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An Interview with Christine Ebersole

By: Nov. 04, 2004
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Tony-award winner Christine Ebersole takes to the stage at Birdland on November 8th and 15th at 7pm alongside Grammy-winner, and

42nd Street
co-star Billy Strich. We checked in with Christine to get the scoop on their new CD "In Your Dreams," and the upcoming concerts.

The Winter Season at Birdland is presented by Jim Caruso.

Opening Birdland's Winter Concert Season on November 8th, will be Christine Ebersole, and Billy Strich celebrating the release of their new CD "In Your Dreams." Both the new CD and the show got their start last February when Christine was invited to perform at Feinstein's. "When I was asked to do a show at Feinstein's at the Regency" said Christine, "I thought it would be great to do it with Billy. We worked together in

42nd Street
a few years ago, so I knew he was a great player and singer in his own right. I thought it would be a great collaboration – and it was!"

The two received rave reviews for those first appearances, which lead to them recording "In Your Dreams" together, which is the premiere recording being released by Sh-k-boom's new Ghostlight Records label. "The album has an after-hours, after the show sort of a feel, it's a real throw-back to the kind of music they had in the old days."

The CD is chock-full of classic songs, including "Fine and Dandy," "Surrey With The Fringe On Top," "My Ship," "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me," "Dream Your Dream," Lullaby on Broadway" and "There's A Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York," all of which Birdland audiences will soon see in concert as well.

 

The classic feel of the album was intended from its inception, and the two have been performing the show across the country from Los Angeles to Atlanta, all leading up to opening Birdland's Winter Season, which also celebrates the album's official New York launch.

"It's great to play in such a venue like Birdland, because there's not many places like it left. I'm thrilled to be able to park ourselves there, because it's so hard to find a place where you don't have to pay $200 to get a drink, and where you can still see a good show."

The art of putting together a cabaret act is one that's been said to be in jeopardy for many years now, making opportunities like this all the more special. "I think the rising costs are certainly contributing to cabarets being more difficult to put on, so I'm really glad that Birdland is there, and that Billy [Stritch] and Jim [Caruso] are doing the kind of work that they're doing. The two of them are truly carrying the torch, so I'm thrilled at the opportunity to work with both."

 

Looking back at her Tony-winning

42nd Street
experience, Christine describes it as a fantastic memory, and talking about the show, describes it as "a classic American musical filled with hope and promise and great times. It was a fantastic experience, and so exciting winning the Tony, that I'm thrilled that I was given the opportunity and had the chance to be back on the boards."

She rates the experience as 'number two' in her career, following closely behind Dinner at Eight, which she performed at LincolnCenter. "The show was of course, not a musical, but it felt just like one. Having a cast of twenty-seven performers, it was so grand, that it practically could have been one."

 

When asked for her theatrical wish list of parts she'd love to play, Christine comes up with such classic shows as Sweeney Todd, Dear World, Hello Dolly!, and Gypsy. "I would love to do another Broadway musical, either a revival or something new. I think that it's time for things to come full circle with more great new parts for women. The movies of the 1940s had great parts for actresses like the Crawfords, and the Davises, and it should be time for things to come full circle, and for that trend to come around again."

 

"The problem is, there's so many great writers out there, and so many great ideas, but it's just really hard to get the financing. You can't put on a musical like you could back in the old days, because it's too cost prohibitive. I think the future is full of promise though in terms of being able to create roles that would fit women of my age."

As an official call to arms, Christine also adds "consider that a call to anybody out there that might want to write something. I'm open and available if anyone wants to write a show for me!"

 

New writers must wait a couple of weeks however, because Christine isn't open and available till later in November, after her two concerts at Birdland on November 8th and 15th. Hope to see you there!

Who: CHRISTINE EBERSOLE & Billy Stritch
When: Monday, November 8th & 15th at 7pm
Where: BIRDLAND,

315 West 44th Street
, NYC
 Reservations: 212-580-3080
Cover: $30 plus $10 food/drink minimum

For more information, http://www.christineebersole.com




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