Star of film, TV, and most recently - to rave reviews - Broadway’s God of Carnage, Jeff Daniels will take to the stage again, but this time far from the Great White Way. He will perform his one man show, Onstage and Unplugged at the Purple Rose Theatre Company in his hometown of Chelsea, Michigan from August 26th to the 29th.

If you didn’t get to see the Tony winning, acclaimed musical Passing Strange, you can check out some of the numbers and a behind-the-scene look in the documentary on the show. Directed by Spike Lee, the documentary will debut August 26th on On Demand in the “Sundance Selects” section.

The Hole, a rock musical about the life that goes on in bars, will play off-Broadway at the Theatre at St. Clement’s from September 9th to 18th. From www.playbill.com, the press notes read:  ”Two best friends walk into a bar. One to work. One to play. A hard rock odyssey which explores the absolution we all seek in bars, in bed and on the therapist’s couch. The Hole. Some tales have no morals.” Deep.

Accomplished and, perhaps until now, respected performer Rachel York will play Cruella de Vil in the touring company of 101 Dalmatians. Two questions: how is this going to be a stage show? Who will play the dalmatians?

Busker Alley was a musical Broadway-bound in 1995, until star Tommy Tune broke his foot and everything sort of derailed. In 2007, it was announced that the show was going to be given another go, with stars like Jim Dale, Glenn Close, John Bolton, Jessica Grove, Elizabeth Inghram, and George S. Irving. Well, it’s been derailed yet again. The producers, who included Jamie Foxx, have decided to let Busker die because of some writing team issues.

The Blink 182 concert is going strong, and I bet you want to see them, they’re a great, exciting band that hasn’t toured in an eternity. And now, here’s something to sweeten the deal: Doritoes is giving away free tickets to many of the concerts! Go to Doritoeslatenight.com to see if your city has free tickets available, and enter to win!

Rock stars giving back: James Taylor, a Massachusetts native, gave $500,000 of his earnings to the Boston Symphony.

Grunge band Candlebox will celebrate the area of grunge and their own origins with a performance at the Lounge Acts Concert at the D and R Theater in Aberdeen, Washington, near Seattle, October 17th. All proceeds will go the building of a youth center in the city, in Kurt Cobain’s name.

Kikd Rock is set to sponsor the Big Three Stage at Arts, Beats & Eats: Festival Hope in Pontiac, Michigan. The festival was facing some tough times, and Kid Rock stepped in to show his support for American companies - the Big Three - Ford, Chrysler, and GM.

Kyle Branum was recently facing some heat after allegedly selling dozens of fake tickets to a Nickelback show in Michigan, the concert happening on August 12th. Sadly, police found Branum dead in his Troy, Michigan home later that night, the man had hung himself.

Speaking of Nickelback, lead singer Chuck Kroeger is being sued by a man who claims the love child of Michael Bolton and Kenny G knocked him out with a punch at a club two years ago. Am I the only one who’s surprised Kroeger knocked the guy out? Of course this guy might be a tiny dweeb. I mean, I know Kroeger’s a bigger guy, but have you heard his music? I guess that’s why he has to be so defensive.

Tonight, August 20th, will see an 11:30PM performance of Don’t Quit Your Night Job at The Julia Miles Theater. The variety show of music, sketches, and improv has already been a hit at Joe’s Pub and the Zipper Factory Theater, and tonight it steps up with a killer cast of Broadway stalwarts, like Sutton Foster (Tony Award winner, currently in Shrek: The Musical), Karen Olivo (Anita in West Side Story, recently publicly courted by Prince), Marc Kudisch (Broadway leading man and ex husband of Kristin Chenoweth), Brian D’Arcy James, and Martha Plimpton, to name a few.

Speaking of Sutton Foster, her almost-as-successful brother, Hunter Foster (what a family!) will be one of four cast members in the New York premiere of Ordinary Days, presented by the Roundabout Theatre Company’s Roundabout Underground from October 2 to December 13.

