James L. Nederlander and Nederlander Presentations, Inc. announce the Broadway return of Tony and Emmy Award winner Billy Crystal in MR. SATURDAY NIGHT, a new musical comedy about one comedian’s meteoric rise to the middle. Performances begin at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street) on March 1, 2022 and the show officially opens on March 31, 2022. MR. SATURDAY NIGHT is the story of Buddy Young Jr., an outrageous and outspoken comedian who found fame, if not fortune, in the early days of television.  Now, some 40 years after his TV career flamed out, Buddy seeks one more shot at the spotlight, and while he’s at it, one last shot at fixing the family he fractured along the way. Tickets on sale beginning Nov. 22.

The Play That Goes Wrong reopened on October 15 at New World Stages where it continues and features Jesse Aaronson as Max, Ryan Vincent Anderson as Trevor, Brent Bateman as Robert, Bartley Booz as Dennis,  Matt Harrington as Chris, Ashley N. Hildreth as Annie, Chris Lanceley as Jonathan, and Maggie Weston as Sandra. The cast also includes Damien BrettEllie MacPhersonLaura D’Andre, and Sid Solomon. The Play That Goes Wrong is directed by Matt DiCarlo.

DreamWorks Theatricals and Music Theatre International, in partnership with NBCUniversal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion (GTDI) team, announced the opening of the application period for the DreamWorks Theatricals/MTI Emerging Writers Program, now through December 22, 2021. This new partnership will identify diverse teams of bookwriters, composers and lyricists with unique voices and points of view to develop musical adaptations of popular DreamWorks Animation titles intended for the Music Theatre International catalogue. The one-year, paid program will be open to both individual writers and writing teams who can build upon the Studio’s commitment to telling stories that appeal to and reflect the vast diversity of its audiences. The application and additional program details can be found at https://www.universaltalentdevelopment.com/dreamworks-theatricals. The application will be available through December 22, 2021 at 11:59pm PT, with the Program commencing in 2022.

CABARET NEWS & UPDATES

French Heritage Society will host A Cabaret Evening, Celebrating the City of Light, on Friday November 12, 2021 at a private club in Manhattan. Join us to see a special cabaret performance by Robbie Fairchild, original star of Broadway’s An American in Paris and former principal dancer at New York City Ballet. The evening will honor the musical’s producer, Stewart F. Lane, with his wife Bonnie Comley – together, Tony award-winning producers, writers and founders of BroadwayHD.

Tanya Moberly presents I Love New York Songwriters, Part II, on Fridays, Nov. 19, Dec. 17, 7 pm at Don’t Tell Mama featuring a diverse group of songwriters.

Join Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano with Sean Smith on bass and Vito Lesczak on drums for some Holiday magic at Birdland Theater Dec. 25 and 26 at 7 and 9:30 pm. for some Broadway, Holiday, Pop, Jazz favorites. www.birdlandjazz.com

THE DJANGO, downtown Manhattan’s premier jazz club, offers an impressive month of music with jazz legends and rising stars. Today’s leading artists gather on The Django stage to celebrate NEA Jazz Master Dr. Lonnie Smith in special back-to-back tribute concerts 12/9. Two leading pianists make their Django debut: Benito Gonzalez 12/3 followed by Orrin Evans 12/8 leading his new Brazilian project “Terreno Comun”. The holidays are in full swing with festive concerts by Charles Turner & Uptown Swing Dance 12/11, Duchess 12/17, New Alchemy Jazz Orchestra 12/22, and Martina DaSilva and Danny Jonokuchi Quintet Holiday Special 12/23, followed by a New Year’s Eve celebration 12/31 with jazz legend Houston Person and emerging vocalist Lucy Yeghiazaryan followed by King Solomon Hicks ringing in 2022. Visit TheDjangoNYC.com.

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has announced that Todd Almond’s debut holiday album A Pony for Christmas will be released in digital and streaming formats on Friday, November 19. Almond is an acclaimed songwriter and performer who can currently be seen as “Gideon Wolfe” on HBO Max’s “Gossip Girl” and on Broadway as “Elias Burke” in Conor McPherson and Bob Dylan’s Girl from the North Country.  A Pony for Christmas weaves personal original compositions with new versions of traditional carols and unexpected reworkings of pop songs. The album is produced by Todd Almond and Peter Sachon. Pre-save now at ToddAlmond.lnk.to/APonyForChristmasPR/spotify

Josie Falbo’s newly recorded Holiday EP, “A Jazzy Interlude with Josie Falbo,” to be released exclusively on her website, JosieFalbo.net, on Friday, November 12th, 2021. The 4 song recording features new arrangements of classic holiday songs (The Christmas Song, A Child Is Born and The Christmas Waltz) arranged by Marshall Vente and Carey Deadman (Arranger of Josie’s critically CD,”You Must Believe in Spring,) and a new cover version of “Christmas Eve Is Coming Soon,” by Chicago based composer/songwriter, Richard Knight, Jr. 
The recording features Chicago based musicians: Scott Mason, Bob Rummage, Carey Deadman, Kirk Garrison, Jim Gailoretto, Steve Eisen, Andy Baker, Alejo Poveda, Jeremy Kahn, Chuck Webb, Carey Deadman, Mark Lekas, Rich Trelease, Chris Sargent and Marshall Vente. Recorded in October at Crystall Recording. Engineered by Jim Massoth. Mastered by Brian Schwab.