Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow will perform show in May at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., and the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester Manchester, New Hampshire. He will perform in New Hampshire on May 9 at 7p.m. Tickets are priced between $27.99 and $127.99. Tickets for the May 10 at 8 p.m. show at the Mohegan Sun Arena are $175, $75 and $55. Tickets for both show are on sale now through ticketmaster.com; by calling (800)745-3000; or visiting any Ticketmaster outlet or the venu box office. Manilow has turned out more than 60 albums and sold 75 million records worldwide. He had 25 consecutive Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1975 and 1983.
Barry Manilow will perform his greatest hits at the Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, at 8 p.m. May 10. Tickets range from $55 to $175, available now through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or visiting ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. For artist information, visit manilow.com. For concert information, visit mohegansun.com/entertainment.
Barry Manilow doesn’t take himself too seriously…which is why he’s thrilled about the way Glee featured his music on this past Thursday’s episode, "Guilty Pleasures." In the episode, Sam, played by Chord Overstreet, confessed his deepest, darkest secret to the rest of New Directions: he loves Barry Manilow’s music. In fact, he loves it so much that he said he considers himself a "Fanilow." He then performed a spirited version of Barry’s signature hit, "Copacabana," and the rest of the kids happily joined in; they all later confessed that they, too, loved Barry Manilow.
In a note on his website, the pop legend writes, "Hi everyone! Did you watch Glee last night? What a great surprise! I thought Chord Overstreet did a perfect job on 'Copa'! Actually, the whole cast just threw themselves into the song! Fantastic." He posted a link to the cast’s performance of the song, and added, "Thanks to [Glee creator] Ryan [Murphy] and everyone at the show for treating it so well."
The Glee appearance fulfills an ambition that Barry’s had since the show went on the air. Back in 2009, he told ABC News Radio that he was hoping that the show would feature his songs. "I’m kinda waiting for it," he said. "I watch it every week, and I’m saying, 'This time, this is the one!' They’re going to discover 'I Write the Songs.' They’re going to discover 'It’s a Miracle.' Maybe they will." Well, it only took four years, but finally, Barry can brag that he’s in the Glee club.
Direct from Broadway, following a critically acclaimed sold out run on New York’s Great White Way, Barry Manilow brings his Manilow on Broadway concert to Richmond! From "Mandy" to "I Write the Songs" to "Copacabana (At The Copa)" and so many more, Manilow’s Broadway show has become as legendary as the man himself.
A Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Manilow has triumphed in every medium of entertainment. Manilow has produced, arranged, and released over 40 albums over the course of his career. Manilow has written hundreds of songs and performed around the globe to millions of fans, winning a Grammy, two Emmys, a Tony Award and an Oscar nomination along the way.
Manilow will be at the Richmond Coliseum Thursday, April 25. Show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets prices range from $9.99 to $129.99 and can be purchased at the Richmond Coliseum Box office, ticketmaster.com, any ticketmaster outlet, online at manilow.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.
Barry Manilow has donated a Yamaha piano to Richmond Public Schools, a donation that’s launched an instrument drive for the school system leading up to the pop icon’s Richmond performance. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said.
Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools, Dr. Yvonne Brandon, expressed gratitude for the singer’s donation. "Richmond Public Schools is honored and grateful to be a recipient of Mr. Manilow’s generosity," she said. "Despite significant budget pressures, Richmond Public Schools has endeavored to keep music and art as integral components of our curriculum district-wide."
Members of the public are encouraged to donate new or gently-used instruments at the Richmond Coliseum now through April 25th. Drop offs can be made Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Those who donate instruments will receive two free tickets to Manilow’s upcoming concert at the Richmond Coliseum on April 25th.
Who better to fill the hearts and minds of local students with music than Grammy Award-winning pop icon Barry Manilow? Manilow is coming to Richmond next month with more than his usual song and dance.
His Manilow Music Project will donate a Yamaha piano to launch a local instrument drive for Richmond Public Schools. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the Richmond Coliseum will receive two tickets for his "Manilow on Broadway" concert at the Coliseum on April 25. Through the Manilow Music Project, part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope, the performer will be donating pianos to the communities he tours in across the country. "I'm thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," he said in a statement.
The Richmond Coliseum will be open for instrument donations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets for Manilow’s concert are available online at Manilow.com or Ticketmaster.com, in person at the Richmond Coliseum box office, or by calling (800) 745-3000.
Want to go to the Barry Manilow concert at the Richmond Coliseum on April 25? Donate a new or gently used musical instrument and you’ll get two free tickets to the concert.
Barry Manilow himself is donating a Yamaha piano to launch the local instrument drive for Richmond Public Schools. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said in a statement.
The Richmond Coliseum will be the base for the instrument drive in Richmond, from now through April 25. The instrument drop off location is open between Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Richmond concert will showcase many of Manilow’s classic hits from "Mandy" and "I Write the Songs" to "Copacabana (At The Copa)" and many more. Tickets for the Barry Manilow concert typically run $9.99 to $129.99. If you donate a musical instrument, you’ll get two free tickets from pre-selected seat locations.
The Manilow Music Project (MMP) is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. It was formed as a grass roots organization to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools. More information on the Manilow Music Project can be found at http://www.manilowmusicproject.org/.
Tickets are available online at Manilow.com or Ticketmaster.com, in person at the Richmond Coliseum box office, or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Pop icon Barry Manilow donated a Yamaha piano to launch an instrument drive for Richmond Public Schools. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," said Manilow in a press release.
Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Dr.Yvonne Brandon said the donations will make an impact. "These instruments will help our students continue to reap the myriad of benefits of music education and will go a long way in fueling the spark of creativity and innovation in our next generation of thinkers," said Brandon in a statement.
Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the drive will get two free tickets to see Manilow perform at the Richmond Coliseum on April 25. You can donate instruments at the Richmond Coliseum through April 25 Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Manilow Music Project is part of the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. MMP provides musical instruments to high schools and middle schools as well as scholarships at universities in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
The Barry Manilow musical "Harmony," now gearing up for a regional nonprofit co-production that will play Atlanta and L.A. next season, has been an on-again, off-again Broadway contender since it bowed at the La Jolla Playhouse in 1997. The B.O. success of Manilow’s recent Main Stem concert engagement looks poised to reawaken commercial curiosity about the title.
"Manilow on Broadway" wowed legiters earlier this year with sales figures that were so strong they prompted a two-week extension, adding up to a 27-perf engagement grossing a total of $4.2 million (and in its final week, $910,000 from just five shows). Clearly there’s commercial potential in the overlap between the musician’s fanbase and the older-skewing demo of Broadway ticketbuyers. That fact alone is likely to send more than a few Gotham producers down to Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, where the new production of "Harmony" opens the theater’s 2013-14 season Sept. 6.
Whether it’ll kickstart a new commercial trajectory for the title, however, remains another matter. There’s a significant difference between generating strong sales in a limited, low-cost concert engagement and sustaining long-term box office for a new musical in which Manilow doesn’t even appear. He pens the music for "Harmony," with book and lyrics by his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman.
Producers checking out "Harmony" will be looking to see if the show - retooled in the years since it premiered, according to Alliance a.d. Susan V. Booth - is strong enough creatively to back up any anticipated enthusiasm from Manilow fans. Storyline centers on the Comedian Harmonists, a six-man singing group that rose to popularity in 1930s Germany before the ensemble’s mix of Jews and gentiles made it a target for the Nazi government.
For now, no commercial producers are attached to "Harmony," co-produced by the Alliance and Center Theater Group in L.A., where the tuner is set to play a run that begins March 5, 2014.
The Alliance Theatre’s new season [will open] with Barry Manilow’s "Harmony – A New Musical." The show, which opened in California in 1997 and has been dormant since its Broadway plans were derailed in 2003, is a partnership between Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman, who will handle the book and lyrics (Manilow, of course, will do the music).
Our radar perked up last fall when Manilow was spotted at the Alliance premiere of "Next to Normal" and even speculated that he could be in town to sniff out a potential (re)launching pad for "Harmony." As it happened, I had an interview planned with Manilow on Thursday to discuss his upcoming show at The Arena at Gwinnett Center on April 27, but, given the timing, of course we were going to chat a bit about "Harmony."
Since Manilow prefers to do any "Harmony"-related press with Sussman, he didn’t go into too much detail, other than to say that the Atlanta theater was chosen because, "We had always heard great things about the Alliance, so we came into town for 'Next to Normal' and met [general manager] Max [Leventhal] and [artistic director] Susan [V. Booth] and just loved the theater. We just decided we would debut it down there."
Booth told Bentley that while she hasn’t seen a production of "Harmony," she has a colleague in La Jolla, where it was first produced, who raved about the show. She also has a copy of some of the music. "I know the piece from listening to the CD, which, if I was a less ethical person I would sell, because it’s so fantastic. It’s got Barry Manilow channeling Marlene Dietrich at one point... It [is] exquisite, and the man writes music like few other people walking around... You think about how many of his songs you know, and the wide range, and the fact that they cut that groove in your gray matter. He’s an utterly remarkable composer and this is the perfect match of material and composer," Booth said.
Casting has not yet started for the show, which is inspired by the 1920s/1930s group the Comedian Harmonists, and Manilow doesn’t expect he’ll head to Atlanta for concentrated rehearsal time until August. The show opens Sept. 6. Tony Speciale ("Unnatural Acts: Harvard's Secret Court of 1920," "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," New York) will direct.
Throughout the years, Manilow has frequently included the "Harmony" song "Every Single Day" in his sets, as well as a full version of the title track. He noted that performing them to a concert crowd "is iffy for me... I’m asking the audience to sit through a song they’ve never heard before." But, since the songs generally received an enthusiastic reception – and with solid plans for the future of "Harmony" (it will also play at the Ahmanson Theatre in California in March 2014) – there’s a good chance you’ll hear at least one of them at next month’s Gwinnett show.
The Alliance Theatre on Thursday will announce its 2013/2014 season, a 12-play lineup bookended by musicals ... The season opens in September with "Harmony - A New Musical," with music by pop icon Barry Manilow and book and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bruce Sussman. Inspired by the 1920s/1930s group the Comedian Harmonists, "Harmony" tells the story of the sextet that began in Germany and enjoyed huge musical and cinematic success until the rise of the Nazi regime forever altered the ensemble.
That the Alliance is collaborating with Manilow became something of an open secret ever since Manilow was spotted last year dining with the theater’s artistic director, Susan Booth, just before the premiere of the Alliance’s production of the musical "Next to Normal." "We started a conversation with Barry and Bruce Sussman several years ago about possibly doing it in an early season, and ultimately it needed to delay," Booth said. "Then about a year and a half ago, my phone rings one day and it’s Barry Manilow saying, 'If you still like the piece, we’d really like to talk.'"
The show opened at California’s La Jolla Playhouse in 1997 and was bound for Broadway in 2003, when production was abruptly halted after financing fell through. Booth said the theater was excited to get the chance to finally do the work in Atlanta because "we take really good care of new work. It’s a house aesthetic that we make sure that writers and composers are surrounded by people who are supporting their vision," Booth said. "If you do that slow, and steady and well, word gets out."
"Harmony - A New Musical," music by Barry Manilow, book and lyrics by Bruce Sussman, directed by Tony Speciale. Sept. 6-Oct. 6.
They were the first sensational boy band: six talented young men who came together in 1920s Germany and took the world by storm with their signature blend of sophisticated close harmonies and uproarious stage antics.
While the Comedian Harmonists sold millions of records, starred in a dozen films and packed the houses of the most prestigious concert halls, the group’s religious composition – a mixture of Jews and gentiles – put them on a collision course with history.
