Dec. 8-11: Winter Rhythms
Winter Rhythms
December 8-11
Urban Stages
259 W. 30th St., NYC
http://urbanstages.squarespace.com/winterrhythms2016/
Thursday, December 8
7 PM Gretchen and Andrew’s Original Idea
Award-winning artists Gretchen Reinhagen and Andrew David Sotomayor present an evening of original music. They’ll feature songs they’ve each written, as well as music written by their friends. Every song in the program was written by someone in the New York Cabaret community, and/or someone with whom they share a personal connection.
9 PM Will Friedwald’s CLIP JOINT presents GORDON JENKINS’ MANHATTAN TOWER: A 70th Anniversary celebration
In 1946, a composer and conductor named Gordon Jenkins invented the modern “concept” album with Manhattan Tower, an original work for orchestra, narrator, and solo singers that became the spiritual grandfather of such classics as Sgt. Pepper…, Pet Sounds and Tommy. Tonight, we celebrate this classic work (the subject of a recent article in The Wall Street Journal by our host and producer Will Friedwald) with an all-star cast including Carole J. Bufford, Lianne Marie Dobbs, Gabrielle Stravelli and Bill Boggs as narrator, and rare, vintage videos.
Friday, December 9
7 PM The Lady in Penthouse B: A Musical in Concert
A “true life tale told in a musical comedy way” about a talented, frustrated performer working as an assistant to the high-powered, high maintenance gossip columnist, Lady Susan, a/k/a The Lady in Penthouse B. Book and Lyrics by Peter Napolitano. Music by Matthew Martin Ward. With Klea Blackhurst, Erin Cronican, Tom Gamblin, Brian Charles Rooney, Jay Russell and Adam B. Shapiro. Musical Director: Matthew Russell. Directed by Robert Bartley.
9:30 PM A Mother of a Christmas
Hosted by Bill Zeffiro. With Rutanya Alda, Allan Greenberg, Janice Hall and Marissa Mulder. Celebrate the “greatest” film ever made: Mommie Dearest with film legend Rutanya Alda (Carol Ann in the iconic film) as she and Allan Greenberg perform scenes from her tell all The Mommie Dearest Diary followed by a Q & A with Ms. Alda and a performance of excerpts from Bill Zeffiro’s new musical Mommie Deadest, the tale of Lucy Faye, Film Icon and ice skater who purchases a daughter (Lucy Faye Junior).
Saturday,December 10
3 PM Lauren White in Out of the Past: Jazz and Noir
Lauren White is more than a hip singer with a smoky, soulful voice; she’s also a cinema buff with a deep affinity for film noir. In her latest show, she performs songs from her critically acclaimed CD Out of the Past: Jazz and Noir. Her jazzy takes on tunes from iconic movies from the 1940s and ’50s are sultry, sly, and haunting, and the show is enhanced by clips from some of these films. Musical Director: Barry Levitt.
7 PM A Bulldog Christmas Carol: A Night with the Ghosts of Yale Musical Theatre’s Past, Present and Future
Megan Loughran directs and leads a cast of recent graduates in celebrating Yale songwriters: Past, Present, and Future. The Past might include Cole Porter and Mitch Leigh; the Present: Maury Yeston and some others; and the Future, well, the Future looks bright indeed. Musical director Alex Ratner and producer Tom Toce recently teamed with Meg to win the Harvard-Yale Cantata II at Feinstein’s/54 Below. That show was a competition (Yale won, 32-31); this one’s a celebration!
9:30 PM Beth and Ritt’s Holiday Survival Kit Award-winning songwriters Beth Falcone and Ritt Henn perform original and originally-arranged tunes to see you safely through the season. Beth’s “catchy melodies and smart lyrics” (Variety) and Ritt’s “funkier Cole Porter” songs (LA Weekly) soar with her “fiery piano playing” (Chicago Sun Times) and his “cool cat” bass (Time Out NY). With special guests Julie Reyburn, Paul Libman, Connor Coughlin, and more, it’s high quality duct tape and organic beef jerky for the soul!
Sunday, December 11
3PM Tom Toce presents Circles: Cabaret Duo Song Cycle/Acoustic Songwriters Circle In the first half of this show, Peter Lerangis and Kim Oler team up to present a program of songs celebrating the Circle of Life. In the second half, singer-songwriters Tina deVaron, Jo Kroger, and Tom Toce will perform their original songs in an acoustic Songwriters’ Circle. A highly entertaining afternoon produced and directed by Tom Toce.
7 PM From All of Us to All of You: Seasonal Songs and Disney, Too. In keeping with tradition, Winter Rhythms will close with the crowd favorite, From All of Us to All of You: Seasonal Songs and Disney, Too. Inspired by the 1958 Walt Disney TV special, audience members will be in a festive mood hearing songs for the holidays and songs from Disney movies. Hosted by MAC Award winner Adam B. Shapiro, the show will feature a lineup including Trezana Beverley, Jim Brochu, Dawn Derow, Eve Eaton, Kathleen France, Rob Langeder, Stacie Perlman-Langeder, Beverly Leslie Sills, Rev. Yolanda and many more. It will be holiday magic meets the Mouse and bring Winter Rhythms 2016 to a truly joyful conclusion.
Category: New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews, Pick of the Week, Regional
