Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Dance Yours Pants Off


Straight from the streets of Miami comes this fast-paced show featuring the Salsa, Merengue, Rhumba, Mambo and even the Jive!  Dance Your Pants Off pays tribute the electricity of South Beach and it's rich history in music and musical artists. Beginning in the hey day of Big Band Swing, our story starts at The South Beach Supper Club, a classic jazz and swing joint in the heart of Miami. Featuring the music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and many other standards, this swanky club comes to life with the gorgeous ballroom styles of The Foxtrot, The Quickstep and The Jive. 
 
As the show progresses through the decades, we feature songs by Elvis Presley (who performed with Frank Sinatra after the war at The Fountainbleau in South Beach) and The Beatles who took the US by storm after appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show. Moving right along to the age of disco, we hit the SoBe Discoteque for a dance contest not to be forgotten. Then it's to the streets of Miami for a tribute to Miami Vice, that hit show of the 80s and Madonna who made South Florida her home for many years. A beautiful tribute to Whitney Houston, who filmed The Bodyguard at The Fountainbleau, is featured with stunning waltzes and rhumbas.
 
The show comes to a rousing finale with a high energy Latin section featuring the music of Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Celia Cruz and Carlos Santana. Club Caliente is on fire for this large scale production finale. With the popularity of Dancing with the Stars, your audience will love the gorgeous sequined costuming, the intricate ballroom dancing and an amazing score of music from several decades. Join us in the hottest party in South Beach!
 


http://ls4.co/66h

Saving Lincoln ~ Art Cinema

Drama
English / NR / 1 hr. 41 min.
The true story of an epic friendship
 
Based on the true story of Abraham Lincoln (Tom Amandes) and his close friend, Ward Hill Lamon (Lea Coco), Saving Lincoln combines elements of theater and cinema to create a new visual world within vintage Civil War photographs. When the first assassination attempt occurs on the way to Washington in 1861, banjo-playing, pistol-wielding Lamon appoints himself Lincoln's bodyguard. From this unique perspective, Lamon witnesses every aspect of Lincoln's fiery trial as Commander-in-Chief, soothes his friend's tormented soul, and saves him from repeated attempts on his life. Lincoln sends Lamon away on a mission shortly before the fateful night at Ford's Theatre, yet it is Lamon who redefines that tragic event in a surprising and uplifting manner. Saving Lincoln has been called "a new and different kind of cinematic experience…truly fascinating" (Film Journal International), as well as "brave, incisive, brilliant and entirely factual" (Harold Holzer, Lincoln author and authority).

"A film with personality...shows the human side of the President"- NPR

" The innovative look. . .of thrusting actors directly into archival photographs, . .the primary reason to see the film, is particularly striking. . .as visual authenticity." - Film-Forward.com


http://ls4.co/66b

Monday, December 30, 2013

Mel Tillis

A country music legend and Hall of Fame inductee, Mel Tillis is a songwriting legend with over 60 albums under his belt. Performing with his band, The Statesiders, Tillis has earned his place among the country veterans, coining 36 top ten singles over his 50 year career, including “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” and “Good Woman Blues.” The songwriter of choice for music stars, including George Strait and Kenny Rogers, Mel Tillis is a force still to be reckoned with.
 
Mel Tillis began his music career in the early 1950s, when he began performing with a group called The Westerners while he was serving as a baker in the U.S. Air Force.  Thankfully, Mel chose a songwriting career over a military one, and in 1956, Tillis recorded “I’m Tired,” the song that would launch his career.  By 1976, Mel Tillis was a household name, simultaneously inducted into the Nashville Songwriters International Hall of Fame and awarded with an Entertainer of the Year Award at the CMA’s. Mel’s success continued and the now celebrated songwriter was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2012, Mel Tillis received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama.
 
In total, Mel has recorded over 1,000 songs, 600 of which have been recorded by major country music and pop music artists. Not only a talented songwriter, Mel Tillis has recorded over 60 albums, containing nine #1 hits, including “Coca Cola Cowboy” and “Southern Rain.” His latest album, You Aint Gonna Believe This was released in 2010 and features some of the country veteran’s most powerful work to date. When he’s not writing and recording, Mel spends his time painting and selling the finished works for profits donated to the Scottish Rite Foundation, a charity benefitting speech and hearing clinics across the country.



http://ls4.co/653

The Capitol Steps

What was originally a small group of Senate staffers with a sense of humor became the rip-roaring comedy sensation that it is today. Capitol Steps makes even the most boring news stories hilarious. Drawing from headlines and insider information, the topical comedy show leaves no joke behind. Featured on national television from NBC to PBS, Capitol Steps has swept the nation with its witty quips and absurd skits.
 
