Jim Caruso's Cast Party and TheaterMania.com are proud to announce the return of successful songwriter & performer VICTORIA SHAW and her celebrated showcase Under The Covers With Victoria Shaw, Monday, December 8, 2008 at 7:00pm, as part of the long-running, Nightlife Award-winning concert series Broadway at Birdland.

Hosted by SHAW, Under The Covers… has become a recurrent highlight, featuring a wide variety of top-selling songwriters and musical acts from across the pop, rock and country worlds, and offering intimate acoustic performances of huge hit songs - along with the little-known stories behind them.  Already confirmed to join SHAW are award-winning singer/songwriter TY HERNDON (“What Mattered Most” and “Living in a Moment”) and RIVERS RUTHERFORD, who has written mega-hits for Brad Paisley/Dolly Parton (“When I Get Where I'm Going”), Tim McGraw (“Real Good Man”), Brooks & Dunn (Ain't Nothing 'Bout You), and hits by Rodney Atkins, Kenny Chesney and Montgomery Gentry.

Responsible for over 65 million album sales, SHAW is best-known as the writer of “The River,” one of Garth Brooks's biggest hits, as well as “I Love The Way You Love Me,” recorded by John Michael Montgomery, and “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely,” performed by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera.  Her songs have also been recorded by such major stars as Olivia Newton John, Boyzone, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Reba McEntire, Tricia Yearwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Michael McDonald.  The winner of two Emmy Awards, SHAW is also an accomplished singer, releasing four albums (two on Warner Bros. Records and two independently, on her own Taffeta label), and touring extensively throughout the U.S. and across Europe.  She also notably opened for Garth Brooks at his historic 1997 Central Park concert.

TY HERNDON is an American country music singer, who was signed to Epic Records in 1995.  He made his debut that year with the Number One single "What Mattered Most,” followed by the release of his first album, also entitled “What Mattered Most.”  This album was followed one year later by “Living in a Moment,” which produced his second Number One country hit in its title track.

Three more albums for Epic followed - Big Hopes (1998), Steam (1999), and This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits (2000).  He recorded a Christmas album in 2002 for the Riviera label, followed by his fifth studio album (2007's “Right About Now”) and a second Christmas compilation for the Titan Pyramid label.

Overall, Herndon has charted a total of seventeen singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. This figure includes three Number ones - "What Mattered Most" (1995), "Living in a Moment" (1996), and "It Must Be Love" (1998) - as well as four additional Top Ten hits.

RIVERS RUTHERFORD has been an active writer on the Nashville scene since the mid-1990s.  He has penned several Number One country hits, including "Ain't Nothing 'bout You" by Brooks & Dunn, which was the Number One country song of 2001 on the Billboard charts  Among the other Number Ones that he has composed are "If You Ever Stop Loving Me" by Montgomery Gentry, "When I Get Where I'm Going" by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton, "Real Good Man" by Tim McGraw, "Living in Fast Forward" by Kenny Chesney, "Ladies Love Country Boys" by Trace Adkins, and "These Are My People" and "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)" by Rodney Atkins.  He has also released a solo CD called “Just Another Coaster.”

UNDER THE COVERS WITH VICTORIA SHAW
Special Guests: Ty Herndon and Rivers Rutherford
Date: Monday, December 8 at 7pm
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Broadway at Birdland
315 West 44 Street, NYC
Reservations: 212-581-3080
www.BirdlandJazz.com
$25 cover, $10 food/drink minimum

NEXT: GuyTunes with Nick Blaemire, Justine Keyes & Joey Khoury - December 15!

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!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? After two years touring with the incomparable Liza Minnelli, we're bringing the show to Broadway!  Liza's At The Palace open at The Palace Theatre on December 3, and will run for 4 weeks! Check out the website for all the details. The first act is pure Liza at the top of her form, and the second act will celebrate the late, extremely great Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers' historic nightclub act that took the world by storm in the late 40's.  Cortés Alexander, Johnny Rodgers, Tiger Martina and I have worked 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!

DECEMBER 3 - 14

NEW YORK, NY

THE PALACE THEATRE

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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