ON KENTUCKY AVENUE to Return to Stage 72 for One Night Only This Month

The critically acclaimed musical revue On Kentucky Avenue: A Celebration of Atlantic City's Club Harlem, starring Tony nominee Brenda Braxton and recording artists Ty Stephens and Rosalind Brown, will return to its original theatrical home, Stage 72/The Triad (158 West 72nd Street), for one performance only on Sunday, August 23, at 7 PM.

The production, which celebrates the majestic Club Harlem that was located 'on Kentucky Avenue' in the north section of Atlantic City from the 1930's until the late 1980's, was created by singer/actress Jeree Wade and is directed by Adam Wade, both of whom starred at the famed club, but in different eras.

The production also features Lee Summers as comedian 'Slappy Black' and Jeree Wade as 'Damita Jo.' Also appearing are dancers (in alphabetical order): Carmen E. Carriker, Donna Clark, Brian Davis, Gregory J. Hanks, Mindy Haywood, Olutayo, Cassandra Palacio and Renée Ternier. The on- stage live band features Frank Owens on piano, Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Jack Cabari on guitar and David Silliman on drums.

Tickets for this special performance are $20 plus a two drink minimum. Show-goers can also enjoy a delicious dinner prior to, or after, the performance at SEVENS Turkish Restaurant on the street level of the theater and can receive a 10% discount on their checks by showing a flyer or ticket for the performance.

For tickets, go to www.triadnyc.com, or call 888-596-1027. All tickets will be at Will Call. Doors open at 1/2 hour before curtain.

Returning to the cast for this special performance is Brenda Braxton, whose Broadway credits include Smokey Joe's Cafe, a performance that earned her a 1995 Tony Award nomination, the NAACP Theater Award, the city of Chicago's Jefferson Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Album. Her other Broadway credits include CHICAGO, Jelly's Last Jam, Legs Diamond, Cats and the original production of DREAMGIRLS. She received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "Living the Dream" Award given by New York Gov. George Pataki and the Josephine Baker Award from the National Council of Negro Women for her work as founder of Leading Ladies Just for Teens, seminars geared to empowering teenage girls. She was featured opposite Jennifer Hudson on SMASH on NBC and also appeared in Nurse Jackie on Showtime.

"Club Harlem was known as 'the black Copacabana' and was regarded as the most famous black nightclub of the time since it presented the major black entertainers, singers, comedians and glamorous showgirls of the era in fabulous stage shows that had flair and fashion from Memorial Day through Labor Day," Adam Wade recalls. "And the audiences that came to see these shows were always dressed to the nines."

Creator Jeree Wade adds, "We recently performed our current production in Atlantic City for the first time and we had four sell-out performances. It was a very exciting and emotional experience since there were people in the audience at every performance who were former showgirls at Club Harlem during its heyday and they came back stage afterwards to share memories and meet the current cast."

Jeree also notes that one of this show's production entities - Songbirds Unlimited Productions - is celebrating its 32 years as a production company this year and "we are all excited that 'On Kentucky Avenue: A Celebration of Atlantic City's Famed Club Harlem,' which debuted at Stage 73/The Triad in February 2014, is returning to our first 'theatrical home' for this special performance."

The musical revue, created by Jeree Wade and written by Adam Wade and Ty Stephens, h a s been in development for the past three years, and is presented by Robert R. Blume, Songbirds Unlimited Productions, Peter Martin/Rick Newman in association with J.R. Knauf, Marshall N. Warner, Marya Coburn and Cobi Narita. Adam Wade is the Director and Ty Stephens is Choreographer.

The Original music i s by Ty Stephens, Frank Owens, Branice McKenzie, Wilbur Bascomb, Adam Wade and Jeree Wade. The Musical Direction is by Frank Owens. Musical Supervisor is Wilbur Bascomb and Music Archivist/Conductor is Richard Cummings, Jr. Swing Dance Choreography is by Mickey Davidson. The Associate Choreographer is Donna Clark. Showgirl Consultant is Betty Jo (original Club Harlem showgirl) and Creative Consultant is Russ Weatherford. Costumes were created by Ty Stephens and Pearl Williams. Production Manager is Pearl Williams and Assistant Production Manager is Paulette Clark.

On Kentucky Avenue takes place in a time, before the Casinos took over Atlantic City, when nightclubbing was in vogue with leggy showgirls, hysterical comedians, and great singers and dancers. The most famous of the clubs on the musical street known as Kentucky Avenue was the Club Harlem. Among the stars who performed there were Nancy Wilson, Otis Redding, Ella Fitzgerald, Damita Jo, Slappy White, Adam Wade and Jeree Wade.

For additional information, visit www.onkentuckyavenue.com.