Michael Legrand News

Multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents SHE LOVES ME, the charming 1963 musical adaptation of Miklos Laszlo's play Parfumerie (which later inspired the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan feature film You've Got Mail), with a score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) and a book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret).

What qualities define a leading man? Charisma, soul-searching masculinity, and a deep, lustrous voice--once upon a time, we had entertainers who possessed them all. With his Cafe Carlyle debut show that opened last night, Plays With Music--following his Tony-Award winning Broadway performances, 12 years on the road in concert, a couple of recent, all too brief New York theatrical turns, and television work--Brian Stokes Mitchell proves that few such leading men exist. Soon it may be like finding unicorns.

As a young veteran of the New York cabaret scene and someone who rests comfortably in that performer's purgatory between celebrity and what the folks at the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) calls “Major Artist,” Marieann Meringolo certainly doesn't need validation from a Stevie-come-lately reviewer like me. But nobody bats 1.000—in baseball, life, or cabaret—and, frankly, I didn't cheer in print for her slightly pretentious 2013 show Orchestrated, which seemed to feature a band big enough to bust through the far wall of the Metropolitan Room and arrangements that were more than a tad overblown. But in 2011, I loved her annual holiday show, In The Spirit, and had heard nothing but great things about her 2012 tribute to the music of Michael Legrand, so I was willing to consider Orchestrated a mere hiccup—depending on what she came up with next. Well, next arrived on the afternoon of Saturday, April 5 afternoon with Meringolo's new show, Crazy Love, at the Metropolitan Room.

In mid-August, the news website Bloomberg.com reported that 54 Below, the popular new nightclub that opened last June in the basement of the old Studio 54, needed a major cash infusion in the six-figure range if it was going to survive. Perhaps if they just book Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway on a regular basis-either individually or together-their bottom line will start singing a happy tune. The sisterly songbirds recently sold out a five-show run at the venue with a revival of their crowd-pleasing show 'Sibling Revelry.'

Spring will arrive early when award-winning vocalist Marieann Meringolo brings her highly acclaimed new show You Must Believe In Spring! The Music of Michel Legrand to "The Nightclub of New York," Feinstein's at Loews Regency (540 Park Avenue, at 61st Street) for four consecutive Sundays beginning February 26th (8:30PM) and playing through March 18th.

Spring will arrive early when award-winning vocalist Marieann Meringolo brings her highly acclaimed new show You Must Believe In Spring! The Music of Michel Legrand to "The Nightclub of New York," Feinstein's at Loews Regency (540 Park Avenue, at 61st Street) for four consecutive Sundays beginning February 26th (8:30PM) and playing through March 18th.

BONNIE & CLYDE is currently playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. The show began previews on Friday, November 4th and opens tonight, December 1st!

Spring will arrive early when award-winning vocalist Marieann Meringolo brings her highly acclaimed new show You Must Believe In Spring! The Music of Michel Legrand to "The Nightclub of New York," Feinstein's at Loews Regency (540 Park Avenue, at 61st Street) for four consecutive Sundays beginning February 26th (8:30PM) and playing through March 18th.

Chanson d'amour stars two of the most illustrious cabaret singers ever to grace the stage, Amanda McBroom and Lee Lessack, exploring the works of the Belgian singer/songwriter Jacques Brel and esteemed French composers Michael Legrand, Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud. Backed by Music Directors Michel Brourman (piano & vocals) and John Boswell (piano), and musicians Stephan Oberhoff (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Larry Tuttle (bass), Debra Dobkin (percussion & vocals), and David Boswell (guitar), McBroom and Lessack in both duets and solo performances explore the great French love songs of the 20th Century at the Ford Amphitheatre on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 8:00 PM.

From the Great White Way to the Champs-Elysees, Chanson d'amour is a journey through the Great French Songbook from an American perspective. Led by two of the most illustrious cabaret singers ever to grace the stage, Amanda McBroom and Lee Lessack, Chanson d'amour explores the works of such French composers as Jacques Brel, Michael Legrand, Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud.

Chanson d'amour stars two of the most illustrious cabaret singers ever to grace the stage, Amanda McBroom and Lee Lessack, exploring the works of the Belgian singer/songwriter Jacques Brel and esteemed French composers Michael Legrand, Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud. Backed by Music Directors Michel Brourman (piano & vocals) and John Boswell (piano), and musicians Stephan Oberhoff (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Larry Tuttle (bass), Debra Dobkin (percussion & vocals), and David Boswell (guitar), McBroom and Lessack in both duets and solo performances explore the great French love songs of the 20th Century at the Ford Amphitheatre on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 8:00 PM.

