Psst - after you've read all of the Cast Party scoop, be sure to spend a moment with our fabulous sponsors at the end of the page!

May 26, 2006

First of all, yes, there is a Cast Party this coming week! Don't think the Memorial Day weekend can stop us...come celebrate the onset of summer at Birdland!!

Last Monday's tribute to Jule Styne's Hollywood was a sparkling success, with a cast that included Billy Stritch, Maria Friedman, Peter Johns (in our glamorous Douglas Wilson-designed dressing room, right), Johnny Rodgers Band, Klea Blackhurst, David Beach, Jeff Harnar, Tedd Firth, Fred Barton, Elizabeth Stanley, Karen Murphy, and The Lascivious Biddies. Many thanks to Aaron Gandy for hosting, playing and making showbiz happen! The following Cast Party was a veritable cornucopia of musical styles. Superstar pianist Jim Brickman sang and played one of his chart-toppers, Grammy-winner Lari White wailed some Aretha, Colleen McHugh got screams with a hilarious Al Yankovich tune, Todd Londagin crooned, tromboned and tapped, Terese Genecco belted some Francis Faye, and J. Walter Hawkes actually made the ukelele hip. Our pal Eric Millegan (from TV's "Bones") warbled, Jon Bozeman sang a way-cool original, Vincent Wolfe sang 'n swang, Dave Berg showed why his songs have gone to #1 on the charts, Mark Aaron James sang his heart out, and Erich Bergen asked the musical question, "I'm Not A Girl" (perhaps our first Britney Spears cover). Billy Stritch and Steve Doyle, The Cast Party Symphony Orchestra, outdid themselves. As always. And we'll all be there next week!

I'm thrilled to tell you about the "Summer In The City" concert series that I'm presenting with TheaterMania.com! It's a continuation of the 7pm Monday concerts featuring some of the most talented Broadway stars, cabaret performers and songwriters known to man! The season will include the cast of The Light In The Piazza in Piazza Party (June 5), Jason Robert Brown (June 12), David Burnham (June 19), Stephanie J. Block (June 26/27), Linda Lavin (July 3), Under The Covers With Victoria Shaw co-starring Lari White and Gary Burr (July 10), Lucie Arnaz (July 17), Patrick DeGennaro (July 24), Toxic Audio (August 7), Nancy Anderson (August 14), and Natalie Douglas (August 21). Watch this space for details on each specific concert...and we can't wait to see you at Birdland! Call the club for reservations 212.581.3080 or click on www.instantseats.com/birdland.

"The Party simply glows with New York nightlife ambiance. It feels like a throwback to another era but it has this era's top-notch entertainers dropping in to schmooze, sing, eat, and drink. Caruso consistently provides a flow of exciting singers, and he's definitely hip, cool and classy all by himself."

-THEATERMANIA

When:

Every Monday at 9:30pm!

Where:

BIRDLAND
315 West 44th Street (between 8th & 9th)

212.581.3080

Click here for the official Cast Party website!

Ligeti Artists LLC
Peter Ligeti
mrligeti@aol.com
212.396.1111

For online booking information, click: The Show Store

THE JUNE ISSUE of Cabaret Scenes Magazine contains a fantastic feature on the history of Cast Party, and you've gotta check it out! Many, many thanks to Peter Leavy for the wonderful words, and to Keith Meritz and Frank Dain for making it all happen!

STEVE ROSS SEXTET SWINGS AND SINGS ASTAIRE
Sundays, April 30, May 7, 14, 28, June 4 : All Shows 7 PM
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway @ 51st Street, NYC

www.Theshowstore.com presents Cabaret legend Steve Ross in his return to Broadway with his Sextet at the Iridium Jazz Club in his new show, FRED! Singing and Swinging Astaire. Steve Ross, "The suavest of all male cabaret performers..." (Stephen Holden, New York Times), brings his unique sytle and his new sextet to the New York landmark Iridium Jazz Club in a sparkling show featuring classic hits such as "Cheek to Cheek", "Night and Day", and "Let Yourself Go" and "Stepping Out with My Baby ".
To book tickets online, click here.

On Monday, June 5 at 7pm, the theatre community kicks-off Pride month with a one-night-only, star-studded Broadway concert. "Broadway Backwards" will feature an evening of Broadway showtunes...with a twist. Can you imagine songs from Dreamgirls, but the "Dreams" happen to be three men? Or one of Broadway’s most appealing leading ladies singing "I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face?" from My Fair Lady? Or two of Broadway's hottest leading men singing "We Kiss in the Shadow" from The King and I? See and hear Broadway's finest voices tackle gender-reversed songs from the musical theater. Scheduled to appear: Michelle Blakely, Steven Brinberg, Andrea Burns, Charles Busch, Paul Castree, Matt Cavenaugh, Harvey Evans, Cheyenne Jackson, Priscilla Lopez, Karen Mason, Andrea McArdle, Michael McElroy, Pamela Myers, Kurt Peterson, Julie Wilson, Hosted by Seth Rudetsky, Direction by Robert Bartley, Musical Direction by Michael Lavine. The LGBT Center, 208 West 13 Street, NYC. Click Broadway at the Center for more details!


OUR UPDATED T-SHIRT is now available in Tootsie-Roll brown with safety-cone orange trim, as seen at left, where Jim reveals his secret identity as -- Superhost! Show your love for a certain Monday night Open Mic extravaganza by wearing this 100% cotton, Peruvian-made, American-printed piece of art! The wry "Got Mic?" logo is on the front, and our logo is on the back. They're only $20 and available if you click http://www.castpartynyc.com/merchandise.htm.

WHAT DO MICHAEL C. HALL, KERRY BUTLER, CHEYENNE JACKSON, ESTELLE PARSONS, JULIA MURNEY, DEVEN MAY, HUNTER FOSTER, MICHAEL ARDEN, JAMES BLUNT and the GOO GOO DOLLS all have in common? Their secret weapon -- voice teacher Liz Caplan! Her student ANA GASTEYER (upcoming Threepenny Opera) says, “Studying with Liz has changed my approach to singing on every level. In the two years we have worked together, she has combined phenomenal technique with tailor-made specifications to meet a huge variety of professional demands. Her tireless enthusiasm and expertise have empowered me physiologically and emotionally to become a better singer than I had ever imagined. It's like physical therapy and good, old-fashioned psycho-therapy for your vocal chords!” Visit http://www.LizCaplan.com for more information, but tell Liz you heard about her at Cast Party!

As always, many thanks to our corporate and private sponsors:
Gianni Valente & Hilary Kole, Randy Swartz & Stage Step, Jamie deRoy & friends, Michael Estwanik, Piper-Heidsieck Champagne, Todd Forman, Steven Minichiello, Matthew Gilbert and Wild Oats Productions, as well as our Birdland sound guru Jody Dobson and Brian Wilson at SoHa Media. We can't do it without you!

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