Latest news with #ByeByeBirdie
New York Post
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Bye Bye Birdie' star Ann-Margret, 84, makes rare TV appearance — and reveals the secret to her iconic dance moves
Ann-Margret is still saying hi hi to the spotlight. The 84-year-old 'Bye Bye Birdie' actress made a rare public appearance at Project Angel Food's Lead With Love fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday. Ann-Margret wore a black long-sleeved top, matching leggings and knee-high patterned black boots as she posed for photos on the red carpet. Advertisement 9 Ann-Margret attends Project Angel Food's Lead With Love 6 – A Fundraising Special at KTLA 5 on June 28. Getty Images for Project Angel Food's Lead with Love 6 9 Ann-Margret attends Project Angel Food's Lead With Love 6 – A Fundraising Special at KTLA 5 on June 28. Robert Smith/INSTARimages At one point during the televised event that raised funds for LA fire victims, Ann-Margret had a moment with 'Will & Grace' actor Eric McCormack where he asked her about her 1960s dance moves that 'captivated the world.' Advertisement 'They called you the female Elvis,' McCormack, 62, said. 'You changed how a generation hit the dance floor. And now you're a TikTok sensation.' 9 Ann-Margret with 'Will & Grace' star Eric McCormack. 9 Ann-Margret at a televised fundraiser for LA fire victims. Robert Smith/INSTARimages McCormack then asked Ann-Margret, 'So where did those incredible moves come from? Does everyone in Sweden dance like that?' Advertisement 'My heart and my seat,' Ann-Margret responded after laughing. 9 Ann-Margret and Eric McCormack hug at Project Angel Food's Lead With Love 6 – A Fundraising Special. Getty Images for Project Angel Food's Lead with Love 6 Ann-Margret was born in Sweden in 1941 and moved to the U.S. as a child. She rose to fame from her roles in 'Bye Bye Birdie,' 'Viva Las Vegas, 'The Train Robbers' and more. She also became a sought-after sex symbol during the '60s. Advertisement 9 Ann-Margret in 'Bye Bye Birdie' in 1963. Courtesy Everett Collection Last year, Ann-Margret accepted an award at the Women's Image Network's 25th Women's Image Awards in Beverly Hills and reflected on her decades-long career. 'I remember wanting to be in show business all my life,' she said in an interview with People at the event. 'And I remember one day I said to mother and daddy, 'I want to talk to you. It's a very, very important thing for me and I want to get into show business.'' 9 Ann-Margret dancing in 'Bye Bye Birdie.' Courtesy Everett Collection 9 Bobby Rydell, Ann-Margret in 'Bye Bye Birdie.' Everett Collection / Everett Collection 'I am so blessed. I just can't believe all the things that have happened to me. I never expected it,' Ann-Margret added. 'Never,' The 'Newsies' star also confirmed that she 'of course' still rides her Harley Davidson. 'It's lavender and it's got white daisies all over it,' she said about her motorcycle. 'There's flowers on the back fender and on the front fender. I love the speed.' Advertisement 9 Ann-Margret and Bobby Rydell in 'Bye Bye Birdie' in 1963. Courtesy Everett Collection In May 2023, Ann-Margret boasted that she still has 'a lot of energy.' I am just blessed that my mother and father gave me such great energy. And there's no negativity here,' she told Fox News Digital at the time. 'They instilled in me all of these wonderful things that I still carry with me.' 'You don't whine about things. You just go out and do the things that you love,' She continued. 'And I just feel blessed with the life that I've been given.'
