On Sunday, November 4, join Tony Nominee Jeff Blumenkrantz and his very special guests, Adinah Alexander (Wicked, The Wedding Singer), Donna Lynne Champlin (Sweeney Todd, Hollywood Arms), Laura Patinkin (Beau Jest, Fiddler on the Roof), David Perlman (Calvin Berger, Freefall), and Alysha Umphress (XL Star, Funked Up Fairy Tales) singing rarities from the Blumenkrantz archives, along with some brand new tunes. Most of these songs are getting their first public performances that night, so don't miss it! Blumenkrantz began his career as an actor, performing in such Broadway shows as Into the Woods, Threepenny Opera, Damn Yankees, How to Succeed in Business…, and A Class Act. Although he joined the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop in 1987, it wasn't until 2000 when Audra McDonald recorded his song “I Won't Mind” (lyrics by Annie Kessler and Libby Saines) that his songwriting career was launched. Since then, Jeff received a Best Original Score Tony® nomination for his songs in Urban Cowboy, and he contributed the Rita Gardner song, “I Think,” to the Off-Broadway production, The Audience. Jeff is a recipient of the BMI Harrington Award and the Dramatists Guild Jonathan Larsen Memorial Musical Theatre Fellowship. The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook is available for purchase at www.jeffblumenkrantz.com. Call Birdland at 212.-581.3080…it's almost sold out.
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November 1, 2007 Before I start kvelling about all the fun we had this past week, I'm trilled and delighted to announce that we've scampered into the YouTube Generation! Ken Kleiber put together a stupendous highlight reel of some of the many fabulous faces who've graced the Cast Party and Broadway at Birdland stages through the years. Click on it (YouTube - Jim Caruso's Cast Party & Broadway at Birdland Highlights) and make your comments! And many thanks to our web-diva Kate Botello for figuring out how to get the whole thing on the “world wide web” that all the kids are talking about. How it all works, I'll never know. But I like it.OK…onto the kvell-fest. On Sunday night, Broadway at Birdland ushered in the fabulous fall weather with our favorite flapper, Nancy Anderson. Her concert, “Ten Cents A Dance,” is one of our faves, and the Ross Patterson Little Big Band helps recreate the 20's and 30's jazz that Nancy loves so much. Then on Monday, Jeremy Schonfeld rocked the house with his original tunes and extraordinary cast, which included Julie Danao-Salkin (left, with many thanks to Ryan Paternite), Karla Mosley, Paige Price, Amy Spanger, Dave Barrus, Jessica Bogart, Natalie Douglas, Christian Campbell, Adam Jacobs and Jarrod Emick. Check our Flickr site to see more photos of the fun! |
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The following Cast Party was kicked off by the cast of the Off-Broadway hit, Altar Boyz! We love it when they show up, and they always favor us with a great song (accompanied by composer Gary Adler) and a bunch of free stuff! Four lucky couples went home with tickets to the show…it was just like “Oprah,” without all the weeping. I love the Mark Rupp photo to the left - that's me, the Altar Geezer, with Chad Doreck, Ryan Strand, Ryan J. Ratliff and Jay Garcia. (I'd be so good in the show, and can sing and dance the hippity-hop as well as anyone. Why won't anyone listen?) The rest of Cast Party was packed with some of our favorite talented folks like Ray Jessell, Angela Bingham, Mark Aaron James, KT Sullivan, Larry O'Keefe, Christine Lavin, Heather Friedman, Nate Lombardi, and newcomers Brian Sizensky, Debra Dean, Patrick Lawler and conga-dude Eric Frasier! Of course, we are always jazzed to see Michael Feinstein back from his travels. He's been one of our most steadfast supporters. We hope his love is here to stay! If you'd like to read a hilariously written theater blog, click on The Randy Rainbow Bloggity BLAHg-BLAHg. Randy Rainbow is the son Seth Rudetsky and Perez Hilton really shouldn't have had, and I'm obsessed with his musings.  |
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Then, on Monday, November 5, we're thrilled that Lauren Kennedy will be in concert on the Birdland stage! Her debut album, SONGS OF JASON ROBERT BROWN, created quite a splash among show music aficionados. Now Lauren expands her vision to take on the newest crop of composers and lyricists shaping Broadway and popular song. HERE AND NOW (PS Classics) is a thrilling pop-infused collection with arrangements tailored to Lauren's dynamic delivery. Included on the CD (and in the Birdland concert) are songs by David Yazbek, Andrew Lippa, David Kirshenbaum, Georgia Stitt, Adam Guettel, Frank Wildhorn, Marcy & Zina, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Dan Lipton and Jason Robert Brown, among others. Lauren recently starred on Broadway as The Lady of the Lake in the Tony Award-winning Monty Python's Spamalot. She also appeared as Nellie Forbush in Trevor Nunn's Royal National Theatre production of South Pacific, as well as in the Broadway productions of Side Show, Sunset Boulevard and premieres of The Rhythm Club and White Christmas. She originated the role of Kathleen in Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years. There will be a $25 cover and a $10 food/drink minimum. Call Birdland at 212.581.3080 for reservations, or www.BirdlandJazz.com. |
SING LIKE YOU MEAN IT! So, you sing pretty- so what? If you don't know what you're singing about...no one cares. Be ready for your next audition -- come to my class. With the help of pianist and coach, Jamie Reed, we will make sure you are ready and relaxed enough to rock your auditions.
