Monday, October 20, is going to be a huge night of varied entertainment! At 7pm, we're thrilled to bring back RON ABEL in BROADWAY BLOND - An Evening of Musical Highlights! New York critics called his previous sold-out run “a show-biz event” and “dazzling with original songs, musicianship, and amazing guest artists.”  Ron's special guests on this very special evening will include Broadway stars Sierra Boggess (Ariel in The Little Mermaid), Lucie Arnaz and Tony Nominee Valarie Pettiford. Mr. Abel will also introduce newly written songs from his Broadway bound musical Bricktop, which is being produced by Whoopi Goldberg. Call Birdland to reserve your seats - 212.581.3080 or www.BirdlandJazz.com!

THEN…you WON'T believe it.  We can't believe it ourselves.  We have secured the one, the only, the inimitable WING to perform her very first New York concert at Birdland later that night - at 9:30pm. The Hong Kong native and “Asian sensation” achieved cult status through her unique vocal stylings, mastering hit songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber, ABBA, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Mariah Carey, AC/DC, and so many more! (Click for her singular rendition of "Close to You")

With millions of fans worldwide, she has taken the globe by storm.  Wing has been compared to Florence Foster Jenkins, who raised alternative singing into an art form. Before “American Idol” even hit the air, Wing was already a global phenomenon, outshining the success of Idol star William Hung and putting Clay Aiken to shame with her sixteen-hit CDs. Recently, she was immortalized with her very own episode of “South Park,” the animated sensation. Join the festivities at Birdland in what is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as this goddess among men, who's making the trip from her home in New Zealand especially for the occasion, takes the Big Apple by storm and gives “alternative music” a whole new meaning...

For tickets, call 212.581.3080 or click: www.BirdlandJazz.com

PLEASE NOTE: The regularly scheduled Jim Caruso's Cast Party will start following the Wing concert.

RUSS LORENSON RETURNS TO NEW YORK AFTER A TWO-YEAR ABSENCE TO MAKE HIS DEBUT AT The Metropolitan Room with a brand-new show, Standard Time. Did the Great American Songbook stop being written in 1959? Russ Lorenson doesn’t think so, and has a show full of "new standards" to prove his point that well-crafted songs with meaningful lyrics are still being written today, just waiting to be interpreted by thoughtful, jazz-inspired vocalists. Standard Time features great songs all written within the last 20 years by composers such as Harry Connick, Jr., John Pizzarelli, Michael Feinstein, Kelly Park, Ray Jessel, Andrew Lippa, Peter Cincotti - and even Russ Lorenson himself! Shows are October 25 at 9:45pm and October 28 at 9:30pm. Tickets are $25 per person, available by phone at (212) 206-0440 or online at The Metropolitan Room. For more, click: www.russlorenson.com.

MAUREEN TAYLOR BRINGS HER NEW SHOW TAYLOR MADE TO THE METROPOLITAN ROOM. Two Thursdays: November 6 & November 13th @ 9:45PM. Taylor Made tackles “Adult Puberty”. With inspiration from the “fabric” of  Astaire, Mercer, and Porter…. embroidered with the “pearls” of Ray Jessel, Ernie Lijoi, DarWilliams and others, Taylor weaves a musical tapestry of possibilities…when life begins at 40…ish! The show is directed by MAC award winner Lina Koutrakos,with musical direction by Mark Fifer and accompanied by MaryAnn McSweeney on bass. While still fairly new to the NYC Cabaret scene, (although many may remember her interactive Cosmic Cabaret) Taylor is no newcomer to the stage. Her many concert appearances in the UK. include : Theatre Royal Brighton, Bridewell, Heva Castle, Brighton Pavillion Dome and an “Incantations” recording with Tim Wheater in Bath. For more about Maureen Taylor, click: www.maureentaylornyc.com.

A TOAST TO 20! A concert to benefit the National Alliance for Musical Theatre & celebrate the 20th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Bob Martin and Beth Leavel, Tony winners from The Drowsy Chaperone, will host the concert, featuring songs from past Festival shows, performed by Broadway stars including Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Will Chase, Gavin Creel, Malcolm Gets, LaChanze, Lauren Kennedy and Bobby Steggert! Benefit Tickets start at $250. A Toast to 20! takes place on Sunday, October 19th from 6 pm to 9 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street. Register online at: NAMT.ORG.

