Urban Stages Presents WINTER RHYTHMS 12/11

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director), assisted by director/lyricist Peter Napolitano announces a series of musical evenings entitled WINTER RHYTHMS, beginning on Thursday, December 1 and running through Thursday, December 11, 2011 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30thStreet.) Tickets are $25 per show (both shows in one night, $40). A complimentary glass of wine is included with the price of admission. Tickets will be available on Smarttix.com or 212 868-4444.

WINTER RHYTHMS, marks the third year that Urban Stages has brought noted musical artists to its stage during the holiday period. Proceeds from the musical series helps to fund Urban Stages' Outreach Program that brings over 300 free "arts in education" presentations to libraries and schools throughout the five boroughs.

The opening night benefit will take place on Thursday, December 1st and will honor Donald Smith, founder of the Mabel Mercer Foundation. The evening will be hosted by MAC winner KLea Blackhurst and will feature some of cabaret's brightest lights, including Jeff Harnar, Colleen McHugh, Karen Oberlin, Georgia Osborne, T. Oliver Reid and Jennifer Sheehan. The show will be followed by a champagne reception. Tickets for the opening night benefit performance and reception are $50.

The celebrated cabaret entertainer Steve Ross will close WINTER RHYTHMS at Urban Stages on Sunday, December 11, with a champagne reception and supper. Tickets are $75.

Other performers to present solo shows in the series are Tony Award winner Chuck Cooper, award-winning cabaret artists Karen Oberlin, Jennifer Sheehan, Gay Marshall, Janice Hall, Sarah Rice and David Vernon, Daryl Glenn and Ricky Ritzel, Gretchen Reinhagen, Tanya Holt, classical pianist Steven Cantor, instrumentalist Sean Harkness (Guitar) and Sean Hagerty (composite of electronic instruments). Special group shows include: an evening devoted to the music of Emmy Award winner Glen Roven, composer/conductor, featuring opera star Lauren Flanigan with The Broadway Youth Ensemble, Broadway performers Jeff McCarthy, Donna Lynne Champlin, Luba Mason, Nikolas King and noted opera singers Benjamin Perry Wenzelberg, Matthew Garrett and Christopher Herbert; acclaimed musical director/pianist Barry Levitt's "Jazz Jam" with vocalists Kat Gang, Cleve Douglass and others to be announced; and All in Good Time: The Songs of Barry Levitt and Peter Napolitano, featuring their work together and with other collaborators, to be performed by Tony nominee Robert Cuccioli and cabaret artists Julie Reyburn, Susan Winter, Barbara Porteus, Helena Grenot, Deb Berman, Rob Langeder, Stacie Perlman, Janice Hall, Joshua Dixon, Fran Leonardis and Gary Crawford.

Also included in the series will be seminars in the afternoons on Saturdays at 5PM and Sundays at 3PM at Urban Stages Theatre, 259 West 30th Street. These seminars are co sponsored by Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC; Lennie Watts, President) and Urban Stages. They are free to MAC members and WINTER RHYTHMS ticket holders.

WINTER RHYTHMS
December 1- 11, 2011
Urban Stages is located at 259 West 30 Street
Performance schedule: Monday through Saturday at 7PM & 9PM
Sunday 5PM, 7PM & 9PM

FREE SEMINARS
Saturdays at 5PM and Sundays at 3PM
Urban Stages and Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) will host seminars
Free for MAC Members and WINTER RHYTHMS ticket holders

Tickets are $25 ($40 for two shows, one night) with a complimentary glass of wine
Opening night honoring Donald Smith, Hosted by KLea Blackhurst, is $50

Closing night show and reception, featuring Steve Ross is $75 and may be purchased
through the Urban Stages office, 212 421-1380

Tickets for all other shows can be purchased by visiting www.SmartTix.com or calling 212 868-4444

For more information please visit www.urbanstages.org
For more information: 212 421-1380.