Capitol Steps began back in 1981, when a collection of Senate staff members came together to present a collection of song parodies for an upcoming Christmas party. It was so well received on Capitol Hill that the staff members decided to take their show on tour. Now, over three decades later, Capitol Steps has become a national sensation, providing hours of comedy entertainment to thousands of audiences across the country. Although the members are no longer the original Senate staffers, their legacy lives on and the troupe still maintains excellence and a particularly crafted sense of comedic timing. Capitol Steps has expanded from the theater, performing their show, Politics Takes a Holiday on NPR four times a year.
 
The troupe touring today have worked in a total of 18 Congressional offices and have 62 years of House and Senate experience between them. Due to the incredible success of their tours, Capitol Steps have released 30 albums featuring their infamous song parodies, including the particularly topical Take the Money and Run – For President. Never afraid to push buttons and make enemies, Capitol Steps pokes fun at the craziness that is modern politics straight from the people that know it best.



http://ls4.co/64x

An Acoustic Evening with Keb' Mo'

Join Singer-songwriter, guitarist and 3-time Grammy winner Keb Mo’ is an intimate acoustic performance.  His music is a living link to the seminal Delta blues that traveled up the Mississippi River and across the expanse of America — informing all of its musical roots — before evolving into a universally celebrated art form. His distinctive sound embraces multiple eras and genres, including pop, soul, folk and jazz as well as the singer-songwriter movement. For Keb Mo, the common bond between these influences is the underlying storytelling ethic, the power of song to convey human experience and emotional weight.  Keb Mo promises to get down with The Lyric this January with his style of Delta Blues as a modern take on a classic music style.  
 
Born Kevin Moore in South Los Angeles to parents originally from the deep South, Mo’s music is an expression of the artistic and cultural journey that has transformed the blues, and his own point of view, over time.  This blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter began his career recording with notable acts like Jefferson Airplane and Papa John Creach before beginning his solo career in the early 1980s. As a solo artist, Keb Mo has won three Grammy Awards and had top notch acts like Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne contribute to his work. He has appearec in television shows including The West Wing and Touched by an Angel, and portrayed the legendary blues singer and guitarist Robert Johnson in the movie Can't You Hear the Wind Howl? 
 
The Reflection is the first new studio album by Keb Mo since Suitcase in 2006 earned a sixth Grammy nomination . These twelve songs are the product of an important period of personal and professional growth for the artist formerly known as Kevin Moore. In that time, he started a new family; moved from Los Angeles to Nashville; built a state–of–the–art home studio, and founded his own label, Yolabelle International, distributed by Ryko and the Warner Music Group.  But The Reflection is not, in essence, a blues album. In sound and spirit, it's closer to the work of African–American "folk soul" singer/songwriters like Bill Withers, Bobby Womack, and Terry Callier.