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Musical ‘Chicago' in its 50th anniversary at the Arsht has Miami stories
Michael Vita remembers when the musical 'Chicago' opened on Broadway. He remembers because he was there as part of the dance ensemble. The former Miami Beach resident was there to see Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart and Chita Rivera as Velma Kelly. He was there when it premiered at the 42nd Street Theater. He was there when they cut a number from the production, one that would have given him a speaking part. 'I was to play the prosecutor and it was a nice scene with Gwen. It introduced a song that was cut called 'Ten Percent.' It was superfluous so they cut that and they cut my lines going into it.' Needless to say, he was disappointed. Vita was also there in August of 1975 when leading lady Verdon left the show for five weeks for throat surgery and Liza Minnelli became her understudy. 'They announced at the beginning of the show that Gwen Verdon would not be in the performance and the audience did a disappointing 'ooooh.' And then it was announced that the role of Roxy would be played by Liza Minnelli and and when the audience heard that they went wild,' he said. There are 50 years of history in the Broadway musical 'Chicago' and with the Broadway national touring production coming to Miami's Arsht Center, the musical's history, past and present, has Miami connections. Vita, now 84 and a South Floridian who lives at the Court of Palm Aire in Pompano Beach, is proud to have been a part of Broadway history. 'The theater never leaves you,' he said. But 'Chicago' wasn't his first Broadway show. Growing up in the Bronx, he began performing while attending the High School of Performing Arts in New York. 'I was 17 years old, and a friend called to tell me they were auditioning for a new show 'Bye Bye Birdie.' ' 'Birdie' opened on Broadway in 1960 and starred Dick Van Dyke and Rivera, who he would work with again in 'Chicago.' And almost a decade before he'd dance with Verdon in 'Chicago,' he'd be cast in the ensemble of 'Sweet Charity' in 1966, where she was the lead. Vita says in all of his time as a Broadway performer he was a feature player. 'I never wanted to be a star; that was too much pressure.' He left Broadway and the theater at age 50 to 'try something else,' moving to San Francisco to work with AIDS organizations. While in New York, he helped in the creation of the Equity Fights Aids Committee to 'assist and support [Actors' Equity Association] members afflicted with AIDS.' This then became Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He's never given up the urge or the love to entertain. 'I do two performances a year in the Fall and in the Spring here at the Court of Palm Aire. I don't sing Broadway showtunes, though, I sing songs that have meaning to me. There are about 125 people that come and it's amazing.' The Miami connection for the original 'Chicago' starts with Vita and comes full circle with Christopher Cline as the final performances of the current national Broadway touring production for the 50th anniversary year concludes at the Adrienne Arsht Center The show opens on Tuesday, June 17 and runs through Sunday, June 22. Cline, a University of Miami graduate, has been with the production for its 2024-25 season of the 50th anniversary tour of the show. Originally from New Jersey, he graduated from University of Miami 'exactly two years ago' with a BFA in musical theater. 'I'm in the ensemble and I also play Sergeant Fogarty and this is my national tour debut.' Just after graduation from UM, he joined the cast of 'Mamma Mia!' on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. 'I was on the ship about seven or eight months but worked for Royal Caribbean for a year on land,' he says, adding that Royal Caribbean's studios for rehearsals are on the campus of Florida International University. 'I was happy to be in Miami. There are people from all over the world in those studios. I have friends I've made from just about every country,' says Cline. Being a part of the 50th anniversary tour of 'Chicago' has been an experience for the performer, he says, on many levels. 'There's maybe an additional responsibility and a bit of pressure to really honor the show, but I also remember that I am just a small piece in this large puzzle that was created much before I was even here.' Cline believes that the show is still playing on Broadway because it's 'timeless.' 'There's one moment I hear every night in the show that always kind of makes me chuckle to myself and it's when Roxy and Velma sing, 'In 50 years or so, it's going to change, you know.' And the irony of it is that it's been 50 years and 'Chicago' hasn't' changed. And I think that it will be around for another 50 years; it will resonate with a whole different generation.' If you go: WHAT: 'Chicago' WHEN: 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 17 through Saturday, June 21. 2 p.m. Saturday, June 21 and 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday, June 22. WHERE: Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami COST: $41 to $182 (includes fees) INFORMATION: (305) 949-6722 and is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don't miss a story at