Their amazing story inspired longtime collaborators, the legendary Barry Manilow and theatre veteran Bruce Sussman, to create a spectacular new musical for today: with an original score that celebrates this extraordinary group of friends and ensures their quest for true harmony in the most discordant chapter of human history will never be forgotten.
"We are both thrilled to finally return to our first love--writing a musical together. Especially this one," Manilow and Sussman shared. "It has been an indescribable honor to spend all this time in the company of these six extraordinary men."
Harmony: A New Musical -- Book and Lyrics by Bruce Sussman -- Directed by Tony Speciale -- Music by Barry Manilow -- March 4-April 13, 2014: Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center downtown Los Angeles; 13 North Grand Avenue; Los Angeles, California 90012.
The singer, who’s scheduled to play a half-dozen shows beginning on April 18, has donated a piano to the public school system of at least four of those cities. Manilow heads The Manilow Music Project, which "highlights the importance of music programs in our schools and donates instruments and materials to school music programs."
In addition to his donations, Barry is offering a free pair of tickets to his concert to anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument in the local area of four of the tour stops -- Fort Wayne, IN; Baltimore, MD; Raleigh, NC; and Duluth, GA. Details can be found on the Manilow Music Project website, ManilowMusicProject.org.
Here are Barry’s upcoming tour dates:
4/18–Fort Wayne, IN, Allen County War Mem. Coliseum 4/19–Pittsburgh, PA, Consol Energy Center 4/20–Baltimore, MD, 1st Mariner Arena 4/25–Richmond, VA, Richmond Coliseum 4/26–Raleigh, NC, PNC Arena 4/27–Duluth, GA, The Arena at Gwinnett Center
Barry Manilow donated a Yamaha piano to launch a local instrument drive for Baltimore City public schools. Anyone who donates a new or slightly used musical instrument to the 1st Mariner Arena box office will receive two free tickets to Manilow’s concert April 20. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said. The 1st Mariner box office is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 410-347-2020 for more information.
Barry Manilow wraps up his hit show, Manilow on Broadway, with his final performance on March 2. Despite the concert engagement’s short run, devoted Fanilows and a slew of celebs flocked to the St. James Theater to catch the "Copacabana" singer take on the Great White Way. Manilow played host to many a special guest backstage after his shows, including Joan Rivers and Laura Linney. Among the most recent celebs to pay Barry a visit are Broadway faves Brian d’Arcy James and Lillias White.
Direct from Broadway, following a critically acclaimed sold out run on New York’s Great White Way, Barry Manilow, the undisputed #1 Adult Contemporary Artist of all time, brings his MANILOW ON BROADWAY concert to cities around the nation.
"THE MAGIC IS BACK!" The New York Times
"THE JOINT IS JUMPING!" The New York Post
"UNDENIABLY EXCITING AND FUN!" The New Yorker
"YOU CAN’T HELP BUT DANCE IN THE AISLES!" Entertainment Weekly
Don’t miss this unprecedented concert in Baltimore at the 1st Mariner Arena on April 20th as Manilow performs songs from his massive catalog of hits. From "Mandy" to "I Write the Songs" to "Copacabana (At The Copa)" and so many more. Manilow’s Broadway show has become as legendary as the man himself.
The pop icon is also donating a Yamaha piano to launch a local instrument drive for Baltimore City Public Schools. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the 1st Mariner Arena Box Office will receive 2 free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations) for Manilow’s April 20th concert in Baltimore, MD. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," states Manilow.
The 1st Mariner Arena Box Office will be the base for the instrument drive in Baltimore, from now through April 20th. The instrument drop off location is open between 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Saturday and Holiday hours will vary. 1st Mariner Arena can be reached by calling 410.347.2020.
"We are very grateful to Mr. Manilow and his fans for their generosity in donating instruments to our schools’ music programs," said Baltimore City Public Schools Chief Academic Officer Sonja Brookins Santelises. "The arts are an essential part of children’s education, and the opportunity to make music provides a joyful learning experience for kids. But too often, tight budgets mean that schools cannot afford to buy new instruments or replace instruments that are worn out from years of use. The instruments donated through the Manilow Music Project will go a long way in bringing a love of music to City Schools’ students."
The Manilow Music Project (MMP) is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. It was formed as a grass roots organization to assist local charities and programs. Its primary focus is to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to provide music scholarships at universities throughout the US, Canada, and the UK. More information on the Manilow Music Project can be found at http://www.manilowmusicproject.org/.
Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument and drops it off at Gwinnett Center will receive two free tickets for the April 27 "Manilow on Broadway" concert at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth. The tickets are valid for pre-selected seat locations.
Manilow is donating a new Yamaha piano to launch a musical instrument drive for Gwinnett County Public Schools. And, the musical instruments collected at the Gwinnett Center will be given to GCPS students with the school system deciding which school will receive them based on need. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," stated Manilow in a press release issued by Gwinnett Arena.
Gwinnett Center is serving as the base for the instrument drive now through April 27. The instrument drop off location is open between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. If there is an event on Saturday or Sunday, the box office opens at noon. The instrument drive is sponsored by The Manilow Music Project (MMP), a part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. MMP’s primary focus is to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to provide music scholarships at universities throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information on the Manilow Music Project visit http://www.manilowmusicproject.org/.
Manilow will be performing some of his most popular hits at the concert including "Mandy," "I Write the Songs," "Copacabana (At The Copa)" and more at the upcoming concert. Tickets are available online at Manilow.com or Ticketmaster.com, in person at the Gwinnett Center box office, or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Manilow, whose worldwide record sales exceed 80 million, is ranked as the top adult contemporary chart artist of all time with 50 Top 40 hits. He has produced, arranged, and released more than 40 albums over the course of his career.
In a press release issued Tuesday it was announced that Barry Manilow is donating a Yamaha piano to launch a musical instrument drive to benefit Gwinnett County Public Schools. Manilow is using his donation to kick off a campaign where anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the Gwinnett Center will receive 2 free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations) for Manilow’s upcoming concert at the Gwinnett Center. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," states Manilow.