http://ls4.co/64o

Thursday, December 26, 2013

John Pizzarelli - Double Exposure

Double Exposure on Amazon: http://bzz.is/DoubleExposure John on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JohnPizzarell... SINGER/GUITARIST JOHN PIZZARELLI DELIVERS TWICE THE MUSICAL PUNCH ON NEW ALBUM For nearly 30 years, guitarist John Pizzarelli has explored various corners of the jazz landscape and merged a variety of styles into a single, distinctive signature sound. On any given recording -- indeed, in any given song -- one is likely to encounter an entertaining convergence of jazz, swing, the American songbook, pop, bossa nova and more. Double Exposure, Pizzarelli's latest recording on Telarc -- a division of Concord Music Group -- focuses on two distinct styles to make a single fine recording. Set for release on May 15, 2012, Double Exposure is a collection of tunes by some of the great pop songwriters of his own generation that are framed squarely within traditional jazz arrangements. "I didn't want to just cover these songs, but rather find a way to present them that was unusual and interesting'" says Pizzarelli. "I think growing up in a household that had two specific record collections became the inspiration -- my father's jazz records, my sisters' record collection and records brought around by their friends." The result is a fascinating and engaging musical hybrid. Double Exposure draws from a diverse pool of some of the best pop songwriters of the past five decades: Lennon and McCartney, Neil Young, James Taylor, Leiber and Stoller, Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell and others. Woven into these memorable compositions are threads of jazz borrowed from figures like Wes Montgomery, Billy Strayhorn, Thad Jones and John Coltrane. Pizzarelli is backed by his touring and studio band, featuring keyboardist Larry Fuller, bassist (and brother) Martin Pizzarelli and drummer Tony Tedesco. In addition, organist Larry Goldings assists on a number of tracks. A four-piece horn section arranged by Don Sebesky includes Tony Kadleck (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Mosca (trombone, euphonium), Kenny Berger (baritone sax, bass clarinet) and Andy Fusco (alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet), providing accents and embellishments along the way. The 13-song set opens with the upbeat and uptempo "I Feel Fine/Sidewinder," a track which Pizzarelli describes as "Lennon and McCartney meet Lee Morgan." Before the recording sessions got under way in the fall of 2011, he and his band initially road tested the song at a Birdland gig in New York City. "There were kids there who were saying, 'Hey, we loved the way you played 'Sidewinder' inside a Beatles tune!'" This jazz-flavored rendition of the Beatles classic is the latest chapter in the prolific Pizzarelli-McCartney association that has developed over the past few months. Pizzarelli appears on several tracks on McCartney's new album, Kisses on the Bottom, a collection of standards (plus two McCartney originals) released in early February. Two days after the release, Pizzarelli performed with Sir Paul at an iTunes concert at Capitol Records Studios in Hollywood, California. The two also performed together at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012.



http://ls4.co/60k

Gaelic Storm - Rag and Bone

Music video by Gaelic Storm performing Rag and Bone. (C) 2012 Lost Again Records



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Monday, December 23, 2013

John Pizzarelli Quartet

Over his career, John Pizzarelli has revitalized jazz, bringing a refreshing, modern twist to the genre while staying true to its roots. Called “madly creative” by the LA Times, the guitarist and singer is not afraid to blend styles, mixing pop and Latin styles with a jazzy flair, making him one of the most interesting contemporary artists today. Since his success with the Boston Pops, John Pizzarelli has skyrocketed into fame, hailed for his finely crafted performances and memorable albums.
 
John Pizzarelli first started playing guitar at the age of six, and he never looked back. An incredibly gifted, and not to mention, lucky teenager, John had the honor of performing with some of the greatest names in American music, including Benny Goodman, Les Paul, and Zoot Sims. As a rising musician, John opened for the likes of Dave Brubeck, Rosemary Clooney, and even had the opportunity to open for Frank Sinatra during his 1993 international tour. With these kinds of incredible experiences under his belt, John Pizzarelli developed his own signature style. The aspiring guitarist quickly displayed his remarkable ability to incorporate a variety of styles and create something decidedly unique. Over the years, John has recorded prolifically, producing albums including a range of musical styles from ballads to holiday favorites. 
 
Despite his range of influences, John Pizzarelli names Nat King Cole as his greatest hero, even dedicating two of his albums to the legendary musician. However, that hasn’t stopped the contemporary jazz star from having fun with the genre of jazz. In 2004, Pizzarelli produced a CD entitled Bossa Nova featuring the clever and inspired blending of Brazilian musical stylings and traditional jazz. His latest album, Double Exposure, is a celebration of pop music, reinvigorated with a splash of jazz.



http://ls4.co/5vc

Gaelic Storm

The winds will be blowing again this January at The Lyric Theatre when Gaelic Storm returns to the stage. With their blend of animated instrumentals, lyrical honesty, and raw Celtic spirit, the pop-folk band has attracted a throng of devoted fans after their appearance in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic. With a high-energy group like Gaelic Storm, there’s nothing like experiencing them live.
 
In 1996, Patrick Murphy, Steve Wehmeyer, Steve Twigger, and Brian Walsh got together at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Restaurant in Santa Monica, California, experimenting with a unique blend of Scottish, Irish, and pop music. With the overwhelming support of the local audience, the musicians decided to form a band and Gaelic Storm was born. After only a short time performing at a number of pubs in the area, the group received the attention of James Cameron, who asked them to play the role of the band in the ship steerage party scene. This big break launched Gaelic Storm into international focus and gained the group a considerable number of followers. Today, the Irish-bred band plays over 125 dates every year, performing nationally and internationally from the United Kingdom to Japan.
 
