Harry Connick Jr. Set to Mentor, Orchestrate, and Perform on American Idol, 5/4 & 5/5

Broadwway veteran Harry Connick Jr. will go down in American Idol history when he becomes the first Idol mentor to arrange and orchestrate the songs for the contestants as well as perform.

Connick Jr., who starred in the Tony nominated Broadway revival of THE PAJAMA GAME, will be the mentor for American Idol's Frank Sinatra night next week and will perform on the results show on May 5 along with Lady Gaga. Currently, Sinatra's music is featured in the Broadway show COME FLY AWAY.

Harry Connick, Jr. will return to Broadway this summer for 11 performances only. Harry Connick, Jr. IN CONCERT ON BROADWAY will begin performances Thursday, July 15 at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street) for a limited engagement through Monday, July 26. Harry Connick, Jr. IN CONCERT ON BROADWAY is presented by James L. Nederlander and Broadway Across America.
The playing schedule for Harry Connick, Jr. IN CONCERT ON BROADWAY is as follows: Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm. Tickets go on sale exclusively to American Express cardholders Wednesday, April 21 and to the general public Tuesday, May 4. Tickets range from $136.50 - $51.50 and are available at ticketmaster.com and via phone at 800-745-3000.

Over the past two decades, Harry Connick, Jr. has proven to be among the world's most successful and multi-talented artists. While he first reached a mass audience as a pianist, singer and bandleader, his subsequent success in film, television and theatre have secured his place in the public eye as a renaissance man and a versatile entertainer second to none, garnering him three Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award, as well as two Tony Award nominations. Following a sold-out concert series at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1990 and Tony nominations for his performance in The Pajama Game and his music and lyrics in Thou Shalt Not, Harry Connick, Jr. is happy to return to Broadway. Raised in New Orleans, Connick first performed publicly at age five, appeared on his first recording at age ten and released his self-titled major-label debut on Columbia Records at 19. Since then he has recorded over 24 albums which have garnered sales of over 25 million, and is ranked among the top best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America. His most recent album, "Your Songs," was released on Columbia Records in 2009, featuring Harry's versions of 14 classic popular songs. Film credits include Memphis Belle; Little Man Tate; Copycat; Independence Day; Hope Floats; My Dog Skip; The Iron Giant; The Simian Line; P.S., I Love You; New in Town; Mickey; Bug; and Living Proof. Connick has contributed music to several films including When Harry Met Sally (leading to his first multiplatinum album), The Godfather III and Sleepless in Seattle. Television credits include "When My Heart Finds Christmas" (CBS) and "Harry for the Holidays" (NBC); two Great Performances (PBS) specials: "Swingin' Out Live" and "Harry Connick, Jr.: Only You in Concert" (2004 Emmy Award); "The Happy Elf" (NBC); "South Pacific" (ABC); and "Will & Grace" (NBC, recurring role of Dr. Leo Markus).

The Sinatra episode of "American Idol" will air May 4 at 8 PM and May 5 at 9 PM.

For more information on American Idol, visit online at www.americanidol.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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