Star of stage and screen John Lithgow will join fellow Tony winner Jennifer Ehle for the off-Broadway production of Mr. and Mrs. Fitch, beginning previews January 26 at the Second Stage Theater. Written by Douglas Carter Beane, the play tells the story of two gossip columnists who learn just how meaningless celebrity is.

Only a few shows can be dragged on as long as Rent and still be welcome, relevant, and poweful. The current tour, starring Rent originals (and greats!) Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, will tour into January 2010. So there’s still time, look and see if it’s coming near you! If you haven’t seen Rapp and Pascal, you haven’t seen Rent.

Broadway star gossip for once instead of Hollywood gossip? Why not? There’s a void in gossip for us theatre geeks. Where can we find out the goings on of stage rather than screen for once? We may be a smaller population,  but we know our Broadway shows and actors, and we want to know the news.

The Bye Bye Birdie revival’s preview tickets go on sale today, and they’re doing something really cool. At noon, $10.00 tickets go on sale. $10.00! For a Broadway show! That’s absolutely unheard of, and it’s absolutely awesome of the producers to do, since so many people can’t afford Broadway tickets due to the ever inflating cost. This is your chance! And it’s thanks to Bank of America, by the way. Furthermore, Conrad Birdie himself, Nolan Gerard Funk (real name?) with composer Charles Strouse and lyricist Lee Adams will greet humble ticket seekers! Sweet.

Already having performed the role in London, Jerry Springer will play the role of Billy Flynn in Chicago from August 18 to September 6, exlcuding Mondays. He’ll get to sing “Razzle, Dazzle,” which may as well be the theme song for his career.

There is a god! Production on Julie Taymor’s Spiderman, Turn Off the Dark has been stopped! It’s due to a cash flow problem. What?! Backers aren’t lining up to throw their money at a musical about a comic book hero, flitting across the stage in his pajamas? Shocking! Even with the bubbly and glowing Evan Rachel Wood as Mary Jane? Injustice! Well, seriously, what is an injustice is that the pause is just that, a pause, and will reportedly not affect the scheduled preview start-up date of February 25, 2010. Holy Broadway Mockery, Batman.

This seems controversial…The Columbine Project, the story of you guessed it, started previews off-Broadway July 27. This is one of those things that could be really good and profound, or it could be awful and exploitative. Let’s hope it’s the former, so playwright Paul Anthony Storiale walks away with some respect and credibility.

High Fidelity, the stage version of the John Cusack movie, didn’t fare too well on Broadway. But, hopefully it will see a better fate in Chicago, appropos since that’s where the story takes place. So, maybe audiences will feel a special bond with it. The show will run from August 17 to October 11 at the Pipers Alley Theater.

Most big tours are announced before the summer, so we can all pick our shows and go get our hands on our concert tickets before they sell out. But, if you still haven’t found that show you’re dying to see, or if you did and you saw it already and need another fix for the second half of summer, rest assured that more are coming.

What’s interesting is that while the beginning of the summer beholds tour announcements from big names like Aerosmith, late summer is full of quirkier, more obscure tours. Don’t ignore these concerts, they could be even more fun. You might discover something new, you’ll increase your musical street cred, and these tickets will be cheaper than the big headlining acts, so they’re a must-see for those of you keeping an eye on your budget. It might be easier to get discount tickets, well, cheaper tickets, by going to the venue itself and skipping all the fees that rack up online.

One crazy tour idea is Dangerous, a heavy metal Michael Jackson tribute band. No, there are no mistakes in that sentence. So if you like metal, and you like Michael, this might be a wacky night out. You might as well head to the show, when will an opportunity like this come along again? Check out http://www.myspace.com/letsmakedangeroushappen for dates and ticket info.