Still consisting of original members Patrick Murphy and Steve Twigger, Gaelic storm has introduced percussionist Ryan Lacey, fiddler Jessie Burns, and multi-talented musician Pete Purvis, who excels on a variety of instruments, including the uilleann pipes, tin whistle, deger pipes, and highland pipes. Maintaining their signature Celtic flair, Gaelic Storm continues to produce unique, foot-stomping music for old and new fans alike to great acclaim. Their 2010 album, Cabbage, achieved quick success, debuting immediately at #1 on the Billboard world chart. Their latest album, entitled Chicken Boxer was released last year and proves that Gaelic Storm has no intention of changing their folk-inspired, raw Irish attitude.
 



http://ls4.co/5vW

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Saving Lincoln ~ Art Cinema

Drama
English / NR / 1 hr. 41 min.
The true story of an epic friendship
 
Based on the true story of Abraham Lincoln (Tom Amandes) and his close friend, Ward Hill Lamon (Lea Coco), Saving Lincoln combines elements of theater and cinema to create a new visual world within vintage Civil War photographs. When the first assassination attempt occurs on the way to Washington in 1861, banjo-playing, pistol-wielding Lamon appoints himself Lincoln's bodyguard. From this unique perspective, Lamon witnesses every aspect of Lincoln's fiery trial as Commander-in-Chief, soothes his friend's tormented soul, and saves him from repeated attempts on his life. Lincoln sends Lamon away on a mission shortly before the fateful night at Ford's Theatre, yet it is Lamon who redefines that tragic event in a surprising and uplifting manner. Saving Lincoln has been called "a new and different kind of cinematic experience…truly fascinating" (Film Journal International), as well as "brave, incisive, brilliant and entirely factual" (Harold Holzer, Lincoln author and authority).

"A film with personality...shows the human side of the President"- NPR

" The innovative look. . .of thrusting actors directly into archival photographs, . .the primary reason to see the film, is particularly striking. . .as visual authenticity." - Film-Forward.com


http://ls4.co/5vQ

Monday, December 16, 2013

The Best of Broadway featuring the Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber

Even if you’re not a Broadway fan, chances are you’ve heard the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. One of the most prolific and successful composers in musical theatre, Webber has written music for some of the most popular shows in Broadway history. From Cats to Phantom of the Opera, Webber’s legacy extends far beyond the stage and into pop culture. Who better to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber to life than the stars who performed his musicals on Broadway?
 
Born in England in 1948, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber remains one of the most influential Broadway composers of all time. Having composed 13 musicals and two film scores, Webber’s place among the legends of popular culture is firmly cemented. Andrew Lloyd Webber has composed an incredible number of celebrated songs whose popularity has launched musical theatre into a whole new status within the entertainment industry. From “Memory” to “The Music of the Night” to “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” Webber’s ability to produce sentimental, yet compelling melodies has given him a wide audience, from elementary schoolers to their grandparents. Andrew Lloyd Webber has received a staggering number of awards for his compositional abilities, including seven Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and the honor of Knighthood.
 
Taking on the daunting task of synthesizing Webber’s biggest hits is the highly accomplished Best of Broadway cast. Composed of performers who have previously starred in some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway tours, both national and internationally, the Best of Broadway is the perfect musical theater troupe to do justice to Webber’s extensive and beloved repertoire. Performing everything from Sunset Boulevard to Jesus Christ Superstar, The Best of Broadway live up to their name.
 
Made possible in part by the generosity of our sponsors:
Boyes & Farina
 



http://ls4.co/5lG

The Machine Performs Pink Floyd

The Machine is back. After their highly successful performance last January, the most sought-after Pink Floyd tribute band returns to The Lyric Theater this winter for another journey to the dark side of the moon, performing some of the English rock band’s most groundbreaking and influential music from all 16 albums. With 20 years of experience under their belt, The Machine can proudly claim to offer one of the last remaining nearly authentic experiences of a live Pink Floyd concert.
 