BILLY STRITCH'S WATERS OF MARCH: THE BRAZILIAN ALBUM: "...Stritch imaginatively captures the magic of the bossa nova rhythm on some terrific cuts, including three by Brazilian music icon Antonio Carlos Jobim. Of these, probably the most memorable is "Someone to Light Up My Life," which most Americans first heard on Sarah Vaughan's legendary Brazilian album. Here Stritch captures the simple sensitivity and all the yearning poignancy the composer had in mind when he first penned it. Sergio Mendez's "So Many Stars" takes you on an indolent, dreamy, and gentle journey...[Stritch's] phrasings and delicate nuances are so insightful that the album becomes a powerful musical statement with many subtle, yet potent, moments." -- John Hoglund, Backstage. The CD and all things Billy Stritch are at www.billystritch.com.

TEDD FIRTH, OF THE CAST PARTY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, is a New York City based accompanist, jazz pianist and arranger. He has accompanied many renowned artists, including Lee Ann Womack, Faith Prince, Tom Wopat, Margaret Whiting, Maureen McGovern and Marilyn Maye. Among the jazz musicians he has worked with are John Pizzarelli, Houston Person, Benny Golson and Joe Morello. Mr. Firth's New York appearances include the Blue Note, Birdland, the Iridium, the Algonquin, the Rainbow Room, Carnegie Hall, and the Russian Tea Room. Tedd's arrangements have been performed by the Philadelphia Pops and the Ocean City Pops. Find him on MySpace Music at www.myspace.com/teddfirth.

STEVE DOYLE, THE CAST PARTY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BASS PLAYER, has been an active part of the jazz and cabaret scene in New York for the past 18 years, performing with many internationally renowned artists including Bucky Pizzarelli, Billy Stritch, Tony Desare, Rigmor Gustafssen, Klea Blackhurst, Hilary Kole, Dave Stryker, Steve Slagle, Christine Ebersole, Pekka Pylkannen, Stephanie Block, K.T. Sullivan, Emily Skinner, Freddie Bryant, Marilyn Maye, Lari White and many others. Get the full scoop and check out his 1997 CD, Presence, at www.stevedoyle.com .

JIM CARUSO…THE PARTY CONTINUES ON CD: Caruso: Live and In Person, with Billy Stritch on piano. "Jim is funny, facile and fabulous! He performs with charm, wit and style, and is vastly entertaining." -- Michael Feinstein. "A cabaret-lover's dream!" -- Chip Deffaa, New York Post. "An unbeatable act of jazz, pop, comedy and conversation that is different from anything else in town." -- Rex Reed, New York Observer. "This impish, twinkling-eyed performer exudes the buoyant spirits of a conetmporary vaudevillian…with an extremely tart lemon tucked firmly in his cheek." -- Stephen Holden, New York Times.

KEN KLEIBER'S OFFERING VIDEOGRAPHY SERVICES. You have the talent, you booked the room and the crowds came. But what about that sought-after agent who was escorting his star client to a premiere? Or that family member who got stuck out-of-town due to inclement weather? Or that best friend who got the 24-hour flu? They can all re-live your shining performance through the magic of digital video. Videographer Ken Kleiber (host of TV, internet & radio’s "That’s Kentertainment!") not only interviews the stars, he films them too. With over 6 years of videotaping experience, Ken has filmed hundreds of hours of cabarets, concerts, live theatre, dance recitals, comedy sets, interviews, on-tape auditions, parties and more. For more information on Ken’s videotaping, copying and transferring services, please contact Ken at kentertain@yahoo.com. Don’t let that once-in-a-lifetime moment be…just once!

MINNELLI & CARUSO: TOGETHER AGAIN…I'm beyond excited to tell you that I'll be performing on the road with my amazing friend Liza Minnelli quite a bit this next year! We're celebrating 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, Tiger Martina and I are working hard to approximate the blend and unique sound that Bob, Dick, Don and Andy Williams brought to Kay's ingenius vocal arrangements. With dazzling direction and choreography by Ron Lewis, and old pal Billy Stritch at the piano, this project is an absolute dream come true!

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

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.

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