The Manilow Music Project (MMP) is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. It was formed several years ago as a grass roots organization to assist local charities and programs. Its primary focus is to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to provide music scholarships at universities throughout the US, Canada, and the UK.
The Gwinnett Center will be the base for the instrument drive in Duluth, from now through April 27th. The instrument drop off location is open between 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. If there is an event on Saturday or Sunday the box office opens at 12:00 PM.
Manilow will perform on April 27th at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth following a critically acclaimed run on Broadway where fans can expect to be entertained by a show that the New Yorker magazine has said is "undeniably exciting and fun" and where Entertainment Weekly suggests that "You can't help but dance in the aisles!"
With standards like "Mandy" or "I Write the Songs" and "Copacabana (At The Copa)" it is certain to be an evening that entertains and enthralls the audience. With worldwide record sales exceeding 80 million, Barry Manilow is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time with a staggering 50 top 40 hits. Manilow has produced, arranged, and released over 40 albums over the course of his career.
Tickets are available online at Manilow.com or Ticketmaster.com, in person at the Gwinnett Center box office, or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
The man who "Writes the Songs" is hosting an instrument drive. Barry Manilow is donating a Yamaha piano to launch the drive for Gwinnett County Public Schools. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument at the Gwinnett Center will receive two free tickets to Manilow's April 27 concert at the Arena. "I'm thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said. The drive runs through April 27. The public can drop off instruments between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and on Saturdays, if there is an event.
Singer Barry Manilow has donated a piano as part of a musical instrument drive that will benefit Fort Wayne Community Schools. The singer announced Friday that anyone who donates a new or gently used instrument at Memorial Coliseum will receive two free tickets to his April 18 concert in Fort Wayne. Instruments can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Manilow says he’s "thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music" to the city’s schoolchildren. Manilow is known for hits such as "I Write the Songs," "Copacabana (at the Copa)," "Mandy" and "Could it be Magic." Tickets are now on sale with prices ranging from $9.99 to $129.99. They are available at the coliseum box office, Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com and 1-800-745-3000.
Grammy Award-winning superstar Barry Manilow is entering his final week of performances of his hometown concert event, Manilow on Broadway. The critically acclaimed and profitable engagement began performances on Friday, January 18, and was extended to play through Saturday, March 2.
With worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, success is a benchmark in popular music. Rolling Stone crowned him "a giant among entertainers... the showman of our generation," and Frank Sinatra summed up Manilow best when Ol' Blue Eyes told the British press, "He's next." He currently has 50 Top 40 hits.
Tickets, ranging in price from $50 to $350, are now on sale. For tickets, please visit www.ManilowOnBroadway.com or call (212) 239-6200 / (800) 432-7250. Citi cardmembers will have access to preferred tickets and exclusive VIP packages through Citi's Private Pass program (details at www.citiprivatepass.com). Rush tickets are priced at $20 and are available at the St. James Theatre Box Office (246 West 44th Street) beginning at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the performance. Rush tickets will be provided on a first come, first served basis and are limited to two tickets per customer.
During its final week, Manilow on Broadway will the following performance schedule: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., Thursday at 8:00 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy® Award-winning superstar Barry Manilow is entering his final week of performances of his hometown concert event, MANILOW ON BROADWAY. The critically acclaimed and profitable engagement began performances on Friday, January 18, and was extended to play through Saturday, March 2.
Mr. Manilow's return to the Great White Way in MANILOW ON BROADWAY has been met with overwhelming critical praise and audience appreciation from the consistently sold-out crowds. The New York Times raved, "Manilow's magic is back on Broadway! The theater erupts with joy." The New York Daily News awarded the show "4 STARS!" saying, "Barry Manilow shines in his triumphant return to his hometown." Entertainment Weekly called the show, "Joyous!" and said, "You can't help but dance in the aisles!"
With worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, success is a benchmark in popular music. Rolling Stone crowned him "a giant among entertainers... the showman of our generation," and Frank Sinatra summed up Manilow best when Ol' Blue Eyes told the British press, "He's next." He currently has 50 Top 40 hits.
Tickets, ranging in price from $50 to $350, are now on sale. For tickets, please visit www.ManilowOnBroadway.com or call (212) 239-6200 / (800) 432-7250. Citi® cardmembers will have access to preferred tickets and exclusive VIP packages through Citi's Private Pass® program (details at www.citiprivatepass.com). Rush tickets are priced at $20 and are available at the St. James Theatre Box Office (246 West 44th Street) beginning at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the performance. Rush tickets will be provided on a first come, first served basis and are limited to two tickets per customer.
During its final week, MANILOW ON BROADWAY will the following performance schedule: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., Thursday at 8:00 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
MANILOW ON BROADWAY is presented by Jujamcyn Theaters and STILETTO Entertainment.
Direct from Broadway, following a critically acclaimed sold out run on New York’s Great White Way, Barry Manilow brings his Manilow on Broadway concert to Richmond! From "Mandy" to "I Write the Songs" to "Copacabana (At The Copa)" and so many more, Manilow’s Broadway show has become as legendary as the man himself.
A Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Manilow has triumphed in every medium of entertainment. Manilow has produced, arranged, and released over 40 albums over the course of his career. Manilow has written hundreds of songs and performed around the globe to millions of fans, winning a Grammy, two Emmys, a Tony Award and an Oscar nomination along the way.
Manilow will be at the Richmond Coliseum Friday, April 25. Show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets prices range from $9.99 to $129.99 and can be purchased at the Richmond Coliseum Box office, ticketmaster.com, any ticketmaster outlet, online at manilow.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000
A drive to collect musical instruments for local students is getting a kick-start from a pop icon. Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow is donating a new Yamaha piano to Fort Wayne Community Schools. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said in a prepared statement from the school system.