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CNN to Air Live Broadcast of George Clooney's ‘Good Night and Good Luck' in Broadway First
The Broadway production of Good Night, and Good Luck, starring George Clooney, will be broadcast live on CNN. The broadcast, which is the first time a live performance of a play will be televised, is scheduled to air live on June 7 at 7 p.m. ET across CNN, CNN International and streaming on CNN's website. The televised performance is the second-to-last scheduled performance of the play on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theater. More from The Hollywood Reporter C-SPAN's Next Big Bet Is a "Radically Different" Sort of Cable News Show: 'CeaseFire' Charles Strouse, Tony-Winning Composer of 'Annie' and 'Bye Bye Birdie,' Dies at 96 David Lindsay-Abaire Brings New Play 'The Balusters' to Broadway in 2026 'I can't tell you how exciting it is to do something that's never been done. CNN is the perfect place to bring this story of courage to so many more people than we could have ever hoped. Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone,' Clooney said in a statement. 'Good Night, and Good Luck is not just a celebration of a golden age in TV journalism,' said CNN chairman and CEO Mark Thompson. 'It's also about the importance of the free press and the need for strong news organizations to report the facts in a fair-minded way. That's something we still care deeply about.' The play, which was adapted from the 2005 film, follows journalist Edward R. Murrow, played by Clooney, in his efforts to take down Sen. Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism on air amid concerns from the federal government and CBS station heads. The broadcast will be executive produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov — they co-wrote the play together — Deena Katz, Todd Wagner and Jeff Skoll. The play opened on Broadway April 3 and is scheduled to run through June 8. The live broadcast of the show is also notable as the production has broken records as the play with the highest weekly gross in Broadway history, recently becoming the first play to make more than $4 million in one week. The production also announced the recoupment of $9.5 million capitalization Monday. The broadcast is set to air the evening before the Tony Awards. Clooney is nominated for his role as Murrow, and the play is nominated for best scenic, costume, lighting and sound. CNN will also be working on special pre-show coverage outside of the theater. Following the production, CNN will host a Good Night, and Good Luck special to discuss the production and state of global journalism. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List Rosie O'Donnell on Ellen, Madonna, Trump and 40 Years in the Queer Spotlight
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Husband Of 'Today' Show Co-Host Dead At 45
Uche Ojeh, the husband of 'Today' show co-host Sheinelle Jones, has died at the age of 45. The heartbreaking news was announced on Friday's broadcast by her colleagues. Jones and Ojeh were married for 17 years. 'With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and 'Today' co-host Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma,' host Savannah Guthrie shared. Guthrie continued to say that 'there are no words for the pain' that she and the rest of the staff are experiencing for Jones' family, including her three children. 'Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him,' Guthrie added. The couple were married in September 2007 in Jones' hometown of Philadelphia after meeting while students at Northwestern University in the late '90s. She was 19 years old, and he was 17 years old when they met. Ojeh is remembered for being an 'enthusiastic soccer player' with a successful career in consulting, but family, friends and his 'unabiding faith was always his true north.' 'One thing he always talked about, he talked about those kids,' co-host Craig Melvin said. 'He loved those kids more than anything else in this world. He was that dad that was on the sidelines at every soccer game. He was at all of the concerts and the recitals. He was that guy.' On Friday, Jones shared the show's tribute to her husband on Instagram, writing simply, 'Thank you, for all of your love and support.' According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no cure for glioblastoma, and its cause often isn't known. Undefeated Just-Married Boxer Dies At Age 25 Democratic Congressman Dead Months After Taking Key Position Charles Strouse, Composer Of 'Annie' And 'Bye Bye Birdie,' Dead At 96
Los Angeles Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of ‘Annie' and ‘Bye Bye Birdie,' dies at 96
