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January 5, 2007

Happy 2007!  I hope your holidays were stupendous - and that you're raring to start the New Year with a bang!  We took last week off, so everyone is looking forward to our very first Cast Party of the year this coming Monday!  Billy Stritch will be at the Bosendorfer, Steve Doyle will be boinging away on the bass, and I will be hosting and introducing you to some of the most talented performers on the planet…also other people.  (That's always funny…hopefully.) 

Since I have no performances to extoll from last week, I beg you to click on this link.  It is by far, one of the most brilliant pieces of live television I've ever seen, made even more enjoyable by the closed-captioning for the lyrically impaired. 

Award-winning Broadway and cabaret star JASON GRAAE (left) will debut his new show called “GRAAE'S ANATOMY” at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, NYC, on Monday, January 15 at 7 PM.  He will be joined by musical director Alex Rybeck and surprise guests.  Cover is $25 with a $10 food/drink minimum.  For reservations call 212.581.3080 or go to www.InstantSeats.com/Birdland. Jason Graae, who won the 2006 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and the 2006 New York Nightlife Award for his solo show “Coup de Graae,” was cheered by The New York Times as “an Al Jolson-like singing and dancing clown who executes lyrics with perfect comic flourishes.”  Jason also won the Bistro Award for 'Best Major Engagement' and was named one of Time Out New York's 10 Best Cabaret Shows Of 2004. What IS "Graae's Anatomy?”  It is a show in which Jason sings from the heart, breathes through his nose, touches a nerve, and tickles the funny bone.  It includes Jason's somewhat twisted and sometimes even humorous take on songs by Bucchino, Sondheim, Mercer and more.  Come see the man who the New York Times said is "in the twilight of his potential as a Broadway juvenile lead!” Jason Graae has appeared on Broadway in A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, FALSETTOS, STARDUST, SNOOPY!, DO BLACK PATENT LEATHER SHOES REALLY REFLECT UP? and off-Broadway in FOREVER PLAID, OLYMPUS ON MY MIND, ALL IN THE TIMING and HELLO MUDDAH, HELLO FADDAH, for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination as Best Actor in a Musical.  In Los Angeles, he won an Ovation Award for FORBIDDEN BROADWAY Y2KLA and the Artistic Director's Achievement Award for FULLY COMMITTED.  He originated the role of Houdini in RAGTIME, played Marcellus in THE MUSIC MAN at The Hollywood Bowl, starred in GRAND HOTEL and THE GRAND TOUR at The Colony Theatre, and many shows in the Reprise Series.  His many TV credits range from “Six Feet Under,” 'Friends” and “Frasier” to several PBS specials, and his films include Disney's “Home on the Range,” “On Edge,” “Gepetto,” and “The Dukes of Hazzard in Hollywood.” He made his Metropolitan Opera House debut as featured vocalist in Twyla Tharp's “Everlast” with American Ballet Theatre and made his Los Angeles Opera debut as Njegus in “The Merry Widow,” repeating the role with the Houston Grand Opera and New Orleans Opera.  He played Frosch in the San Francisco and Washington National Opera productions of “Die Fledermaus” and he was featured as Offenbach in the LA Opera's “The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein” with Frederica Von Stade, directed by Garry Marshall. Jason has recorded over 40 CDs, including and his two solo CDs: “You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile-Jason Graae sings Charles Strouse” and “Jason Graae LIVE at The Cinegrill” (Fynsworth Alley).

Then…on Monday, January 29th at 7pm, Tony-winner Cady Huffman will celebrate her birthday onstage at Birdland!  This gorgeous glamour-girl will tell it like it is, and discuss her aspirations to be an operatic soprano and the fact that she made her Broadway debut as a drag queen!  With songs ranging from Tinpan Alley to rock and roll and composers from Townsend to Sondheim, Cady will give you what you want and a lot more than you expect!  Call the club now for reservations...this will sell OUT!  212.581.3080 or www.InstantSeats.com/Birdland.

PS CLASSICS, THE LABEL DEDICATED TO THE HERITAGE OF BROADWAY AND AMERICAN POPULAR SONG, has joined forces with prolific cabaret producer Jamie deRoy on a new CD celebrating songwriters from the worlds of Broadway, pop, country and cabaret.  But this new album has a twist: the songwriters are also the performers.  Entitled IF I SING, after the Maltby/Shire song from Closer Than Ever, the album features 16 songwriters taking on their own material, some of it familiar, some totally unknown, in new performances and new arrangements.  The theatre composers include some of Broadway’s finest, including Stephen Schwartz, Maury Yeston, Richard Maltby & David Shire, Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx, Andrew Lippa, Lucy Simon, and Gretchen Cryer & Nancy Ford, while the pop songwriters include such luminaries as Grammy Award-winners Julie Gold and Larry Gatlin. The album, produced by Paul Rolnick, with artistic direction by Barry Kleinbort, is in stores, or on the web at psclassics.com, amazon.com, footlight.com, For more info, click: jamiederoy.com.

SQUIGS DRAWS THE SHOWBIZ! Justin “Squigs” Robertson will draw for food. He’ll draw for fame and fortune too, but first things first.    Since 1993, Squigs has captured showbiz folk from the backyard to Broadway, including many ladies and gents who have wowed the crowds at Cast Party. His theatrical style is aided and abetted by his parallel   life on the stage – a character man drawing characters. His favorite   song is “It’s Only A Paper Moon”; he loves sushi; and he genuflects upon merely hearing the name of Al Hirschfeld. Well-known in the Los Angeles theatre scene where he's based, Squigs is working at kicking up  the art a notch (or 7). Come see what's happening at the website: www.squigsink.com. Stop by anytime, and drop a line to say “hello.”

CHARLIE LAPSON'S SIGNATURE COLLECTION is the culmination of years of training, world travel, and professional experience as one of Hollywood's top designers. His luxurious handbags and men's wallets are produced by factories in Tuscany, Italy made of fine Italian leather. Lapson's handbags and clutches have been worn by the elite of Hollywood to numerous red carpet events and on camera as well. Celebrities such as Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria, and Debra Messing can be seen at award shows adorned with Charlie Lapson Jewelry. The collection is created by using the most brilliant diamonds and precious gemstones mixed with 18 kt gold, and molding them into works of art. Celebrities dazzle with glamorous bold statement pieces. Look for large colored gemstones and mixes of textures with unique shapes. Style fit for a star!

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!

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/Goods.htm.

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 Sean Corcoran and Brian Wilson at SoHa Media. We can't do it without you!

Click here to advertise with us. It costs less than the average banner ad, and you're guaranteed to be seen by tons of fabulous people (look, you're reading this right now, yes?).

"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), NYC
212.581.3080

Bookings for Jim Caruso's Cast Party® for theaters, arts presenters,
corporations and private events:

Ligeti Artists LLC
Peter Ligeti
mrligeti@aol.com
212.396.1111

For online booking information, click: The Show Store

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