Nita Whitaker News

The Actors Fund and Fraser Entertainment are very proud to announce the 5th annual presentation of CABARET IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN LOS ANGELES.  Conceived by renowned director David Galligan, this fifth celebration of Cabaret in L.A. will take place as a series of 3 concerts over 3 evenings at 3 different Los Angeles venues, Friday, October 12, Saturday, October 13, and Sunday, October 14.  Proceeds from all 3 shows will benefit The Actors Fund.

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts,  which brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music performed by many of the most sought-after artists,presents Chris Walden Big Band with a program that pays tribute to the "Rat Pack" era on Saturday, October 27, 2018, 7:30 pm,in the Bram Goldsmith Theater at The Wallis. Walden, a seven-time Grammy-nominated composer/arranger/conductor, has scored more than 40 feature and TV films and written more than 1,500 orchestral and big band arrangements for artists ranging from Aretha Franklin, Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand to Diana Krall and Rihanna, among many others.

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, a dynamic hub for the lively arts and vital community resource, presents a dozen classical, jazz and contemporary music programs featuring some of the era's most compelling musical artists during the 2018/2019 season. World premieres, programs with thought-provoking social commentary and timeless iconic works are among the offerings.

Earlier this summer, Born for This took the stage at Boston's Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre. Now, rumors are circulating that the new musical could land on Broadway soon!

'Razzle Dazzle 'Em' is what Ben does, innately; it's in his blood, it's in his soul. 'Steppin' Out' signifies going beyond what you have achieved thus far. Ben Vereen is an Evolved Entity that shares his evolutional journey with us, delightedly so... on both sides!! This past Saturday evening, I had the great pleasure to see Ben Vereen perform at the Catalina Bar & Grill. When I first heard where he would be, I wondered why he chose a Jazz Club. Now I know why. Ben Vereen not only has decades of hit Broadway Shows, TV Series, Nightclub Acts, Awards and Accolades to his repertoire, but from that he has still kept his initial joy and exuberance in performing, yet taken his showmanship to another level.

ArtsEmerson has announced that Born for This - A New Musical will take the stage this summer for a limited engagement, June 15 - July 15 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St, Downtown Boston. With original music and lyrics by six-time GRAMMY® Award-winning icon BeBe Winans book by Charles Randolph-Wright, BeBe Winans, and Lisa D'Amour, and direction by Charles-Randolph Wright (Motown the Musical), Born For This celebrates the incredible true story of BeBe Winans - a young man who follows his heart and finds his destiny.

ArtsEmerson presents the New England premiere of BORN FOR THIS - A NEW MUSICAL, based on the life story of Bebe Winans and his sister Cece Winans, offspring of a spiritual, musical Detroit family, who made a huge splash as teenagers on the Praise the Lord network of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in the 1980s. With a book by Charles Randolph-Wright, Bebe Winans, and Lisa D'Amour, and original music and lyrics by Winans, the majority of which were written for the show, BORN FOR THIS offers a longitudinal view of the Winans journey from music biz hopeful, to fledgling performer, to breakout R&B star, and award-winning (six Grammys) artist. Under the slick direction of Randolph-Wright and music director Steven Jamail, the cast is extraordinary from top to bottom, with Donald Webber Jr. and Loren Lott giving star turns as Bebe and Cece.

ArtsEmerson has announced that Born for This - A New Musical will take the stage this summer for a limited engagement, June 15 - July 15 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St, Downtown Boston. With original music and lyrics by six-time GRAMMY® Award-winning icon BeBe Winans book by Charles Randolph-Wright, BeBe Winans, and Lisa D'Amour, and direction by Charles-Randolph Wright (Motown the Musical), Born For This celebrates the incredible true story of BeBe Winans - a young man who follows his heart and finds his destiny.

ArtsEmerson today announced the principal cast and full creative team for the New England Premiere of Born for This - A New Musical, which plays a limited summer engagement at Boston's Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre from June 15-July 15, 2018.

A Classic Broadway Mother's Day, special Mother's Day performance of the ongoing concert series An Evening of Classic Broadway, now in its 5th year, takes place on Sunday, May 13th at Rockwell Table and Stage in Los Angeles. Doors open at 4:30 for the 6PM show. Music Director/Master of Ceremonies Brad Ellis and Presenter Fraser Entertainment Group showcase a new cast with each performance, this one consisting of parents and their offspring.

ArtsEmerson today announced the principal cast and full creative team for the New England Premiere of Born for This - A New Musical, which plays a limited summer engagement at Boston's Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre from June 15-July 15, 2018.

Acclaimed Jazz harpist-pianist-vocalist Corky Hale will present a 103rd Birthday Show honoring Billie Holiday on Sunday, April 8 at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood.  Hale is one of the few people still performing who was actually a close friend of Holiday's, playing for her on the 'Stars of Jazz' TV show, and on several recordings and live appearances, and this will be her fourth annual birthday salute to the singer.

Tickets for the 11th annual Michael Childers' production of One Night Only: Rodgers, Hammerstein & Hart, are now on sale. This star-studded musical production will be presented on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 @ 6:30pm, at the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts and benefits Jewish Family Service of the Desert (JFS). Since 2008, One Night Only has sold out has sold out quickly every year.

Next week, Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

The fourth annual CABARET IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN LOS ANGELES, Benefit Concert series for The Actors Fund, conceived by David Galligan and presented by Fraser Entertainment Group, takes place October 6th 8th, with two nights at Tom Rolla's Gardenia, plus Sunday evening at the Catalina Jazz Club.

The fourth annual CABARET IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN LOS ANGELES, Benefit Concert series for The Actors Fund, conceived by David Galligan and presented by Fraser Entertainment Group, takes place October 6th 8th, with two nights at Tom Rolla's Gardenia, plus Sunday evening at the Catalina Jazz Club.

Although I never watched their program, I do remember that Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were wildly known almost as much for their outrageous personalities and sartorial style as their devotion to preaching the gospel of Jesus. It is easy to see why the pair became an unlikely surrogate family for the two teenagers from Detroit raised on that same belief, as they rapidly became the hottest stars in televangical America. But for the naive siblings, especially BeBe, it's not an easy lesson learning how to reconcile the temptations of fame and fortune with the things he ultimately values more. It's a wildy funny yet emotional journey toward self-discovery, told with great music and outstanding performances by siblings Juan Winans and Deborah Joy Winans (the children of Carvin Winans, Sr. and Deborah Winans) who portray their aunt CeCe and uncle BeBe with the utmost respect, magical stage presence, and the most amazing vocal pipes!

The Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event (S.T.A.G.E.) just presented its 33rd annual gala, 'Idols & Icons,' at the historic Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. This was the last S.T.A.G.E. show after 33 years. AIDS has not been cured, and the fight continues through APLA Health Services, despite the fact that the show has now taken its final bow in L.A.

LA's live music venue Rockwell Table and Stage in Los Feliz will host a Mother's Day edition of their ongoing line-up show An Evening of Classic Broadway.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents Born for This July 11 through August 6 (press opening on July 20).  Kicking off The Broad Stage's 2017-18 Theatre Season, this new musical features original music by six time GRAMMY Award-winning artist BeBe Winans, book by Charles Randolph-Wright and BeBe Winans, and is directed by Randolph-Wright (director of the Broadway and West End runaway hit Motown: The Musical).