The drive is one of many that Manilow has launched around the country as part of the Manilow Music Project, an effort that, in part, provides high schools and middle schools with musical instruments. Anyone who donates a new or gently used instrument will receive two free tickets to Manilow’s April 18 concert at Memorial Coliseum. Until the day of the show, instruments can be dropped off at the arena from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
In the school district’s statement, Superintendent Wendy Robinson showed her appreciation for Manilow’s gift. "Fort Wayne Community Schools has long been committed to providing quality music programs for our students," she said. "Our challenge, however, has always been making sure we have enough instruments to provide students with the opportunities they deserve."
Barry Manilow is coming to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in April, and he comes bearing gifts. His organization, "The Manilow Music Project" is donating a brand new Yamaha piano to Fort Wayne Community Schools, which is something he’s done before. While on tour, Manilow makes donations to school districts that support music and the arts.
And that’s not all. Manilow is also starting a music instrument drive where he encourages the public to donate instruments to the schools as well. He is asking for any new or gently used instruments to be brought to the Coliseum through the date of his show, April 18th. "This is something that is really difficult for us to purchase in the quantity that we need," says Fort Wayne Community Schools spokesperson Krista Stockman. "We have 50 schools and they all want musical instruments, they all need instruments. So it's just one of those things that's an expense that we want to put money into, but it's really hard to keep up and to maintain." In exchange for the donations, he is giving away two free tickets to his show.
Fort Wayne Community Schools is accepting instruments of all kinds, and promises to put them all to good use. Stockman adds, "a lot of schools in recent decades have had to cut a lot of their art and music programs. We really haven't. We've maintained our commitment to those programs because we know their value. We know that being involved in music, having an appreciation for the arts is good for our students. So we've maintained our commitment to those programs. But at the same time it is really difficult because musical instruments are expensive."
The pop music star's gift of a Yamaha piano will help launch an instrument drive for the school district. Manilow just completed a series of concerts in New York and will bring his "Manilow on Broadway" concert to cities around the country. He will perform at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne on April 18, 2013.
Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument will receive two free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations) for the Manilow concert. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," stated Manilow.
The Memorial Coliseum will be the base for the instrument drive in Fort Wayne, from now through April 18. The instrument drop off location is open between 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. "Fort Wayne Community Schools has long been committed to providing quality music programs for our students. We know how valuable the arts and music are in enriching their lives and enhancing their education," said Fort Wayne Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson. "Students are introduced to various styles of music and musical instruments at a young age, and many find a natural talent they can develop throughout their lives. Our challenge, however, has always been making sure we have enough instruments to provide students with the opportunities they deserve. We appreciate the generosity of Barry Manilow and the Manilow Music Project in providing instruments to our schools and look forward to the beautiful music our students will play."
The Manilow Music Project (MMP) is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. It was formed as a grass roots organization to assist local charities and programs. Its primary focus is to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to provide music scholarships at universities throughout the U.S., Canada, and the UK. More information on the Manilow Music Project can be found at http://www.manilowmusicproject.org/.
According to Manilow's publicist, the artist has sold more than 80 million records and is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time with 50 top 40 hits. Manilow has produced, arranged and released over 40 albums over the course of his career.
Barry Manilow has launched a musical instrument drive to benefit Fort Wayne Community Schools in advance of his April 18 concert at Memorial Coliseum. To jumpstart the drive, he has donated a Yamaha piano to the effort. Instruments may be dropped off 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave. Anyone who donates an instrument will receive two free tickets, valid in pre-selected seat locations, to the April 18 concert. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said in a news release.
Barry Manilow is kicking off an instrument drive for Fort Wayne Community Schools by donating a new Yamaha piano to the district, the district and his publicist said Friday. Those who donate a new or gently used instrument at Memorial Coliseum will receive two free tickets for pre-selected seat locations at Manilow’s April 18 concert in Fort Wayne, the announcement said. It said the instrument drop-off location at the Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., will be open from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. The performance is at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are also available at 1-800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com.
Singer Barry Manilow has donated a piano as part of a musical instrument drive that will benefit Fort Wayne Community Schools. The singer announced Friday that anyone who donates a new or gently used instrument at Memorial Coliseum will receive two free tickets to his April 18 concert in Fort Wayne. Instruments can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Manilow says he's "thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music" to the city's schoolchildren.
"These songs bring back memories for me," Barry Manilow tells the audience, after singing his eighties hit "The Old Songs." "They must do that for you too. Your first date, your first kiss ... I’m so glad I could do that for you. We’ve been friends for a long time." The Williamsburg kid turned pop megastar, now almost seventy, honors himself and his fans with a night of showstoppers, film footage, stories, and Vegas-style razzle-dazzle; he promises to do all the favorites—"Mandy," "Copacabana," "Weekend in New England"—and does. Long ridiculed for its schmalz, Manilow’s guileless style has its own integrity. He sings "Can’t Smile Without You" in front of a huge yellow have-a-nice-day smiley face; he praises New Yorkers’ mettle during Hurricane Sandy, singing "I Made It Through the Rain." You might feel joy upon seeing such things, then laugh at yourself for it, then wave your complimentary glow stick and sing along. Previews [began] January 18, [opened] January 24, closes March 2. St. James Theatre; 246 W. 44th St., New York; 212-239-6200; www.jujamcyn.com.
At the St. James Theater - the velvet place where Oklahoma! first came sweeping down the plains in 1943 — we get glow sticks with our programs. I haven't had a glow stick since seeing D.C. rapper Wale at New York City's Terminal 5 in 2011. Wale's galvanic show was for those 18-and-over. Kids had on plush animal-head masks and pajamas. Manilow on Broadway, on St. Valentine's, was date night for those kids' burnished elders.
Certain my husband and I were the only two who'd been to both shows, we settled in with our Pringles and our peppermints, and geared up for my dream to come true. The night wasn't about kitsch for me. I wasn't in it for the probable camp. I'd done my hair as carefully as any of the other ladies from Long Island and Westchester and Jersey. I'd been thinking of seeing Barry Manilow, live in concert, for over 30 years.