Indie alternative band The Bravery is on tour, albeit a brief one. If you’re lucky enough to live near one of their scheduled venues, you have to check them out. The Bravery exploded onto the scene after playing in New York steadily, listeners and critics alike raving about their strong, triumphant, pretty, and yet tough and edgy sound, layered with poignant lyrics and a whole lot of musical talent. http://pollstar.com/resultsArtist.aspx?ID=73248&SortBy=Date for dates.

If you’re lucky enough to live anywhere near the New York/New Jersey area, you can still get tickets for All Points West Music and Art Festival, running from July 31 to August 2. Big acts like Tool, Coldplay, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, My Bloody Valentine, The Ting Tings, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Silversun Pickups are playing, so there’s definitely something for everyone. And the latest news? Due to Adam “MCA” Yauch’s recent, unfortunate cancer diagnosis, Jay-Z will be replacing The Beastie Boys. Our thoughts go out to MCA, who assured fans that they caught the cancer very early and can treat with surgery. So, if you’re a Jay-Z fan, better hurry and get your concert tickets! www.apwfestival.com/

Aaron Tveit, Alice Ripley, and J. Robert Spencer in Next to Normal

When you’re visiting New York City, seeing a Broadway show is a must-do on your list of the ultimate New York experiences. Even if you’re living in the NYC area, you may not have cracked into the theatre scene. No matter what the case, finding the show you want to see can be overwhelming. Shows are expensive; you don’t want to just see the first show you hear some good things about.

There is always that handful of shows that are big, dazzling blockbusters, and they’re the draw for tourists, since those are the ones you know about even if you’re not from New York. But these may not be the shows for you. Why not be a little adventurous and see something a little more edgy, obscure, and/or daring? Why not impress everyone with your New York smarts and theater prowess? Most importantly, why not see something exciting that you’ll really love? Read about each show and just skip the ones you always see on TV. Here are just three of the many that are waiting for you.

Next to Normal

This musical goes where many musicals are afraid to go by looking at the modern suburban family at a time of crisis. This isn’t your perfect musical comedy family. This is a real, relatable, raw family, dealing with issues like Bipolar Disorder. It’s all set to an insanely catchy, rocking, moving, and gripping score along the lines of Rent pop rock. Parents Alice Ripley and J. Robert Spencer are seasoned Broadway stars known for their insane talents. http://www.broadway.com/Next-to-Normal/broadway_show/552478

August: Osage County

This is not your typical family play. August is known for its no holds barred look at Southern family, the Wetsons. This is some family reunion: everyone’s got a problem, and you’re along for the ride. And isn’t that more like real life? Everyone in your family has secrets and dysfunctions. Watch some reality here, sometimes so real it might be uncomfortable, but the incredible acting makes the evening an unforgettable, moving experience that will make you think and feel more than any other song and dance show. http://www.broadway.com/August-Osage-County/broadway_show/562170

Finian’s Rainbow

This is a classic revival, the story of an Irishman, Finian, and his daughter, Sharon, who arrive in the fictional American state “Missitucky” to bury a stolen pot of gold that they believe will then multiply. Trouble is, they’ve been followed by the gold’s owner, Og the leprechaun, all the way from Ireland. It sounds silly, but Finian’s Rainbow is done with a whimsical, fun, romantic, tongue in cheek tone that allows you to forget all your problems and escape to this sweet, dreamy world. And the music is just stunning. Beautiful, ever so sweet, and catchy.

Aerosmith rocks it out live. Photo Credit: www.jguty.com

It’s that time of the year again, time for the best music has to offer coming to stages near you. Even if you’re out of school for good and summers don’t mean time off for you, the season still means time to kick back and have fun, and that’s why it’s when our favorite acts hit the road. There are tons of concerts to choose from, each its own little escape from everyday stresses. So who do you want to see?

Love good old fashioned classic rock and roll? Look out for summer tour favorite Aerosmith, superstar Paul McCartney, sure-to-be-a-good-time Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, powerhouse U2, guitar master Eric Clapton, and super act Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

Like a little country in your rock? Some twang and tonk, or some mellow, simple jams? The Allman Brothers Band and The Doobie Brothers are coming around this summer, too.

