The Roundtable with Robert Bannon

This chat was an honor! We love the Cole family! We love Lionel! We are ready for his return to 54 Below!

Lionel Cole is from a storied musical family as he is the son of Freddy Cole, a Grammy nominated jazz vocalist, the nephew of Nat King Cole, and the cousin of Natalie Cole. Lionel’s music includes over 300 original works, performances with countless musical heavyweights such as Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, and Joss Stone as well as producing numerous television and film compositions. Cole has also been featured as part of Robert Downey Jr’s band.

His musical style draws inspiration from Stevie Wonder, Prince, Chopin, and Samuel Barker. After an extended tour in Australia, Lionel is making his way to North America with sold out performances in Georgia, South Carolina, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and New York City. Lionel & The Swinger’s Club’s latest albums include “With Love” and “Cancel Christmas” now available!

In 2007, Lionel arranged the Grammy Award-winning recording for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals by John Legend, Joss Stone, and Van Hunt of Family Affair. Lionel also earned several official Grammy Award Considerations in 2023 from The Recording Academy for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Recording Package (“With Love”), Best Jazz Vocal Performance (“All I Want for Christmas”), and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (“Cancel Christmas”).

He comes back to 54 Below September 17th! Grab tickets www.54Below.org!

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Check out "The Roundtable with Robert Bannon" every Thursday 7pm EST/4pm PST PLUS: The Talk Series where artists share their art and their heart.

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Center Stage Records announced today the release of the concept recording of LIFELINE, the new musical written by Becky Hope-Palmer with music and lyrics by Robin Hiley. The recording features performances by Aaron Lazar, Arielle Jacobs, Nathan Salstone, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and Mia Gerachis. The album is available Friday, July 26, 204 at www.CenterStageRecords.com and at all digital outlets. It can be pre-saved now at https://orcd.co/lifelineconcept.

The musical Lifeline, written by Becky Hope-Palmer with music and lyrics by Robin Hiley, takes audiences on a captivating journey into the life of Alexander Fleming, the Scottish scientist whose discovery of penicillin revolutionized medicine. Beginning in 1928, the story unfolds as Fleming stumbles upon a mold that would change the course of history. Featuring a Scottish folk-influenced score, the musical brings to life the struggles, triumphs, and impact of this groundbreaking scientific achievement.

Lifeline goes beyond the historical narrative of Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin. The musical weaves together two parallel stories, intertwining Fleming's journey with that of Jess, a present-day doctor. Jess' childhood sweetheart, Aaron, is battling cancer, adding an emotional layer to the narrative. The audience witnesses Aaron's desperate desire to resume a normal life and rekindle their romance, all while his fate hangs in the balance. The musical delves into the timeless themes of hope, resilience, and the human spirit.

Featuring an all-star cast including Drama Desk Award nominee Aaron Lazar (The Last Ship), Arielle Jacobs (Here Lies Love), Nathan Salstone (Sweeney Todd), Drama Desk winner Jay Armstrong Johnson (Parade), Mia Gerachis (Pretty Woman), as well as original cast members Richard Lounds, Sarah Haddath, Graham Richardson, Steph Strachan, Rhian Ferrigan and Jess Barker.

It also features an international chorus of real-life scientists and healthcare professionals, from previous touring casts to Scotland, Atlanta and Washington DC, who work every day with the global health threat of antibiotic resistance, which the musical centers around.

Previously entitled The Mould that Changed the World, the musical is a two-time Edinburgh Festival Fringe sell-out (2018 and 2022) and has toured to London, Glasgow, Atlanta and Washington DC (2022), and will enjoy an Off-Broadway run in August and September 2024. The concept album is produced by Robin Hiley. For more information, visit www.lifelinemusical.com. 

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Check out "The Roundtable with Robert Bannon" every Thursday 7pm EST/4pm PST PLUS: The Talk Series where artists share their art and their heart.

For more info on Robert- www.RobertBannon.com

Follow Him on IG- @RobertMBannon

TikTok-@RobertMBannon

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We love new work! We love representation on stage! We love that Marina Kondo! She is a part of this all-star cast in "See What I Wanna See" as it comes to NYC! It is a part of Out Of The Box Theatrics and the innovative work they put up on their stage!

Marina Kondo is a Netherlands-born first-generation Japanese American. She began singing in jazz bars in Tokyo and continues to perform internationally in concerts, festivals, TV programs, and recordings in the US, Japan, & Brazil. Broadway: KPOP (OBC). Off-Broadway: Road Show (NYCC), KPOP (Ars Nova). National Tours: Company revival (OTC; Susan, U/S Bobbie), Disney’s Frozen (OTC; U/S Anna), Lincoln Center’s The King and I. Regional: The Muny. TV: “Succession” (HBO). BFA: The University of Michigan. In the world of translation, Marina has been involved in translating JPop songs since 2014, but more notably, helped translate and record Faber’s Piano Adventure series, “My First Piano Adventure” (A, B, C), and translated her own lines on HBO’s “Succession.” Most recently, she changed lyrics to “Have I Got A Guy For You” in Sondheim’s Company tour in 2023

Follow her @marinakondo

Grab Tickets at ootbtheatrics.com

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

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He stole our hearts on Season 7 of Idol. He reminded us to "Live Like Your Dying" with his multiplatinum debut album.

