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June 30, 2006 We
broke all attendance records this week at Birdland.
Half of America flew into Manhattan to partake of Stephanie
J. Block's Block Party on Monday and Tuesday. Her
legion of fans, “The BlockHeads,” packed
the room, along with family, friends and ex-castmates from Boy
From Oz and Wicked. I couldn't
have been prouder of Steph, who, along with Billy Stritch
(piano), Steve Doyle (bass), Tony Tedesco
(drums) and Todd Londagin (trombone) brought us the
slickest act this side of The Emerald City. After the shows, she greeted
everyone out on 44th Street for an hour-and-a-half! That's our glamour
girl (left) fluffing up before the concert…and you can
see more pix on BroadwayWorld.com,
with many thanks to Genevieve Refter Keddy. The following
Cast Party on Monday was a smash, too. How could it
not be great with all that magic in the air! David Budway
and Steve Doyle (on piano and bass) really helped keep
the mojo flowing until the wee hours! |
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-THEATERMANIA When: BIRDLAND
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Copyright Jim Caruso's Cast Party®, All Rights Reserved, 2006. Newsletter by: Traverse City Web Design
I
don't have to tell you that I'm the biggest Linda
Lavin fan in the world, do I? She is a fabulous singer and
musician, a brilliant actress, and tells the best showbiz stories in
the world. And she's really good looking. (Look at the gorgeous Bill
Westmoreland photo to the left if you want proof.)
Anyway, I'm thrilled that she's spending her Monday, July 3
with us in concert at Birdland. In, Songs And Confessions
Of A Former Waitress, Linda recalls her roots in the theater
(originating Sondheim's "The Boy From..."
in The Mad Show) and her early cabaret trials
and tribulations in some less-than-glamorous boites. Her varied musical
choices range from Gershwin to Maltby &
Shire; Dave Frishberg to Trisha Yearwood,
and the musical relationship with pal Billy Stritch
at the piano only adds to the party atmosphere this hostess-with-the-mostess
exudes. There will be a $35 cover plus $10 food/drink minimum, and you
can make reservations by calling 212.581.3080 or visiting
A
FRANCOPHILE CELEBRATES BASTILLE DAY (pour la troisème
fois!) 
BILL
WESTMORELAND FIRST PHOTOGRAPHED ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY for the release
of her CD "Easy Living" in 1999
(at right) "Ann is a natural beauty...we have a great
collaborative working relationship and we also have a lot of fun on
our CD shoots. We chased the sun in Central Park for her CD 'Slow'.
I had her jumping up on these huge boulders as the sun was setting but
we got a beautiful shot and a great CD package. We re-created a faux
Birdland setting for her upcoming CD on Telarc, 'Blues in the Night'
which, photographically, showed a more introspective side of Ann. This
was by far my most favorite AHC shoot...I got to shoot Times Square
lights late at night, as well as Ann in her sexiest and most fashionable
role to date." You can reach Bill at 
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
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 
"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."