Featuring bassist Adam Minkoff, keyboardist Scott Chasolen, guitarist Ryan Ball, and drummer Tahrah Cohen, The Machine has performed to packed audiences across the country and abroad, headlining at large clubs, casinos, and music festivals including Bonnaroo, Gathering of the Vibes, and Riverbend. This tribute band takes their music seriously, recreating the original experience with extraordinary musicianship, impressive lighting and extensive stage displays, and energetic stage presence. Known for their engagement with the audience, The Machine frequently takes song requests from audience members and is widely celebrated for their creative approach to creating set lists, relying on an A to Z set up in which one song is played for every letter in the alphabet.
 
Expanding upon their original show, The Machine has performed a number of shows with full symphonic orchestras, enhancing and adding depth to classic Pink Floyd numbers. Once merely a tribute band, the quartet has begun to attract a large and loyal fan following and the group has released several CDs and DVDs, including the 2006 release, Unplugged, containing a rare acoustic performance at B.B. King’s in New York City of obscure solo material from founding Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett and deep cuts from the early albums. Representing more than just a simple revival of the Pink Floyd legacy, The Machine has become a force in itself, not to be reckoned with and not to be missed.



http://ls4.co/5lA

Earl Turner's Box of 45's

A New Orleans resident and heir to a jazz legacy, Earl Turner was born with soul in his bones. Turner’s triple threat skills have sold-out performances from Las Vegas to Louisiana and now the Sin City’s “Male Vocalist of the Year” comes to The Lyric for a performance featuring the best of ‘70s rhythm and blues, from the O’Jays to the Temptations and more.  One of the finest entertainment acts in the country, Earl Turner’s performances will leave you begging for just one more song.
 
As the grandson of famous jazz artist and dancer L.C. “Speedy” Huggins, Earl grew up in a family surrounded by music. Inspired by his grandfather, Turner performed his first paid show at the age of 13 and never looked back. By 19, Earl Turner was traveling the United States with various show bands, quickly proving his place among the finest entertainers in the country. Earl continued his dream of performing and soon his music was heard across the Atlantic, reaching the Top 40 Dance Hit charts with “Love Caught You by Surprise.” Since his success internationally, Earl Turner has made a name for himself on the Vegas Strip, performing at the famous Dunes and Desert Inn as well as Caesars Palace. In his home town of New Orleans, Turner was welcomed with overwhelming praise. Not only did the Harrah’s name their grand ballroom the “Earl Turner Theatre”, but the aspiring entertainer was inducted into the New Orleans Hall of Fame as well. 
 
Earl Turner’s rise to prominence in the entertainment industry was not without its struggles. After Hurricane Katrina devastated Turner’s home town of New Orleans, the artist was faced with the potential loss of his long time performance space at Harrah’s. His show was put on hold and Turner was forced to relocate to Las Vegas, leaving behind years of success and memories. Luckily Earl received even greater success in Nevada, but the artist has never forgotten his roots and gives back to the community whenever possible, volunteering for charitable organizations such as the Special Olympics, Opportunity Village of Las Vegas, and even serving as spokesperson for The Blood Center of Louisiana. This January, Earl Turner will be giving back to the Stuart community, performing a number of timeless and unforgettable songs, such as “Unchained Melody” and “My Girl” that will have the whole audience singing along.



http://ls4.co/5l4

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience: A Surprise Grammy Nomination!

Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
at: The Lyric Theatre 
May 10, 2014     4pm & 7pm    
 

Terrance live Last week we began our year end touring summary newsletter. We started reflecting on the past year and taking inventory of the 150 some performances we'd presented in 2013. We talked and laughed as we tallied the many cities and venues we visited on the journey. We'd pause, give a nod of affirmation at how grateful we are for all the wonderful opportunities to share the music and culture with so many extraordinary people we meet along the way.  Before we knew it though Friday had arrived and we had not finished the year end re-cap, so we set it aside to clear our heads over the weekend and planned to finalize it on Monday.

Well, Friday night rolls in and we were just hanging out around the house when we got a call from someone wishing us luck on the impending Grammy nominee announcement coming out that same Friday night, December 6, 2013-just 4 days ago!

What a surprise to see on the nominee list our April 2013 release "Dockside Sessions" by Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience! Yes, it was true, our latest CD has been nominated for a Grammy.Wow, were we speechless.