Now with several albums under his belt and a decade plus of touring, Kris Allen is back with a new album, new tour, and a lot to say! Kris makes his Roundtable Debut with us this week only on "The Roundtable with Robert Bannon!"

Check out "The Roundtable with Robert Bannon" every Thursday 7pm EST/4pm PST PLUS: The Talk Series where artists share their art and their heart.

For more info on Robert- www.RobertBannon.com

Follow Him on IG- @RobertMBannon

TikTok-@RobertMBannon

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We love that Max Crumm! Our fandom goes back to "You're The One That I Want" days! Well Max now has a few Broadway Shows under their belts belt, TV credits, and a big ole career! So what made them take on the job of playing a six month old baby in a brand new musical "That Parenting Musical?" We ask and find out!

Plus we had to inquire about their time in Grease, growing up with Emma Stone, and a whole lot more! A good ole fun chat was had by all!

For tickets and info: www.thatparentingmusical.com

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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We love new musicals! We love movies! We love "Grumpy Old Men!" We had the chance to chat with the book writer Dan Remmes & Composer Neil Berg! They have an all-star cast ready to go and the album is now streaming! Hear all about it!

Center Stage Records announced today the release of the world premiere recording of GRUMPY OLD MEN, the new musical by Dan Remmes, Neil Berg and Nick Meglin. The recording features performances by Ed Dixon, Mark Jacoby, Leslie Stevens, Sally Struthers and Hal Linden. The album is now available at www.CenterStageRecords.com and at all digital outlets.  

GRUMPY OLD MEN is the story of two aging men, Max (Ed Dixon) and John (Mark Jacoby), neighbors who have been feuding for most of their lives. Invigorated by their shared affection for their new neighbor across the street, the beautiful, eccentric, and charming Ariel (Leslie Stevens), they face-off as romantic rivals until their hilarious shenanigans finally bring about a resolution to their long-standing differences. Based on the 1993 film, which starred Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, and Ann-Margret, this stage adaptation captures the lovably crotchety characters through twinkling humor, great songs, and the affectionate depiction of a small town that feels like home to everyone.GRUMPY OLD MEN is written by Dan Remmes (book),Neil Berg (music) and Nick Meglin (lyrics), adapted from the Warner Bros. motion picture written by Mark Steven Johnson. The world premiere recording of GRUMPY OLD MEN stars Ed Dixon, Mark Jacoby with Leslie Stevens, and features Sally Struthers and Hal Linden. Also appearing on the recording are Brenda Braxton, Doug Eskew, Kevin Massey, Laura Woyasz, John Battagliese, Blake Hammond, Eric Jon Mahlum, Kelly Methven, James Taylor Odom, Heather Jane Rolff, Brooke Singer and Christina Tompkins.

Dan Remmes (Book) Dan’s plays have been produced across the USA and UK and include Night Out, What Doesn't Kill Us, Bedlan, Three Tables, Things We Leave Behind, Leaving London, Delays, Friends Lovers and Fiances, and Close To Home. His writing has won multiple awards including the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship for Playwriting and Screenwriting and the 26th Annual Samuel French OOB Festival. He’s written and directed two short films (“George” and “Indiana Dad And The Quest For The Lost Tap Shoe”) and has three feature screenplays under development in collaboration with “Finding Neverland” producer Nellie Bellflower. He co-developed, co-wrote and performed in a web series parodying self-help gurus entitled “Mother Eve’s Secret Garden of Sensual Sisterhood” which ran for a season on Koldcast TV and is currently under option as a staged rock musical. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Anglo-American Mind The Gap Theatre headquartered in New York City. Coolest random career moment: Riding shotgun in a stunt car behind Harrison Ford in an Indiana Jones movie. www.DanRemmes.com @DanRemmes

Neil Berg (Music) is a multi award-winning composer and producer. Composing credits include The Twelve (Denver Center), The Prince and the Pauper (Off Broadway, Lambs Theater), Tim & Scrooge (Westchester Broadway Theater, The Queens Theater in the Park, NYMF, and a special reading at the Criterion Theater in the London’s West End), collaborating with DJ Salisbury on The Man Who Would Be King (NYMF, University of Buffalo, The Village Theater in Issaquah, WA, Rubicon Theater, CD featuring Brian d’Arcy James, Marc Kudisch and Mandy Gonzalez), Hexed In The City (Off Broadway, Zipper Theater), Never Grimm and Heidi. Films: “Once upon a Time in Brooklyn,” “Searching For Bobby D”. He is the product of The BMI Musical Writer’s Workshop, mentored by Maury Yeston and Skip Kennon. www.neilberg.com

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

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Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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Have you ever been a victim of a rumor? I think we all have been! Well, how many of us have taken that experience and made a whole television show out of it? Not many!

One person I know did is our guest Nicole Vernarec! She wrote five epic episodes of a new show "Rumors" which is on Tubi! You can catch all the scandal for FREE.NINENTY NINE! That is right! FREE! No apps, no payment, no stealing your friends password!

She tells us how she made it happen, what her process was like, and how you can make a TV show as well!

Tune in for a great chat with a great artists! Plus so much more, only on "The Roundtable with Robert Bannon"

LIKE. COMMENT. SUBSCRIBE!

Check out "The Roundtable with Robert Bannon" every Thursday 7pm EST/4pm PST PLUS: The Talk Series where artists share their art and their heart.

For more info on Robert- www.RobertBannon.com

Follow Him on IG- @RobertMBannon

TikTok-@RobertMBannon

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chilina Kennedy – the multihyphenate actress, singer, songwriter and theater leader, best known for playing Carole King in the musical Beautiful on Broadway for over 1,200 performances – is now back on Broadway as Myrtle Wilson in the hit musical The Great Gatsby. 

She is here to talk about Wild About You, the musical she co-wrote that just enjoyed a reading in London, has an-star cast album out that’s enjoying a renaissance – she will perform selections from the show in a NYC concert this fall. In addition to Chilina, the all-star recording features Jenn Colella, Eric McCormack, Katharine McPhee, Jessie Mueller, Alex Newell, Paul Alexander Nolan, Lea Salonga and more. You can listen to the album on your favorite streaming service HERE.

Chilina plays tennis legend Billie Jean King in the new play, Love All, which debuted last year La Jolla Playhouse. There is a new workshop in the fall and it’s heading to a full new production soon. Chilina was honored to meet and consult with Ms. King, also attending the US Open for the first time last year.

Chilina starred in The Last Timbit, a musical produced in Toronto in June in celebration of Tim Hortons’ 60th anniversary, that was inspired by a 2010 snowstorm that forced people to shelter at a local Tim Hortons. The show’s live capture will be available on the streaming service Crave, start on August 12.

Silk, the new musical she is co-writing and co-orchestrating is based on The Ladies’ Paradise, the novel by Zola. A workshop, industry presentation and concept album are coming soon.

In addition to performing and creating new musicals, as her role as “Artistic Producer” for Eclipse Theatre Company, she takes a more hands-on approach to the stage. The company, which she co-founded, is dedicated to developing new and emerging talent out of Canada, and they have already won several Dora Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Tonys). Eclipse will announce their new season this fall. 

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club, presents the return of Seth Sikes and Nicolas King in an encore performance of their show The New BeltersSing MGM on Friday, September 6 at 7:00 PM. Acclaimed jazz pianist Billy Stritch will music direct the evening celebrating music from the golden age of MGM. This vast and iconic catalog includes songs from the films Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Wizard of Oz, and many more. Sikes and King will deliver a powerhouse performance that promises to capture the glitter and magic of the golden age of Hollywood, and bring it into the next generation.The swinging American Songbook is the specialty of these performers, and the duo has been touring the country with their debut show, The New Belters.Seth Sikes is one of New York’s popular young nightclub entertainers and a regular at 54 Below. His critically acclaimed tributes to Judy Garland (which have won two BroadwayWorld Awards), Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand and others are a consistent draw for audiences. Sikes was also Associate Director on the multiple Tony Award-winning musical The Band’s Visit and many other productions. During the pandemic he made numerous musical video parodies set on Fire Island that were widely viewed.Nicolas King is an award-winning artist who’s been belting out tunes since he was 4-years-old, having been seen in dozens of TV commercials, and numerous times on Broadway opposite Tom Selleck, Carol Burnett, Linda Lavin and Andrea McArdle. King was the longest running Chip in Disney’s Beauty andthe Beast. He toured the country as Liza Minnelli’s opening act, and has performed on stages all over the world from Carnegie Hall to “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”The New Belters Sing MGM plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Friday, September 6 at 7:00 PM.. Cover charges are $62 (includes $7 in fees) to $73 (includes $8 in fees.) Premium tickets are $122 (includes $12 in fees). There is a $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at 54Below.org. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 PM are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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Shani Rigsbee ( SHANI), is part of a rare power pack of American stars that are equally fluent  both on stage, recordings and on screen.   A multi-award winning Artist, her credits as a Singer, Composer and Producer appear in major motion pictures and she has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues.  Widely considered an International Artist, at  the heart of it, she is just an American girl from a small town in Arkansas with a love for rhythm, melody and soul and a move to the big city of L.A. changed it all…  

After relocating to Los Angeles at the end of her high school years, she honed her talents and was introduced to a wide range of International music.  She was then invited to tour, write and record with some of the entertainment industry’s finest Artists – globally famous such as International Pop Icon and Hollywood “Walk of Fame” recipient, ANDY Madadian, a Persian Armenian Superstar whom she has performed and collaborated with for years.   Soon her work became featured in film and television with a special emphasis on globally diverse projects.  With 4 Solo albums released Internationally, she has also released a variety of singles and collaborations and  recorded in multiple languages.   

She talks her new album, her new single, and how a girl from Arkansa ended up being a voice around the world!

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Check out “The Roundtable with Robert Bannon” everyday right here on The Broadway Podcast Network!

www.RobertBannon.com

Follow on IG @RobertMBannon or @theroundtablewithrobertbannon

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