Sign up for the Cast Party Newsletter
Last Week
 
March 20, 2008
Jason Robert Brown might win the award for fastest-selling club-jamming concert in Broadway at Birdland history. 
Jason Robert Brown might win the award for fastest-selling club-jamming concert in Broadway at Birdland history.  He merely mentioned the fact that he'd like to do his beloved Off-Broadway show, The Last Five Years, in a concert setting, and our phones started ringing off the wall. We added another show by demand, and that one sold-out within an hour.  Needless to say, the room was all abuzz on Monday and Tuesday nights, with Jason and Lauren Kennedy singing their hearts out, with the original five-piece orchestra playing the extraordinary orchestrations.  You can check out great photos by Steve Sorokoff on BroadwayWorld.com.  We are in the planning stages for a longer run, depending on Jason's schedule, so keep reading this newsletter for updates! 
Cheryl Freeman (left), the original “Acid Queen” from Tommy sang…what else? “The Acid Queen” from Tommy!
The following Cast Party was ablaze with talent, as always.  Cheryl Freeman (left), the original “Acid Queen” from Tommy sang…what else?  “The Acid Queen” from TommyTedd Firth and Steve Doyle, The Cast Party Symphony Orchestra, have never rocked out so hard.  Then, we went from Tommy to Annie, when Julie Stevens, one of the original Annie orphans, belted “Tomorrow.”  We even did a giveaway of her new documentary, “Life After Tomorrow,” focusing on all the girls who performed in the Broadway show and road companies.  There were lots of newcomers and beloved regulars - (Mark Rupp's wonderful photos are on Flickr!) and we'll be doing it all over again this coming Monday, so we hope to see you there!
- Jim!
 
Coming Up
 
Monday, March 24 will mark the Birdland debut of the songwriting team Heitzman & Reid.
Monday, March 24 will mark the Birdland debut of the songwriting team Heitzman & Reid (left).  Their eclectic material has been called “witty” and “well-crafted,“ with “songs that bring down the house” (Los Angeles Times)Michael Heitzman and Ilene Reid will be performing an evening of their songbook which will include songs from past shows, trunk songs and a whole lot of new material.  Grammy nominated for their participation in the Broadway musical Swing, Heitzman and Reid are also most recently known for their production of Bingo that played Off-Broadway in 2005-2006.  For their Birdland debut, they are thrilled to be joined by many of Broadway's finest performers - Judy McLane, Klea Blackhurst, Ann Harada, Jesse Nager, Danielle Greaves, Beth Malone, Q Smith, Joi Danielle Price, Devin Richards, and many others including a reunion of the three fabulous Bingo Broads, Liz McCartney, Liz Larsen, and Janet Metz.  Please call Birdland at 212-581-3080 or click on: www.BirdlandJazz.com for reservations!

 
 
Our Sponsors
 
JAMIE DEROY & FRIENDS AT THE METROPOLITAN ROOM: JOIN US TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST AT 7:30 P.M. Guests: Nancy Anderson, Heather Bixler, Natalie Douglas, Teri Ralston, the cast of Rendezvous, and Michael Somerville. Director, Barry Kleinbort. Musical Director, Shelly Markham. Next shows: May 14th and June 11th, performers to be announced. Tuesday, April 29 @ 9:30PM, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers. Metropolitan Room at Gotham, 34 West 22nd St between 5th and 6th Avenues. For reservations, call: 212-206-0440. $25 cover, $15 minimum for each show.
JAMIE DEROY & FRIENDS AT THE METROPOLITAN ROOM: JOIN US TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST AT 7:30 P.M.
THE BROADWAY SEASON IS IN FULL SWING and one of the most exciting new openings of the year is the official launch of Audience Rewards, the only experiential rewards program created for theatergoers and patrons of the performing arts. Audience Rewards is proud to offer premiere experiences and entertainment benefits to the loyal fans of Broadway.  All you have to do is join. Membership is FREE. And, as a fan of Jim Caruso's Cast Party and Broadway at Birdland, we will give you a gift of 500 points to get you started toward earning Broadway tickets, unique memorabilia, special experiences and tickets to arts and entertainment events. Membership also includes invitations to VIP receptions and special offers on dining, travel and, of course, Broadway shows. Visit www.AudienceRewards.com to sign up to get many exciting benefits including special presentations and offers brought to you by Jim Caruso and Audience Rewards.
Audience Rewards logo
BILLY STRITCH HAS A NEW CD AND A NEW WEBSITE! At last, Billy Stritch has his own dot-com - and a brand-new album to boot! While you're at the site (created by the Cast Party Webmistress, Kate Botello), peruse Billy's bio, find out where he's playing and read reviews. Listen to clips of Billy's latest, Billy Stritch Sings Mel Tormè, and pick up a copy for yourself and someone you love.