The 56th Grammy awards will be held in Los Angeles January 26, 2014, and friends we will be there! We'll share the experience with long time friend Zachary Richard and Hot 8 both from Louisiana, and both nominated in the same category as our CD. Our friend and colleague, and another true gentleman, Allen Toussaint is also nominated in the American Roots field.  Of course the other Terence-our friend Terence Blanchard is also nominated in Jazz.  Congrats to all these accomplished artists, including our producer & legendary drummer George Receli and our own Zydeco Experience band!

This great honor is dedicated to Terrance's Mother, Ethel Rene Simien who left us on November 15, 2013 after a long and painful battle with RA.  She was an extraordinary woman whose love for her children and family always came before her own daily struggles. On November 21st,  21 Roman Catholic priests from the Lafayette Diocese were there to send her off- a fitting farewell.
 
What is zydeco?
Zydeco is American roots music. It's an important southern roots music tradition that has helped define the cultural identity of Louisiana, the south and the musical landscape of this country. 

Zydeco is the music of the black and mixed race French speaking Creoles of Louisiana. Zydeco is commonly confused with Cajun music. Cajun music is the music of the Acadians; the French speaking Canadians exiled from the maritime provinces, or Acadie region of Canada. While there is some sharing of instruments, repertoire and language there are distinct differences in the musical influences and  cultures that informed the genre. 

Louisiana Creoles are a unique mix of European French and Spanish, (heavy German in Terrance's family too) Native American, African and Caribbean. The Simien family is documented in history books as one of the first families of Louisiana.
Zydeco was born from a multicultural heritage, or as some like to say a "gumbo of cultures" that blended together in this unique way that happened  only in Louisiana.

Louisiana Creole and zydeco music history is long and rich. Terrance pioneered our Creole for Kidz! educational program to help better inform not only his own community about their heritage, but also the cultural tourist and the music lover alike. Most people now want more from their music experience. They want the back story and they want to know the origins. No doubt we all enjoy music purely for its entertainment value, however we are smarter now about everything we consume. From our films to our food, our books and our clothing, our cars and furniture-we want details. Music is no different and have we got those details for you- in the bag y'all! 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

A Peter White Christmas featuring Rick Braun and Mindi Abair

For more than four decades, acoustic guitarist Peter White has brought variety to the contemporary jazz scene with his impressive combination of jazz, pop, and classical guitar.  A long-time session musician, Peter White’s smooth musical styling is perfect for the melodies of the holiday season. His intelligent and inspired arrangements of Christmas classics offer a refreshing new take on time-old songs.
 
Born in a small town north of London in 1954, Peter White found himself drawn to instruments as a small child, experimenting with everything from the clarinet to the violin. Peter finally found his calling when he picked up the guitar, inspired by the success of emerging rock groups such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Originally drawn to the electric, an accidental fire destroyed his guitar and Peter’s interests shifted towards the acoustic. Inspired by James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby, Stills and Nash, Peter honed his acoustic guitar skills and quickly gained recognition as a highly talented musician, earning his first professional gig at the age of 19. In 1975, he was invited to join folk-rock star Al Stewart’s band as a keyboardist for their tour of England, Scotland, and the United States, a meeting that would lead to an extended professional and personal musical relationship between Stewart and White. Touring with Stewart, Peter White opened for a number of major artists, such as Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, and Queen. Peter personally contributed to Al Stewart’s success, working with Stewart in recording the major 1976 hit “Year of the Cat.”
 
Peter White’s success as a session guitarist encouraged the musician to embark on his own solo career, beginning in 1990. His first album, entitled Reveillez-Vous, or Wake Up in French, featured several unused songs written for Al Stewart and became a favorite on a number of contemporary jazz stations. Based on this early success, White signed with Columbia Records to produce his 1996 album, Caravan of Dreams. Now, 13 solo albums later, Peter White has just completed his latest album, Here We Go, marking the musician’s first recording with the celebrated saxophonist David Sanborn. Peter shows no signs of slowing down, touring internationally and participating in a variety of music tours, from “Guitars and Saxes” to Peter’s own “Peter White Christmas Tour.” The latter tour, fueled by the success of White’s holiday albums Songs of the Season and A Peter White Christmas, showcases the musician’s extensive talents in reworking some of the Christmas season’s most treasured classics.


