A Civil War Christmas at Long Wharf Theatre) provides musical direction of beloved holiday music supervised, arranged, and orchestrated by Daryl Waters (Tony and Grammy Award nominee for Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk). The Huntington's production will be enhanced by local choirs caroling from the stage before each performance.

The gladness of your heart is the greatest gift of all. The Huntington Theatre Company continues its 28th season - a season of American Stories - with A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration, a new uplifting holiday event by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive, The Mineola Twins, The Baltimore Waltz).

Arriving on Broadway six years after La, La, Lucille, followed-up by Yes, Yes, Yvette and inspiring Betty Comden and Adolph Green to imagine a musical named If, If, Iphigenia, No, No, Nanette is the kind of delectably frothy musical comedy confection you might not naturally associate with being the stuff of legends.  And yet, quite a bit about this high-spirited romp, now getting a lovingly stylish concert reading from Encores!, has achieved legendary status.

The gladness of your heart is the greatest gift of all. The Huntington Theatre Company continues its 28th season - a season of American Stories - with A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration, a new uplifting holiday event by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive, The Mineola Twins, The Baltimore Waltz).

Broadway dance comes to the bergenPAC when the New Jersey Ballet revives 'Ballet on Broadway' Saturday, May 2 at 8PM in Englewood.

A One-Night Only Evening of Classic and Contemporary Dance including Choreography by Artistic Director John Prinz, Michael Chernov and Gelsey Kirkland, James Kinney, Vasily Vainonen, and staging by Elena Kunikova. 'John Prinz and Friends' will take place on Sunday April 5 at 7:30 PM at The Ailey Citigroup Theater/The Joan Weill Center for Dance, 405 W 55 St.

YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA (James Bundy, Dean; Victoria Nolan, Deputy Dean) presents the musical JELLY'S LAST JAM, book by George C. Wolfe, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, music by Jelly Roll Morton and Luther Henderson, directed by Patricia McGregor, February 13-18 at the University Theatre (222 York Street, New Haven).

Magic, death, music, and transformation will take center stage in my cabaret style production of Jelly's Last Jam. On his last night on earth, Creole jazz man and self-proclaimed 'inventor of jazz' Jelly Roll Morton is visited by an otherworldly stranger. Helped by the denizens of the 'Jungle Inn,' The Chimney Man forces Jelly to replay, in a searingly honest key, the highest and lowest notes of his life. Jelly's Last Jam is an exploration of our cultural and artistic roots, an examination of the color of the soul, and an exorcism of the lies and deeds that haunt us. When we've 'given up the ghost,' what do we leave behind? JELLY'S LAST JAM Book by George C. Wolfe Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead Music by Jelly Roll Morton and Luther Henderson Directed by Patricia McGregor

YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA (James Bundy, Dean; Victoria Nolan, Deputy Dean) presents the musical JELLY'S LAST JAM, book by George C. Wolfe, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, music by Jelly Roll Morton and Luther Henderson, directed by Patricia McGregor, February 13-18 at the University Theatre (222 York Street, New Haven).

On Thursday, January 29th & Friday, January 30th DanceTracks NYC will present 'Let's Dance.' at The Clark Studio Theater, Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, 7th Floor. DTNYC, established in 1999, presents choreographic works to the public by emerging artists, as well as, provides production support for established choreographers demonstrating high artistic merit.

On Thursday, January 29th & Friday, January 30th DanceTracks NYC will present 'Let's Dance.' at The Clark Studio Theater, Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, 7th Floor. DTNYC, established in 1999, presents choreographic works to the public by emerging artists, as well as, provides production support for established choreographers demonstrating high artistic merit.

Magic, death, music, and transformation will take center stage in my cabaret style production of Jelly's Last Jam. On his last night on earth, Creole jazz man and self-proclaimed 'inventor of jazz' Jelly Roll Morton is visited by an otherworldly stranger. Helped by the denizens of the 'Jungle Inn,' The Chimney Man forces Jelly to replay, in a searingly honest key, the highest and lowest notes of his life. Jelly's Last Jam is an exploration of our cultural and artistic roots, an examination of the color of the soul, and an exorcism of the lies and deeds that haunt us. When we've 'given up the ghost,' what do we leave behind? JELLY'S LAST JAM Book by George C. Wolfe Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead Music by Jelly Roll Morton and Luther Henderson Directed by Patricia McGregor

While it may take a village to raise a child, an impressive team of award-winning celebrities along with The Juilliard School, New York State Governor David A. Paterson, and other notables have taken the lead to collaborate in support of students of color at Juilliard via a scholarship benefit concert honoring legendary Juilliard alumnus, Luther Henderson, Mr. Henderson, who died in 2003, was a gifted American arranger, composer and orchestrator with an extraordinary talent for creating music for choreographic movement.

'Spreadin' Rhythm Around' will take place on Monday, October 6, 2008, 7:30PM, a benefit gala concert directed by George C. Wolfe featuring Nancy Wilson, The Canadian Brass Quintet, Savion Glover, Leslie Uggams and others.

Darius Dehaas To Appear with Judy Blazer in 27th annual Gay Pride concert by The New York City Gay Men's Chorus

What do you do when an older show's anti-racist satire can seem racist to modern audiences?

A remarkable archive of theatrical interviews is now available for free on the internet, a result of the efforts of the American Theatre Wing to share its educational and informational programs with a wider audience.