For everything Billy Stritch: www.billystritch.com.

Billy Stritch Sings Mel Torme - and more, at www.BillyStritch.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.

Make Me a Song: the Music of William Finn
ELAINE PAIGE , THE "FIRST LADY OF BRITISH MUSICAL THEATRE," HOSTS AN ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS WEEKLY RADIO SHOW on BBC Radio 2 every Sunday night.  The program is devoted to musical theatre and film music from Hollywood, Broadway and the West End.  The celebrated star of Evita, Cats, Chess and Sunset Boulevard has interviewed a host of stars including Angela Lansbury, Sir Elton John, and Michael Feinstein, and continues to delight audiences with a unque mix of show music and juicy interviews. Click on BBC: Elaine Paige on Sunday to hear the current show.

Make Me a Song: the Music of William Finn
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!

KEN KLEIBER'S OFFERING VIDEOGRAPHY SERVICES.
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!


March 28 Ft. Myers, FL Barbara Mann PAC
March 30 Melbourne, FL King Center
April 26 Guadalajara, Mexico  
April 29 Puebla, Mexico  
May 3 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX Bass Performance Hall
May 9 Biloxi, MS Beau Rivage
May 25-27 London, England English National Opera
May 30 Nothingham, England Nothingham Royal Concert Hall
June 2 Manchester, England Bridgewater Symphony
June 4 Birmingham, England Birmingham Symphony
June 6 Glasgow, Scotland Glasgow Clyde


MINNELLI & CARUSO: TOGETHER AGAIN
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.
DAVE KOZ
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

Squigs draws the showbiz! www.squigsink.com - this week's pic - Christine Ebersole as Little Edie in 'Grey Gardens'
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!

Charlie Lapson: 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.

Jim Caruso ferociously models the official Cast Party t-shirt
The Cabaret Exchange
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?).
 
About Us
 
Look at all the illustrious people!
When:
Every Monday at 9:30 PM!

Where:
BIRDLAND
315 West 44th Street (between 8th & 9th), NYC
212.581.3080

TheaterScene.net
01/12/2008
Outstanding Cabaret of 2007
By: John Hoglund

1 - Jim Caruso: Broadway to Birdland Series – Birdland

Jim Caruso's savvy concept has turned into the weekly tour de force event presenting some of today's leading performer's from the Great White Way. The impressive list of guys and dolls singing show tunes, jazz, pop and all points in between is like no other happening in Manhattan and has evolved into an integral part of New York nightlife – like his wildly popular weekly Cast Party which follows after the show. This talk of the town carnival of talent allows rabid fans to cheer on their favorites up close and personal like: Nancy Anderson, Darius de Haas, Christine Ebersole, Melissa Errico, Sam Harris, Linda Lavin, Christine Pedi and a truckload of other major talents at this legendary jazz club on West 44th.
TheaterMania.com:
"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."

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


This newsletter brought to you each week by Jim Caruso and Traverse City Web Design.
 
Coming Up
 

Copyright Jim Caruso's Cast Party®, All Rights Reserved, 2006-2008. Newsletter by: Traverse City Web Design

Sign up for the Cast Party Newsletter!