In 1978, I was living through Manilow's new "Ready To Take A Chance Again," from the soundtrack to Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn's Foul Play. I was at a good public school in Los Angeles, where I hung with the Shores and the Wunsches and the Gorens from around the way, and the Dianitas and the Candaces and the Portias bussed in from Watts. This along with the kids from my own Jewish and African-American Fairfax District neighborhood, which was just south of what was then a fading retail stretch known as the Miracle Mile.
We were a mile or two from the wealthy subdivision of Hancock Park, before it seemed like all the kids from Hancock went to private school. At John Burroughs Junior High, we mostly mixed. But we also segregated ourselves. The black kids thumped Heatwave and Chic. White kids bumped Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kansas. But in Band class, the talk centered on Queen, Earth, Wind & Fire, Donna Summer and Barry Manilow. My junior high was weird: Lou Rawls' son was at our school. Booker T. Jones' son was there. One of the Neiman-Marcus Marcuses. Governor Jerry Brown's niece. Our band teacher was a road and studio musician for EWF. I've little recollection of one Pope dying, and another rising to power. I have only vague memories of Camp David and people striving for "peace." I had my own peaces to negotiate. Had flute to practice. Had Manilow to listen to.
I thought Barry Manilow was not only singing truth to power, but was proving that life would be, eventually, my own. He was going to have a sweet life. And he didn't have to be cute — he was the awkward and undisputed truth of my tween emotions. Of course I wrote out, and memorized all the lyrics to Sugar Hill Gang's 1979 "Rapper's Delight." And I swore by Right On! magazine, where the Jackson brothers ruled. But Manilow was, for three or four intense years, my mindset. I liked pop and didn't know to call it that. Liked pop and didn't know that me liking it is what in fact made it popular. I didn't know to articulate anything about pop phrasings, straightforward melodies and the crisp, bold enunciations that with some luck and a promo budget meant millions would request a song at radio, meant millions would purchase singles and albums and T-shirts and lunchboxes, would contribute to the radio/sales/tour/merchandise quadruped that, until the internet and "views" and "free," meant a song could gallop to the top, and be, in ways that are more elusive now, a really big show. An artist could reach the kind of places that are, as Jay-Z says, "higher than weather." I didn't know that Barry Manilow made himself as much as he was made. I didn't know he was raised by a single mother in (Williamsburg) Brooklyn. I didn't know what Brooklyn was.
I was a kid. I cared about volume. And the tears that flowed as we went for the crescendo. From the radio I wanted to hear the big chords, the big drums, the big horns ... I liked Clive Davis' ear and Clive Davis' work and I didn't know yet who Clive Davis was. Michael Jackson was a world apart, a king, but my regular high school favorites were Prince and Rick James, and by the time I hit college, aside from Run-DMC, Sade and Luther Vandross, I was about Whitney Houston, who in 1978 was singing backup disco for the Michael Zager Band. This was seven years before Davis would re-apply what he'd learned making hit after hit with Manilow to the woman who would become one of the most loved and bestselling artists of all time. Listen to Manilow ballads, then listen to Houston ballads. If it wasn't broke Davis saw little need to fix it. The songs Davis made with Manilow and Houston are the songs I loved ... I thought Barry was rock 'n' roll - and not rock in a "white" frame. Rock in a frame marked "real."
As a part of his 1978 Even Now tour, Barry Manilow did 21 sold-out nights at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. That's what everyone was going to, and where I wanted to go. I was disappointed that I wasn't allowed. It was because there was to be no chaperone for the group attending - that was my mother's story. My grandmother eventually told me why I couldn't go. I was not allowed to attend the Manilow show because I'd made it known in my household that it meant a lot to me. I'd played "Daybreak" a few too many times in a row. I'd asked what was special about the "New England" Manilow sang of ... The apartment I lived in during junior high school was rarely "happy," but when music was played it was the classics: Motown and Streisand. It's wild, even creepy, how we become fans of artists. But love is love. Whatever I am, Manilow sings, you taught me to be. My eyes well up every time hear the two minutes, 16 seconds that is his 1973 "I Am Your Child." They did so at the St. James.
After a long break, it was in 2007 that I began listening Barry Manilow again. I was editing VIBE magazine, and was happily knee-deep in Rihanna, Gym Class Heroes, Akon and Beyonce. I'd ended up, after all, the girl who goes to concerts for a living. And even still I avoided Barry. Ridley Scott's American Gangster was in theaters, and was ricocheting through the music industry's creative cliques because Jay-Z had created a concept album, also called American Gangster inspired by the film. James D'Agostino, better known as DJ Green Lantern, was especially moved ... Green is from Rochester, New York. He grew up listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin, and a lot of hip-hop. "I can't say I'm a fan," says Green, "but I've definitely been exposed to Mr. Manilow, and can appreciate his hits, and the fact that he's a songwriter/musician/singer. I place those kind of artists on a pedestal, in the sense of creativity. And he's up there."
In '07 Green created an unofficial remix of just one track from Jay-Z's American Gangster ... Green electronically flipped through his dusty grooves, rooting around for a constancy in theme that would ring. "Jay-Z has a song called 'Sweet,'" he says, thinking back to the original, which was produced by Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Sean C. & LV. "And here's this Barry Manilow song, 'Sweet Life.'" The song was written by Manilow, and is on both his actual 1973 debut Barry Manilow (Bell) and the re-release of that album, as Barry Manilow I (Arista). Sweet Life is also the title of Manilow's 1987 autobiography.
