JIM CARUSO IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE BIRDLAND DEBUT of Rebecca Spencer and Philip Fortenberry on Monday, July 26 at 7pm.  This event will be part of the long-running Broadway at Birdland concert series.

Rebecca Spencer & Philip Fortenberry perform as solo artists and as a duo with symphonies and in major concert hall and performing arts center engagements nationally.  Each performer has Broadway, Las Vegas and Hollywood credits, and their collaboration is a magical exchange that stimulates the mind and enriches the soul.  In their Birdland debut, these two remarkable artists will perform music by Keith Thompson (Kooky Tunes), highlights from their award-winning CD, “Wide Awake and Dreaming,’ and their other celebrated CD collaboration entitled, “Fair Warning.”

Rebecca Spencer recently co-starred in Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, where she created the role of Madame Giry in the new $35 million dollar production under the direction of Harold Prince.  She is an original Broadway cast member of Jekyll and Hyde, in which she played the principal roles of Lady Beaconsfield and Guenivere.  Her additional performances in the role of Emma Carew completed a circle that had begun eight years earlier when she created the role at the 1990 Alley Theatre world premiere.  She was also in the final Toronto workshop of Ragtime, directed by Frank Galati, and can be heard on the first cast recording.  In New York, Rebecca has been featured at Lyrics and Lyricists and as well as the Ira Gershwin Centennial at Carnegie Hall, recorded for PBS, and marked her fifth ENCORES! concert at the City Center in March of 2004.  She was featured at the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s 2004 and 2005 NYC Cabaret Conventions and is a 2004 Bistro Award Winner.

Philip Fortenberry has numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows to his credit and can be heard playing on several original Broadway Cast recordings.  In addition, he has recorded nine solo albums, including his most recent solo recording entitled “Broadway My Way” which is now available online and in music stores.  Philip holds a Master of Music degree in classical piano performance, and has performed in concert nationwide at prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to the White House.  Philip is the featured Artist-in-Residence at the Liberace Museum’s Cabaret Showroom in Las Vegas, where he regularly performs his critically acclaimed one-man show, Liberace and Me.  In addition to his concert and recording career, Philip is currently the associate conductor for the Las Vegas production of the hit musical, Jersey Boys.

REBECCA SPENCER & PHILIP FORTENBERRY

WHEN: Monday, July 26, 2010 at 7pm
WHERE: Birdland, 315 West 44 Street, NYC
TICKETS: $25 Cover/$10 food and drink minimum
RESERVATIONS: 212.581.3080 or BirdlandJazz.com

ONE OF THE MOST DEVASATING CONSEQUENCES OF HOMELESSNESS is the impact it has on a child’s education. Frequent transfers to new schools and the stigma associated with living in a shelter add up to great hardship for these children and often result in a child failing or dropping out of school entirely.

OPERATION BACKPACK is a campaign run by Volunteers Of America that offers a chance for these kids to look and feel more like their classmates on that all important first day of school. The program strives to deliver new backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies to the 11,000 homeless children living in New York City's shelter system. (I was shocked when I heard that statistic.)

It is a project near and dear to Broadway alum, Paige Davis. She has been their spokesperson since the campaign's inception 7 years ago. And now she needs our help!!

OPERATION BACKPACK was selected to compete for $250,000 in the nation-wide Pepsi Refresh Challenge for the month of July. Whichever program/idea accrues the most votes wins the $250,000. That is an awesome amount of money for their project. It would literally underwrite the entire program and allow Volunteers Of America to outfit EVERY child who needs one (PreK--12th grade) with a new, filled backpack this year.

GOALS: To outfit 11,000 homeless children with the school supplies they need; to help these children look & feel more like their classmates; to give each child an equal opportunity to achieve academic success; to raise public awareness about family homelessness.

PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK AND VOTE FOR OPERATION BACKPACK!  http://www.refresheverything.com/operationbackpack

You can vote once a day, every day during the month of July. EVERY vote helps. Come on guys! Let's show that Cast Party rules! Let's help Paige and Volunteers Of America win this thing. And more importantly let's show those kids  we care, because it's those kids that will truly win the end.

PROMISES, PROMISES on Broadway! It's Manhattan. It's the '60s. And the city is back in full swing, in Broadway's first-ever revival of PROMISES, PROMISES - starring Emmy® Award winner Sean Hayes (Will and Grace) as the enterprising associate on the way up, and Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked) as the cafeteria waitress whose romantic troubles have got her down. Now playing on Broadway! Click here to save up to 40%! Visit: http://www.promisespromisesbroadway.com

MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL. Join our vibrant new community to connect with theatre practitioners and fans from around the world. Share advice, photos, videos, sets, props, costumes and a whole lot more to bring your next production to life. Visit MTI ShowSpace by clicking: www.mtishowspace.com.

IN 1987 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, A SMALL TOWN GIRL MET A BIG CITY ROCKER and in LA’s most legendary rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the ‘80s. ROCK OF AGES is an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and many more. Don’t miss this awesomely good time about dreaming big, playing loud and partying on.

HERE'S OUR FRIEND Ben Ross cavorting on a cold Canadian beach, but keeping warm in the newest, freshest version of the Cast Party t-shirt! Can you believe this 100% cotton beauty can be yours for a mere $20 plus $5 for shipping? They come in S, M, L and XL! Click: CastPartyNYC.com/Goods.

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.

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.

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.

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.

TRAVERSE CITY WEB DESIGN - BRINGING YOU THIS VERY CAST PARTY NEWSLETTER, offers a full line of web design and online marketing services. We have a wide range of packages and services ideal for entertainers and performers - from one-page "portfolio" sites, to press kits, to full online archives, we can create and host a site that's perfect for you. We also offer marketing services, such as online mass mailings, and can help maximize your site's presence in search engines. Friends & family discount! Mention the Cast Party Newsletter and receive 10% off. Get online with us!

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!

SQUIGS DRAWS THE STARS. Justin 'Squigs' Robertson is quickly becoming known far and wide for capturing show biz folk in pen and ink. 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 onstage. Squigs is currently posting a fresh weekly sketch or two celebrating the American theatre on his Facebook page, 'Squigs Knows His Lines.' Drop by and become a fan. You can also visit Squigs' website for a look at his 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. Visit Squigs on Facebook, too!

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