http://ls4.co/5bm

Any Day Now ~ Art Cinema

Drama
English / R /  1 hr. 37 min.
Inspired by a true story and touching on legal and social issues that are more relevant now than ever, ANY DAY NOW tells a story of love, acceptance, and creating your own family. In the late 1970s, when Marco (Isaac Leyva), a teenager with down syndrome who's been abandoned by his mother, is taken in by committed couple Rudy (Alan Cumming) and Paul (Garret Dillahunt), he finds in them the family he's never had. However, when their unconventional living arrangement is discovered by the authorities, Rudy and Paul must fight a biased legal system to adopt the child they have come to love as their own.
 
"An outraged, unblinking depiction of institutionalized homophobia three decades ago, when the prevailing court opinion in adoption cases was that exposing a child to a homosexual environment was harmful." - Stephen Holden,  New York Times

"It would take a heart of stone - or zero tolerance for soap - to resist Any Day Now, a full-throttle weepie about a West Hollywood gay couple trying to adopt a neglected boy with Down syndrome." - Ella Taylor, NPR
 
 


http://ls4.co/5bX

Monday, December 9, 2013

​Gift of entertainment always welcome

Shelley Koppel
Staff writer
skoppel@YourVoiceWeekly.com

STUART — One of the best holiday gifts is the gift of live entertainment. You don’t have to worry about size or color and tickets can ysually be purchased online in a matter of minutes. For events taking place after the New Year, it is a gift that the recipient can look forward to. One of the nice things about many of the events listed is that the prices are far below what you’d pay in big cities.

January at the Lyric Theatre has something for everyone on your list. Pianist Francesco Attesti opens the year Jan. 5, the lively Dance
Your Pants Off Jan. 8; Earl Turner Jan 13; The Machine Performs the music of Pink Floyd Jan. 15; The Best of Broadway, featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Jan. 16-17; Nina Kotova and Angel Romero Jan. 18; Gaelic Storm Jan. 22; the Glenn Miller orchestra Jan 23; “A New York State of Mind: The Music of Billy Joel,” Jan. 24; the John Pizzareli Quartet Jan 25; the Capitol Steps Jan 27; An Acoustic Evening with Keb’ Mo’ Jan 28, and Mel Tillis Jan. 31. It’s a great schedule and the problem will be trying to decide what to see.

The Treasure Coast LOVES The Lyric!

The votes have been tabulated.  The readers have spoken!  

The Treasure Coast LOVES The Lyric!

The 2013 Hometown News Readers Choice Awards have been presented and The Lyric Theatre was the big winner!

Voted:
Best Cultural Arts & Entertainment Venue 
Best Professional Theatre 
Best Live Venue / Theatre
Best Place to Take a Date


Thank you Hometown News Readers!

Dance Yours Pants Off


Straight from the streets of Miami comes this fast-paced show featuring the Salsa, Merengue, Rhumba, Mambo and even the Jive!  Dance Your Pants Off pays tribute the electricity of South Beach and it's rich history in music and musical artists. Beginning in the hey day of Big Band Swing, our story starts at The South Beach Supper Club, a classic jazz and swing joint in the heart of Miami. Featuring the music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and many other standards, this swanky club comes to life with the gorgeous ballroom styles of The Foxtrot, The Quickstep and The Jive. 
 
As the show progresses through the decades, we feature songs by Elvis Presley (who performed with Frank Sinatra after the war at The Fountainbleau in South Beach) and The Beatles who took the US by storm after appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show. Moving right along to the age of disco, we hit the SoBe Discoteque for a dance contest not to be forgotten. Then it's to the streets of Miami for a tribute to Miami Vice, that hit show of the 80s and Madonna who made South Florida her home for many years. A beautiful tribute to Whitney Houston, who filmed The Bodyguard at The Fountainbleau, is featured with stunning waltzes and rhumbas.
 