"I'm really a fan of the 'Mama/Can you hear me' part, and wanted to focus in on that," Green says. "That was the reason I'd kinda tucked [the song] in my sample folder. But I went back, and the 'I'm gonna have a sweet life' jumped out at me, like Oh that's it, that's the part. That's gonna work with that ... So sure enough there's a break in there, and all I had to do was separate it, and loop it, and add just a little bit ... I might've put a kick with it, and maybe a clap at the most." Green plays down his end result ... The two Brooklyn boys, Jay-Z and Barry Manilow are talking the eternal underdog struggle: the what-if's, the I-am's, the thoughts of death and the desire for their own peaces. Manilow on piano comes careening through on Green's remix, four decades strong, like it was waiting to bear Jay-Z's lyrics, to be something else — yet a same thing. "It was sparse because I wanted the original sample to shine," says Green. "The piano, just the mood of it, the soulfulness of it." Mama, can you hear me. That's what Manilow sang. I'm gonna have the sweetest life you've ever seen. And when the day is over, I'm gonna go to sleep in a field of green.
There's a smallish riot going on at the St. James Theater. It's Glow Stick City. Barry Manilow opens with 1975's "It's A Miracle" ... Manilow speeds through "Could It Be Magic." There is a medley, and then a moment when he unbuttons his tux coat, and a lightweight pelvic thrust right on the beat... "Somewhere in the Night"... "Looks Like We Made It" ... My husband is astounded by the energy in the room. Confetti drops as the show ends. It's Valentine's Day. After all the all the years of not going, it looks like I've made it.
And so had he. Manilow was coming off a recent flu, and a recent hip surgery. He is 69 years old. He's in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He's sold maybe 80 million records ... You can say a lot about him, but you cannot say he didn't live to tell the story ... Manilow knows who he is, and who he is to us ... That's rock and that's hip-hop and that's soul, and we make it pop, or not. "You all have been here all along," he said, acknowledging our part in it, and giving us our props for it.
Barry Manilow, who’s now starring in his own show on Broadway, says he updates his songs every few years so that they never sound like oldies. "Copacabana" sounds like it could have been released yesterday," he said. Manilow is 69, or as he says, "old as the hills," but he says he's still got a million ideas and ready to create. He said he’s working on two new albums and a musical.
It took a little while before Barry Manilow felt comfortable on Broadway. The Man Who Makes the Whole World Sing is used to far bigger venues than the 1,710-seat St. James Theatre, 1 of the smaller theaters on the Great White Way. "It's a totally different feeling from the stage. I'm in their laps; they're in my lap. It's very, very intimate," says Manilow. "This is like going to somebody's house."
Manilow - and his fans dubbed Fanilows - are clearly enjoying his first return to Broadway in nearly 25 years. Though his opening was postponed due to bronchitis, the singer sounded and looked great during a recent quick interview.
The New York City-born icon has had a street corner - at Seventh Ave. and 44th Street - temporarily renamed "Barry Manilow Way" and a caricature unveiled at Sardi's restaurant. It's a long way from where he began in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brookyn, where "I was lucky to get home from school without getting beaten up." He later moved to a Manhattan studio apartment so small that he had to sleep under his Steinway grand piano.
His two-hour show - makeup dates have been added to "Manilow on Broadway" that now take the show into early March - includes all the hits, including "Could It Be Magic," "Mandy," "Copacabana" and "Can't Smile Without You."
Manilow has sold over 80 million albums worldwide and this Christmas had a 50th hit - "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" - on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. "That was a nice Christmas present," he says, sipping white wine.
Manilow says he keeps his show fresh by making sure the arrangements are contemporary. "Every few years, I go back into all the songs and I update them so that it never sounds like an oldies show. If you come to the shows, they're full of muscle," he says. "'Copacabana' sounds like it could have been released yesterday."
After Broadway, Manilow says he'll continue doing weekend gigs on the road, working on two albums and is most excited at the idea of getting a new musical off the ground: "Harmony," which follows a group of singers through Weimar-era and then Nazi Germany. Manilow has written original songs for it and Bruce Sussman has contributed the story and lyrics. "It's the best work I've ever done ever in my life," Manilow says.
At 69, Manilow vows to keep on going. "Yeah, I'm old as the hills and you would think I'd be out to pasture someplace because I've done everything, but nothing has changed," he says. "I'm still hungry. I've still got a million ideas. I'm still strong and ready to create." http://www.ManilowOnBroadway.com
The Tony-nominated star of stage, screen and TV's The Big C caught up with Barry Manilow after seeing his special concert event Manilow on Broadway.
Manilow greeted Linney backstage after his February 13 performance, and the two look positively radiant as they cozy up for a photo.
(Looks like the actress is sporting a stylish bob for her role in the upcoming WikiLeaks film drama The Fifth Estate, from Dreamgirls director Bill Condon.)
Check out the duo (photo, right), and be sure to catch Barry on Broadway at the St. James Theatre through March 2.
Music legends Liza Minnelli and Barry Manilow took a night off to enjoy the vocal stylings of another big-voiced singer, Emmy winner (and Minnelli's little sister) Lorna Luft.
Minnelli and Manilow headed over to Birdland on February 11 to check out the opening night of Luft’s new show, Lorna’s Living Room.
With the help of Broadway vets Tony Yazbeck and David Elder, Luft reimagined songs by Irving Berlin, Rogers & Hart and Burt Bacharach. After the show, Minnelli and Manilow stayed behind to congratulate her.
Take a look at the trio (photo, right), and check out Barry’s show, Manilow on Broadway, at the St. James Theatre through March 2.
It’s 1977, and a 7-year-old boy in Toledo, Ohio, is driving his family crazy because he keeps playing Barry Manilow’s "Mandy" on the piano. It doesn’t help matters that he’s singing off-key.
Flash-forward 36 years. That boy has grown up, no longer plays the piano, sees a lot of theater and, as his coworkers can attest, still sings off-key. And, like a lot of people, he has plenty of memories of Manilow’s music.
From late 1974 to late 1980, the Grammy Award winner had 18 top-40 hits, including "I Write the Songs," "Weekend in New England." "Looks Like We Made It" and "Copacabana (At the Copa)."
Wikipedia says Manilow has sold more than 80 million records, and he certainly has his fans. They were out in force at a recent performance of "Manilow on Broadway," his limited-run show now playing at the St. James Theatre.
