Jimmy Ray News

Perched above the stage in their private bleacher section, just beyond an outfield fence graffitied with the musical's title, conductor Rob Berman and his 25 piece Encores! Summer Stars orchestra might be mistaken for the conservatory cousins of Brooklyn's legendary Dodger Sym-Phony. But instead of serenading umpires from the Ebbet's Field grandstands with double forte arrangements of 'Three Blind Mice,' the musicians of director John Rando's cracker-jack production of Damn Yankees - a 1955 musical that opened in the early weeks of the baseball season that saw Brooklyn beat the Yankees for the borough's only World Series championship - treats 21st Century audiences to that thrilling sound of a Broadway Golden Age orchestra. The detailed movements and textures contained within Don Walker's orchestrations, whether giving comic accents to the pepper-upper 'Heart,' setting a satirical mood for the pseudo-vamp 'Whatever Lola Wants' or lifting a slow ballad like 'A Man Doesn't Know' with phrases that search the mind of the singing character, help bring majestic touches of artistry to this rousing vaudeville disguised as a book musical.

The producers of the Miami Improv Festival invited The Nuclear Family to perform as the weekend's headliner because of their wild and always crazy plots mixed with the incredible singing, dancing and acting talents of John Gregorio, Stephen Guarino, and Jimmy Ray Bennett. Executive Producer, David Christopher explains, 'It is a tremendous treat to have a group as funny and talented as The Nuclear Family here at the Miami Improv Festival. After their breakout performance at the Miami Improv Festival in 2003 we have eagerly been trying to get their great show back to South Florida. These guys are hysterical, and it won't be long before one, two or all three of them end up on a show like Saturday Night Live, so see them now here in Miami, while you can!'

The producers of the Miami Improv Festival invited The Nuclear Family to perform as the weekend's headliner because of their wild and always crazy plots mixed with the incredible singing, dancing and acting talents of John Gregorio, Stephen Guarino, and Jimmy Ray Bennett. Executive Producer, David Christopher explains, 'It is a tremendous treat to have a group as funny and talented as The Nuclear Family here at the Miami Improv Festival. After their breakout performance at the Miami Improv Festival in 2003 we have eagerly been trying to get their great show back to South Florida. These guys are hysterical, and it won't be long before one, two or all three of them end up on a show like Saturday Night Live, so see them now here in Miami, while you can!'

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys and Understudies with its next editions of At This Performance...TM to be held on Sunday, April 19th and Monday, April 20th at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway, (above the Promenade Theatre- Broadway at 76th Street), 3rd Floor at 8 PM.

Peter Mills' first musical adaptation of Shakespeare returns to Prospect Theatre Company.

Fave dance numbers from musicals were re-created at Career Transition for Dancers' annual gala, which also featured some ballet and acrobatics.

On July 10th, 2008 the musical Damn Yankees opened at New York City Center as part of the Encores! Summer Series and BWW was there. The show runs through July 27th!

Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, and Randy Graff star in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues).

On Tuesday June 24th, BroadwayWorld.com cameras got the opportunity to visit the rehearsal of Encores! presentation of Damn Yankees, one of this summer's most highly anticipated production.

Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, and Randy Graff star in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues).

Megan Lawrence will join Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, and Randy Graff in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues). Lawrence replaces Ana Gasteyer; Ms. Gasteyer has suffered a minor injury.

Veanne Cox, Michael Mulheren and P.J. Benjamin will join Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson, Ana Gasteyer and Randy Graff in Damn Yankees, running July 5 - 27, 2008 at New York City Center (55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues).

The Tony winner headlines a retrospective in song and film of Gershwin's partnership with Kay Swift.

30 Days of NYMF, DAY 11: Written by Jimmy Ray Bennett, role of Nick Steele in 'SYMPATHY JONES.'

Tony Award nominated actress Jane Summerhays, last seen on Broadway in The Wild Party, will join the cast of the new musical Sympathy Jones, which will debut at this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival.