Della Reese has covered a lot of ground in her 60-year career. She’s been a gospel singer, recording artist, nightclub performer, talk show host, film and television actress and — for the past 25 years — an ordained minister. She’ll bring all those facets to her debut at the Rrazz Room on Thursday.“I tell some funny stories. I sing my hits and I sing some other songs,” she says. “I talk about my family. It’s like being in my living room and having a nice afternoon or evening.” Read More

“Words, words, words! I’m so sick of words!” exclaims elocution student Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady.” Less fair and far less sick of words is Lisa Lampanelli, the erstwhile “Queen of Mean,” who appears at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City on Friday.“I have no problem with any word. Any word,” says Lampanelli. “I can’t think of a more controversial term than the N-word or the C-word and all words are equal to me. The thing is, it takes — as Lenny Bruce said — it takes the sting out of it, if there’s no hate behind it and you know that it’s just a word.” Read More

“It’s like a full circle experience for me,” says singer Michael Londra of his return to San Francisco in “Celtic Yuletide” at the Marines’ Memorial Theatre. “When I first came over to the U.S. in ’99, I was the lead singer with ‘Riverdance’ and we did a month here. It was the best month of my whole tour with the show. My family and best friends came over from Ireland. It just seemed like I was on vacation.” “It was,” he adds, “a wild time, I will also say. Now I feel like a grown-up which, given the fact I’m in my mid-40s … it’s about time!” Read More

As the holidays approach, many look back on the year about to end and recall highlights — and perhaps lessons learned. New York producer Scott Siegel’s eye on the Great White Way gazes further back in his “Broadway By The Year” series. A production exploring musicals from 1947 and 1966, the closing offering of Broadway By the Bay’s 46th season, is onstage at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City this weekend. Read More

Once billed as “a man who made something out of nothing” by his press agent, Zero Mostel lived a career of intense highs and lows. For three performances this week, “Zero Hour” presents an intimate portrait of this iconic and creative force.According to playwright and actor Jim Brochu, the idea for the show about Mostel “has really been brewing in my head since the day I first met Zero when I was 14 years old. I already knew I was going to be an actor ... and he was certainly a role model for me, on the stage anyway.” Read More

There’s something engaging about very attractive people who don’t take themselves too seriously. Peter Gallagher — making his Bay Area Cabaret debut Saturday at the Venetian Room — is one of those people.The multitalented artist is quick to joke, often at his own expense. “I’m pretty oblivious to it,” he laughs. The “it” being people’s reaction to the package of piercing eyes, thick brows and lush lips set over a dimple that is his trademark. Read More

If Mickey and Judy, the Addams Family, Rod Serling and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence got together to put on a show, it might look something like “Shocktoberfest 12: Fear Over Frisco,” the fun and campy evening of “titillation and thrills” now on the boards at Thrillpeddlers’ Hypnodrome stage.The show opens with a festive title-tune production number penned by Scrumbly Koldewyn and Eddie Muller performed by the entire company. What the various soloists lack in musical prowess, the ensemble more than covers in enthusiasm. Read More