Need things a little bit heavier? You’re in luck. Both KISS and ACDC, masters of classic heavy metal, are taking it on the road. So are intricate music geniuses Tool. Go grungy with the resurrection of Pearl Jam, or relive the 1980’s with a summer standard, Journey.

If poppy punk rock is more your style, catch the legendary Green Day and the long awaited return of Blink 182! Or, if you’re into scenester rock and up on who’s new and taking rock by storm, you’ll definitely want to check out Southern hipster rockers Kings of Leon, already the favorite of many celebs. The Killers are also hitting the road with their latest album under their belts for some surefire hits live.

The boys of Blink 182 return.

If you like music period, you probably already know Dave Matthews Band is back. And if you’re looking for exciting, amped up hip hop, lyric master Lil’ Wayne is on tour with Young Jeezy.

Lil' Wayne hits the road.

To look for any band, singer, or rapper you’re into, Pollstar, at www.pollstar.com is the ultimate source. And don’t forget to check www.stubhub.com for discount tickets before you pay full price!

Of course, you don’t have to turn to the Internet to buy your tickets. Here are some tips:

• By Phone: If you still enjoy hearing someone’s voice when placing an order for tickets, you can always call one of the Ticketmasters that sells Broadway tickets. You can pay with your credit card and have the tickets mailed right to you.
• At the Door: If you don’t like to be tied down and need flexibility in your life, you can purchase your tickets at the door the day you would like to see the show. Even though this may seem like the easiest option, you may find when you get there that the show is sold out, which could put a damper on your night.

It’s best to plan ahead when buying Broadway show tickets.

Marcelina Hardy

(photo credit: midnight-digital)

It’s certainly an experience! My first show was when I was in college. My boyfriend at the time thought it would be great to buy me tickets for my birthday. He chose the show based on reviews he read and the popularity of it. Little did he know, the show was not all that it was cracked up to be and was not the Broadway show experience I was expecting.

Everyone does it: You see a show or movie because you heard it was great. The problem is, once you get to the show, it’s not what you expected at all. Then you think, “What in the world was everyone talking about?”

Sometimes you can choose a Broadway show based on its popularity, but many times the style of the show many not be what you would consider great. A musical may not be your style; you may enjoy a comedy or other type of performance.

Seeing a Broadway show is not what others think is great: It’s what you personally will enjoy. Take time to read about all of the shows playing and decide what you would like to see based on the description and type of performance. You will be much happier and actually enjoy your Broadway show!

Marcelina Hardy

(photo credit: adrian-novak)

Broadway will always be my passion. The moment the lights go down and the curtains go up, I am jittery with excitement. Even if it is a show I am unfamiliar with, the stories are always well-written, the characters perfectly embodied and the sets spectacular.

Live theater for me, as does seeing a movie or going to a concert, helps me to escape the stress of the real world. For two or three hours, I can be transported to another world, and broaden my mind through the creative arts.

Over the years, Broadway has become much more family-friendly. Disney’s presence has expanded to include “Beauty and the Beast”, “Tarzan” and “Mary Poppins.” But most recently on my way to work, I’ve been met with posters for a “Go, Diego, Go Live!” Having seen a few episodes of the bilingual children’s show myself, I can see the attraction and fascination. I can only imagine the excitement of children as they see and sing along to their favorite television character.

For those who want to move away from the chaos of Times Square, Lincoln Center has a great variety of live performances, and I am looking to take advantage. Ballets, operas and live orchestra concerts are just a few offerings to discover.

New York City has such a diverse assortment of performance art, that after living in this city for two-and-a-half years, I need to start experiencing some of it. From Broadway to Brooklyn, musicals to comedy shows, New York City has a wealth of live shows that are ripe for the picking. Because each show commands such discipline and training, perfection and precision, there is no doubt you will enjoy each and every show you see.

Karen J. Quan

(photo credit: thomashawk)