This month instead of a mashup of whatever is on our minds, we will once again be presenting a mashup of different theater related events.
What: Birdland Theater
Where: 315 W. 44th St.
New York, NY
When: Visit web-site at https://www.birdlandjazz.com/ for schedule of shows and events
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| Jim Caruso |
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| Gabrielle Stravelli |
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| Max Von Essen |
Mom's view - Birdland Jazz Club has been presenting theater related shows on Monday nights for some time. In order to increase their ability to present this type of shows and events, they have just completed a renovation and added a whole new theater related venue to be known as Birdland Theater. Birdland Theater is at the same location as the original Birdland Jazz Club. It is just downstairs. It is a great little space with a nice sized stage where they will be presenting Broadway show stars in concert, cabarets, and their popular, Jim Caruso's Cast Party open mike events among other things. The space is even equipped for dance performances. We were recently treated to a preview of what to expect in this new space. The performers who appeared at this special preview were singers; Gabrielle Stravelli and Natalie Douglass; singer/musicians, Billy Stritch and Benny Benack III; tap dancer, Luke Hickey; and actor, Max Von Essen, who is currently starring as Gleb in Anastasia. The performances were delightful. The venue is a great addition to Birdland. The sound is terrific and seats are plentiful. There is not a bad seat in the house because unlike in most venues of this type, including the original Birdland, there are no seats that are completely off to the side of the stage. All in all, it is a great little theater and we look forward to seeing many more performances there.
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| Natalie Douglass |
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Benny Benack III
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What: Xanadu: The Reunion Concert
Where: Feinsteins/54 Below
254 W. 54th St.
Cellar
New York, NY
When: This event occured on September 17, 2018
Mom's view: Xanadu was a terrible 1980 movie with a great soundtrack. It was made into a joyous 2007 Broadway musical which kept the great music, enhanced the weak plot, and added a ton of humor which the movie was sorely lacking. The show was a complete delight and arguably one of the most fun musicals ever presented on Broadway. Recently, Feinsteins/54 Below presented a Xanadu Reunion. This entertaining evening included a combination of members of the original cast, replacement cast members and members of the touring cast including Annie Golden, Curtis Holbrook, Kenita Miller, Tony Roberts, Mary Testa, Max Von Essen, and more. They performed a concert version of the entire score of the show. The evening was emceed by Douglass Carter Beane, the writer of the book of the show, who shared interesting tidbits about the show. It was an extremely entertaining evening and a mix of sweet nostalgia and sadness for those of us that love and miss the show. Hopefully, someday there will be a full revival of this engaging show. However, for now it was great just to hear that music sung on a stage again especially by some of the original performers. The only thing that would have made the evening better would have been if the two original lead performers, Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson, had appeared. However, even without them the show was still fabuolously fun and totally worth seeing.
For more about other upcoming shows at Feinsteins/54 Below, visit https://54below.com.
And that's our view. What's on your mind?
Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.
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