Mondays, 4pm to 7pm at Ripley Grier Studios;
4-week session =$240 (we’ll start as soon as we fill the class)
for more information, write me at singmeanit@aol.com
for more information about me- www.nancyanderson.name
for more information about Jamie- jamieRB326@aol.com
P.S. -- If you have scheduling conflicts, write and we can work it out!
DONALD SMITH AND THE MABEL MERCER FOUNDATION WOULD LIKE YOU TO JOIN Marilyn Maye, Steve Ross, Billy Stritch, KT Sullivan and James Followell for the Fourth Cabaret Convention at Sea, April 30 - May 14, 2008! This cabaret crossing will take place on board the luxurious Regent Seven Seas Voyager, leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, and making stops in Bermuda, the Azores, Madeira, Valencia and Barcelona. This spectacular ship offers all-suite accomodations (with private verandahs), open dining, four spectacular restaurants, all wine, spirits and gratuities included! The event will be hosted by Arie Boris, Editor-in-Chief of CruiseGourmet.com Magazine. Fares for this special 14-night Cabaret Crossing start at $5,170 per person. As a special welcome to all our patrons, there will be a one-category upgrade for any reservation made before September 1, 2007. Please call Hartford Holidays Travel (800-828-4813) and mention Promotional Code JIMC. A portion of each fare will be donated to the Mabel Mercer Foundation. Check out CruiseGourmet Magazine!
MINNELLI & CARUSO: TOGETHER AGAIN... I'm beyond excited to tell you that I'll be performing on the road with myamazing friend Liza Minnelli quite a bit this next year! We're re-creating Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers' historic nightclub act that took the world by storm in the late 40's and early 50's. Cortes Alexander, Johnny Rodgers, Brian Lane Green and I are working hard to approximate the blend and unique sound that Bob, Dick, Don, and Andy Williams brought to Kay's ingenious vocal arrangements, with Billy Stritch will be at the piano. Watch this space for details... hopefully we'll be coming to a theater near you!
- 11/29/2007 08:00 PM - McCallum Theatre, Palm Desert, California
ON THE CD, AT THE MOVIES, DAVE KOZ, A MULTI-GRAMMY NOMINATED SAX PLAYER with two gold albums and ten top 5 hits to his credit, takes center stage on eight instrumentals: "Over The Rainbow," "As Time Goes By," "The Pink Panther," "Summer of '42," "Cinema Paradiso," "Schindler's List," "It Might Be You" and " The Shadow of Your Smile." The 40-piece orchestra enlisted by Koz and producer Phil Ramone provides a majestic, sweeping soundscape for the saxophonist and his guest vocalists, including Vanessa Williams, who contributes an exquisite version of "The Way We Were," and Johnny Mathis, who perfectly captures the bittersweet quality of "The Shadow Of Your Smile," from The Sandpiper. Other highlights include Anita Baker's elegant rendering of "Somewhere," from West Side Story and Donna Summer's shimmering version of "A Whole New World," from Disney's Aladdin. Barry Manilow duets with Koz on a hip arrangement of Henry Mancini's " Moon River," and India.Aire delivers a deeply personal performance of "It Must Be You," from Tootsie. At The Movies is a must-have for music and film lovers everywhere. Disappear into another world and spend some time At The Movies.
SQUIGS DRAWS THE STARS. Justin 'Squigs' Robertson is well known in the
Los Angeles theatre community for capturing show biz folks in pen and
ink, and his acclaim is quickly spreading across the country. He loves
sushi. His favorite song is 'It's Only A Paper Moon'. And he
genuflects upon merely hearing the name of Al Hirschfeld. His
whimsical illustration and design is aided and abetted by his parallel
career as an actor and entertainer. You can visit for a look at Squigs' take on such talented friends of Cast Party as
Jeff Blumenkrantz, Julia Murney, Christine Ebersole, Victoria Clark,
Kelli O'Hara, Bob Martin and Liza Minnelli. www.squigsink.com
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!
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, 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:
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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