These people adore him. The love they showered upon him was overwhelming. [People] sang along, waved their glow sticks (which Manilow provided) and had a ball. After about 15 minutes, the show became more than just a concert: It was an event, a connection between a man and his audience.
The easy-listening evening began with a club mix of favorites before the curtain rose and Manilow appeared in a tuxedo, causing the first of several standing ovations. Joined on stage by a seven-piece band and two energetic backup singers, he opened with "It’s a Miracle." That was followed by "Could It Be Magic" and "Give My Regards to Broadway."
The night took off during "Can’t Smile Without You." Have you ever been surrounded by joy? It’s a wonderful feeling. After seeing people sing and sway back and forth, you just wanted to join in.
Manilow frequently shared stories about his songs and career. He joked that he was "the Justin Bieber of the ’70s." He showed the audience clips of himself on "American Bandstand" and on "The Midnight Special." One of the most touching moments was when he told the audience about his grandfather, whom he talked about before singing "This One’s For You." "Even Now" featured Manilow on keyboard, and what was stunning is how moved he seemed to be while playing the song.
The most hilarious part of this musical lovefest may have been staged. Manilow took a request from a few people in the audience for "Somewhere Down the Road." It led to a story about the song, but one of the guys who requested it interrupted and shouted, "Just sing it!" Manilow was taken aback but laughed along with the audience.
Manilow has released a collection of albums featuring great songs from various decades. During the Frankie Valli song "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You," a 60-something man sitting in one of the boxes smiled and gently kissed his wife.
Manilow came back for an encore, where he played "Mandy" on the piano with the 1975 Barry, who was shown on the big screen. At the end, it was clear the crowd did not want to say goodbye. But they left happy. And a certain theater reviewer sang "Mandy" all the way home. "I remember all my life..."
MANILOW ON BROADWAY. When: Through March 2. Where: St. James Theatre, 246 W. 44th St., New York City. Tickets: $50 to $350. Information: 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com.
All you need to know about the celebratory atmosphere of "Manilow on Broadway" at the St. James Theater is that, along with the playbill, the usher hands you a glow stick.
Expect many of the mostly middle-aged spectators to be singing right along with the late 20th-century pop standards that Barry Manilow performs in his concert, which opened last week. Expect them as well to frequently stand, sway, wave those glow sticks and occasionally scream out, "I love you, Barry!" all the way throughout the show.
Who knows, you may very well be among those actively participating in this cheerful love-fest ... Backed solidly by a seven-man band and two vocalists, the ever-ingenuous Manilow brightly croons through a nostalgic parade of his greatest hits from "Mandy" to "Copacabana" to "I Write the Songs."
The singer’s top notes may not be as punchy as they once were, but his voice remains smooth and his emotional artistry seems as sincere as it ever was. Heavily reinforced by the sound designer, Manilow performs the songs with apparent ease and enthusiasm. The nice-Jewish-guy-from-Brooklyn image that Manilow has always projected is undimmed by the passage of time.
Manilow’s easygoing conversation between the numbers is pleasant and unpretentious and it’s obvious that he enjoys the audience’s adoration. As for the songs, well, they represent the aural wallpaper of at least two generations and remain deeply ingrained in the brains of practically every American of a certain age, including those of us who never paid much attention to them.
Some modest projections pop up now again, but most of the dramatic visuals are provided by Seth Jackson’s lighting design, which utilizes a million moving luminaires and a wide palette of colors. It’s not a fancy production, but it’s certainly an effective setting for the star, who glows in the spotlight even as he basks in the audience’s wild affection.
You really love Barry Manilow? Then you’ll go and see him on Broadway. Simple as that. Enjoy.
"Manilow on Broadway" continues through March 2 at the St. James Theater, 246 W. 44th St., New York. Call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.manilowonbroadway.com.
Fear not, the Fanilows will get what they came for. And trust me, I know what I'm talking about. It's not only that I have experienced Manilow on Broadway, the 90-minute lovefest put on by Brooklyn's own ageless troubadour at the St. James Theatre, it's that the show is a potent reminder that I still remember every lyric to songs I first heard four decades ago. Even the tricky ones, like "Bandstand Boogie" and "New York City Rhythm" or the simpler, schmaltzier ones like "Weekend in New England" and "Even Now."
And it's awfully nice of Barry to let me – well, the whole audience – sing along when we feel like it, whether he asks us or not. We can also shout, stand, wave our glowsticks, or even do an interpretive dance whenever we're in the mood. The usual rules of Broadway simply don't apply.
It's not that Barry, seemingly still quite humble at age 69, isn't aware that he's on Broadway; he even pays tribute to the Great White Way by performing his top-selling version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Memory." (In the evening's best, and probably unscripted, moment, he referred to the composer as "Andrew Lloyd Wealthy.") Proving just how effective he can be as a singer and a ballad writer, Barry also detours slightly from the show's greatest hits format to sing the lovely "Every Single Day" from Harmony, the still possibly Broadway-bound musical he co-wrote with frequent collaborator, Bruce Sussman.
He also reminisces about his Williamsburg upbringing with his loving grandfather and compliments the hometown crowd on how kind they were during Hurricane Sandy. He knows how to win us over. Not that he needs to, since we're primed to be on his side – and stay there -- from the get-go... It's pretty cool when Barry appears on that screen in an episode of TV's The Midnight Special and we see him back in 1975 singing the first verse of "Mandy" and then he comes out and completes the song live.
He croons the gorgeous "When October Goes" (to which he matched a haunting melody to pre-existing lyrics by the late, great Johnny Mercer). It's during songs like this one that even a non-Fanilow has to admit Barry Manilow is a singer and composer who both respects words and his audience, which seems to be increasingly rare these days. So if you can mouth all the words to "Could It Be Magic" – regardless of whether you prefer the fast disco version or the slower, original one – you're already a Fanilow. And if you're not one already, try to make to it through the rain (or snow or wind) to see this show and join the club!