The show comes to a rousing finale with a high energy Latin section featuring the music of Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Celia Cruz and Carlos Santana. Club Caliente is on fire for this large scale production finale. With the popularity of Dancing with the Stars, your audience will love the gorgeous sequined costuming, the intricate ballroom dancing and an amazing score of music from several decades. Join us in the hottest party in South Beach!
 



http://ls4.co/5Ys

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

American Big Band "Home For The Holidays"

The best of American big band comes to The Lyric stage this December for a Christmas showcase of all of the holiday favorites. An explosive synthesis of big band and Broadway, American Big Band features a 12 piece orchestra and 8 singers and dancers in a music extravaganza perfect for the whole family. Performing winter classics from Bing to BublĂ©, American Big Band, Home for the Holidays is a show that’s bound to get even a Scrooge’s toe tapping.
 
Established in 2004, American Big Band has toured all across the country, bringing classic big band brass and Broadway hits to a variety of venues. More than just a simple ensemble, American Big Band is a fully staged, fully costumed production show with a talented group of professionally trained performers to bring you the highest form of musical entertainment. A favorite of infants and octogenarians alike, the Big Band brings its Christmas special to The Lyric Theatre this year for a performance featuring some of the best holiday classics and modern interpretations.


http://ls4.co/5Qt

50 Shades!  The Musical!

“50 Shades! is a very good laugh and is impossible to resist!" - The Chicago Tribune 
 
  A sexy, hysterical musical romp, 50 SHADES! THE MUSICAL is a laugh out loud night of fun that you won’t want to miss!
 
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!  50 SHADES! THE MUSICAL!  The hilarious parody of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon, makes it's triumphant return to The Lyric after 4 SOLD-OUT performances last spring.  A resounding hit, 50 SHADES! THE MUSICAL opens with a ladies book club deciding to read Fifty Shades of Grey. Through their interpretation of the novel, the audience is lead on an uproarious roller coaster ride of this unlikely bestseller. The show is full of dance numbers, and original songs delivered by an outrageous cast with a live, on-stage band. Join the global sensation and experience the show that had sold-out audiences in New York, Chicago and The Lyric screaming for more!  This production contains adult language and adult content
 
Join the global sensation and experience the show that had sold-out audiences in New York and Chicago screaming for more!
 
Official Website
 
This production contains adult language and adult content. 


http://ls4.co/5Qn

​Muscle Shoals ~ Art Cinema

Music Documentary 
English/PG/1 hr. 51 min.

The incredible true story of a small town with a big sound.
 
MUSCLE SHOALS is a documentary about a place filled with magic and music, legend and folklore, where the river is inhabited by a Native American spirit who has lured some of the greatest Rock and Roll and Soul legends of all time, and drawn from them some of the most uplifting, defiant, and important music ever created. In Muscle Shoals, Alabama, music runs through the hills, the river, and the spirit of the people. It is a place where, even before the Civil Rights Movement really took shape, the color of your skin didn't matter inside the studio.  Cast: Gregg Allman,  Bono, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Mick Jagger and MANY more!
 
"Only the genre's most studious followers will be able to watch Muscle Shoals without being regularly astonished, Greg "Freddy" Camalier's documentary tells an extraordinary story. " - Mark Jenkins, NPR

"Even casual music fans will enjoy behind-the-hits doc." - John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter

"The archival footage is strong, Camalier is generous with musical clips, and the talking heads generate some drama when describing epochal moments like Aretha's first session." - Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice

"Do not leave the film until the last credit rolls by." - Dave Hoekstra, Chicago Sun-Times



http://ls4.co/5Qh

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Any Day Now ~ Art Cinema

Drama
English / R /  1 hr. 37 min.
Inspired by a true story and touching on legal and social issues that are more relevant now than ever, ANY DAY NOW tells a story of love, acceptance, and creating your own family. In the late 1970s, when Marco (Isaac Leyva), a teenager with down syndrome who's been abandoned by his mother, is taken in by committed couple Rudy (Alan Cumming) and Paul (Garret Dillahunt), he finds in them the family he's never had. However, when their unconventional living arrangement is discovered by the authorities, Rudy and Paul must fight a biased legal system to adopt the child they have come to love as their own.
 
"An outraged, unblinking depiction of institutionalized homophobia three decades ago, when the prevailing court opinion in adoption cases was that exposing a child to a homosexual environment was harmful." - Stephen Holden,  New York Times

"It would take a heart of stone - or zero tolerance for soap - to resist Any Day Now, a full-throttle weepie about a West Hollywood gay couple trying to adopt a neglected boy with Down syndrome." - Ella Taylor, NPR
 
 


http://ls4.co/5P0