NEW YORK — Charles Strouse, the three-time Tony Award winner and Broadway master melody-maker who composed the music for 'Annie,' 'Bye Bye Birdie' and 'Applause,' died Thursday. He was 96. Strouse died at his home in New York City, his family said. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Strouse wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as film scores and 'Those Were the Days,' the theme song for the sitcom 'All in the Family.' Strouse turned out such popular — and catchy — show tunes as 'Tomorrow,' the optimistic anthem from 'Annie,' and the equally cheerful 'Put on a Happy Face' from 'Bye Bye Birdie,' his first Broadway success. 'I work every day. Activity — it's a life force,' the New York-born composer told the Associated Press during an interview on the eve of his 80th birthday in 2008. 'When you enjoy doing what you're doing, which I do very much, I have something to get up for.' Deep into his 90s, he visited tours of his shows and met casts. Jenn Thompson, who appeared in the first 'Annie' as Pepper and directed a touring version of 'Annie' in 2024, recalls Strouse coming to auditions and shedding a tear when a young girl sang 'Tomorrow.' She said: 'He's so gorgeously generous and kind. He has always been that way.' His Broadway career began in 1960 with 'Bye Bye Birdie,' which Strouse wrote with lyricist Lee Adams and librettist Michael Stewart. 'Birdie,' which starred Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera, told the tale of an Elvis Presley-like crooner named Conrad Birdie being drafted into the Army and its effect on one small Ohio town. Strouse not only wrote the music, but he played piano at auditions while Edward Padula, the show's neophyte producer, tried to attract financial backers for a production that would eventually cost $185,000. 'We never stopped giving auditions — and people never gave money at all. The idea of using rock 'n' roll — everybody was so turned off,' Strouse said. Finally, Padula found Texas oilman L. Slade Brown. When he heard the score, he said, in a Texas twang, 'I like those songs,' pushed Strouse aside and picked out the tune of 'Put on a Happy Face' on the piano. Brown then said, 'How much do you fellas need?' and wrote out a check for $75,000 to cover the start of rehearsals. 'Suddenly, the world turned Technicolor,' Strouse remembered. The popularity of 'Birdie' spawned a film (with Van Dyke, Janet Leigh and Ann-Margret) in 1963 and a television adaptation with Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams in 1995. Strouse and Adams gave several non-musical theater stars, including Sammy Davis Jr. and Lauren Bacall, stage successes for 'Golden Boy' and 'All About Eve,' respectively. But it was 'Annie' (1977) that proved to be Strouse's most durable — and long-running — Broadway hit (over 2,300 performances). Chronicling the Depression-era adventures of the celebrated comic strip character Little Orphan Annie, the musical featured lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. It starred Andrea McArdle as the red-haired moppet and Dorothy Loudon, who won a Tony for her riotous portrayal of mean Miss Hannigan, who ran the orphanage. The musical contained gems such as 'You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile' and 'It's the Hard Knock Life.' The 1982 film version, which featured Carol Burnett in Loudon's role, was not nearly as popular or well-received. A stage sequel called 'Annie Warbucks' ran off-Broadway in 1993. The show was revived on Broadway in 2012 and made into a film starring Quvenzhané Wallis in 2014. NBC put a version on network TV in 2021 called 'Annie Live!' Strouse and Charnin, who both won Grammy Awards for the 'Annie' cast album, found shards of their work included in Jay-Z's 1998 Grammy-winning album 'Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life.' 'Tomorrow' has been heard on soundtracks from 'Shrek 2″ to 'Dave' to 'You've Got Mail.' In 2016, Lukas Graham used parts of the chorus from 'Annie' for his 'Mama Said' hit. Strouse had his share of flops, too, including two shows — 'A Broadway Musical' (1978) and 'Dance a Little Closer,' a 1983 musical written with Alan Jay Lerner, that closed after one performance. Among his other less-than-successful musicals were 'All-American' (1962), starring Ray Bolger, 'It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman' (1966), directed by Harold Prince, and 'Bring Back Birdie' (1981), a sequel to 'Bye Bye Birdie.' Among Strouse's film scores were the music for 'Bonnie and Clyde' (1967) and 'The Night They Raided Minsky's' (1968). Theater beckoned when he and Adams got a chance in the early 1950s to write songs for weekly revues at an Adirondacks summer camp called Green Mansions. Such camps were the training ground for dozens of performers and writers. 'I would write a song and I would orchestrate it and copy the parts,' he said in the AP interview. 'And rehearsal was the next day at nine, so at four in the morning, I am crossing the lake with the parts still wet. I just loved it. I never was happier.' His wife, Barbara, died in 2023. He is survived by four children, Ben, Nick, Victoria and William. Kennedy writes for the Associated Press.