The producers of the new musical BONNIE & CLYDE announced the complete cast of the show. Previously announced stars Laura Osnes (2011 Drama Desk nominee, Anything Goes) and Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, West Side Story) will be joined on stage by Melissa van der Schyff (Big River) as Blanche Barrow, Claybourne Elder (Road Show) as Buck Barrow, Joe Hart (The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public) as Sheriff Schmid and Louis Hobson (Next to Normal) as Ted Hinton.

From the Great White Way to the Champs-Elysees, Chanson d'amour is a journey through the Great French Songbook from an American perspective. Led by two of the most illustrious cabaret singers ever to grace the stage, Amanda McBroom and Lee Lessack, Chanson d'amour explores the works of such French composers as Jacques Brel, Michael Legrand, Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud.

BONNIE & CLYDE, which will open this fall on Broadway, has just launched its official website! Additionally, the new site features song previews from the show including: 'Bonnie,' 'Made in America,' 'Dyin AInt So Bad,' 'What Was Always Good Enough,' 'You Can Do Better,'You're Goin Back to Jail,' 'You Love Who You Love,' and more! The production will play at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street), beginning previews on Friday, November 4th and opening on Thursday, December 1st. BONNIE & CLYDE has direction by JEFF CALHOUN, music by FRANK WILDHORN, lyrics by DON BLACK, book by IVAN MENCHELL and music supervision/orchestrations/arrangements by JOHN McDANIEL. Visit the all new website by clicking here!

First reported exclusively by BroadwayWorld.com on Tuesday, the producers of the new musical BONNIE & CLYDE have announced that the show as the first new musical to open this fall on Broadway. It will play at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street), beginning previews on Friday, November 4th and opening on Thursday, December 1st. BONNIE & CLYDE has direction by JEFF CALHOUN, music by FRANK WILDHORN, lyrics by DON BLACK, book by IVAN MENCHELL and music supervision/orchestrations/arrangements by JOHN McDANIEL.

St. Louis-based group, Elsie Parker and The Poor People of Paris, specializes in popular French music. Elsie Parker, the group's founder, became enchanted with the voice and songs of Edith Piaf and performs many of her early works, as well as songs associated with Hervé Vilard, Mireille Mathieu, Michael Legrand, Patricia Kaas, Jacques Brel, Eddy Mitchell, Vanessa Paradis, and Sylvie Bernard, as well as her own original material.

St. Louis-based group, Elsie Parker and The Poor People of Paris, specializes in popular French music. Elsie Parker, the group's founder, became enchanted with the voice and songs of Edith Piaf and performs many of her early works, as well as songs associated with Hervé Vilard, Mireille Mathieu, Michael Legrand, Patricia Kaas, Jacques Brel, Eddy Mitchell, Vanessa Paradis, and Sylvie Bernard, as well as her own original material.

St. Louis-based group, Elsie Parker and The Poor People of Paris, specializes in popular French music. Elsie Parker, the group's founder, became enchanted with the voice and songs of Edith Piaf and performs many of her early works, as well as songs associated with Hervé Vilard, Mireille Mathieu, Michael Legrand, Patricia Kaas, Jacques Brel, Eddy Mitchell, Vanessa Paradis, and Sylvie Bernard, as well as her own original material.

This week, we are taking a listen to two wonderful West End-related winners featuring the stars of two witch-related West End musicals - THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK and WICKED - courtesy of SimG Records: Caroline Sheen's RAISE THE CURTAIN and Annalene Beechey's CLOSE YOUR EYES. These two delicious divas-in-training have proven that they have the talent, skill and technique to entertain us for many years to come onstage, but just how well do their first solo album efforts showcase their considerable abilities? Singing everything from Sondheim, William Finn and Stephen Schwartz to Adam Guettel, Jason Robert Brown, David Yazbeck and Stiles & Drewe, as well as some Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman thrown in for good measure, there's surely enough to satisfy all with much more than mere morsels to enjoy. All of this appreciable merriment (and even a small sampling of 'Away In A Manger' courtesy of Mitchell) and formidable entertainment comes with mostly unadorned accompaniment, as well, giving these ladies a true chance to shine their clearest and brightest in a solo spotlight all their own!

LESLEY GORE - the singer behind such iconic 1960s hits as 'It's My Party' and 'You Don't Own Me' - will return to New York City for a special, one-night-only performance of her new show, 'It's Still Her Party,' in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street) at 7:00 PM, October 31st.