THE BROADWAY LOCAL - Betty Buckley

  

 From the soaring melodies of classic revivals to the hottest  dramas playing today - there is no experience like "Broadway."

 And part of what makes Broadway so exciting is that it's  located right smack dab in the middle of New York City!

 With "THE BROADWAY LOCAL", BroadwayWorld celebrates  the creative theatre professionals who bring their talents to  the city's Broadway stages and call the Big Apple home.

Tony Award winner Betty Buckley is currently in town performing a series of concerts at Feinstein's at Lowes Regency. The celebrated actress, gifted with a powerhouse voice and a  dynamic stage persona, is definitely a "Broadway Local."  Buckley took time out of her busy schedule to give us the inside  scoop on her favorite New York City picks and places.

   Memory of your first time seeing a Broadway Show
   I saw Angela Lansbury in "Mame" at the Winter Garden Theater. I was transported!

   Your Broadway debut: When, where and how
   In the musical 1776, I originated the role of Martha Jefferson at the 46th Street Theater                (currently the Richard Rodgers Theater) in the Spring of 1969.  I was cast in the show on                first day in NYC (January 1969).

  Favorite NYC Street and why you think it's special
  Madison Avenue. I love window shopping.

              Favorite NYC restaurant
                 Bond Street on Bond Street and Orso's on West 46th Street.

 Pre-show and post-show meals
 Pre-show: Grilled fish, vegetables and salad.  Post-show: Fruit and non-fat yogurt and  hot tea always.

                 On the subway, what is your line and what other ways do you get around the city?                  I'm not good at the subway. Definitely cabs. But prefer to drive my own car and bob and               weave through traffic.

     Best Broadway bargain and where can we find it?
    Invitations to opening nights.

     Who do you think truly defines NYC
                 The New York Times

   Favorite NYC Song
  "New York, New York, It's a Wonderful Town!"

                  Local Must: one item you never leave the house or theater without
               A ring from my teacher that I always wear.

   Classic New York moment
   I love when people share cabs in really bad traffic.

                   Favorite classic NYC spot
               Shakespeare in the Park - or a walk/run in Central Park, especially around the reservoir.

   NY Style: Who has it and why?
   I love the way New Yorkers dress for walking and survival in the city. We have to carry    everything with us to be ready for our day

Betty Buckley is a Tony award winner who has thrilled audiences for years with acclaimed performances in such Broadway shows as Sunset Boulevard, Cats, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and 1776. Recently her highly praised starring role in the M. Night Shyamalan feature film The Happening, joins her other memorable film performances which include Tender Mercies, Frantic, and Carrie. She also has an extensive concert career, and recently received rave reviews for Broadway by Request at New York City's prestigious Feinstein's at Loew's Regency nightclub. In 2009, Ms. Buckley was honored with the Texas Medal of Arts Award for Theater and was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in 2007.

Buckley has been a teacher for 37 years and has taught numerous singers, actors and professionals including investment bankers, athletic coaches and persons who want to perfect their ability to effectively communicate in their work and in relationships. The class also welcomes auditors who participate in all aspects of the class except the individual singing coached by Buckley.

She is also an Emmy-nominated television (Eight Is Enough, Law and Order:SVU and HBO's Oz) and film star (Tender Mercies, Carrie, Frantic, Another Woman and The Happening).

The Actor-Singer works regularly in concert with her ensemble of musicians. Her solo CD, Stars and the Moon: Betty Buckley Live at the Donmar Warehouse, received a Grammy nomination. In 2007, she released a new CD Betty Buckley 1967, which hit the Billboard charts. Her newest recording Quintessence, with long-time collaborator Kenny Werner and her quintet was released by Playbill and Sony BMG Broadway Masterworks in Spring 2008.

Buckley is performing her new critically acclaimed show "For the Love of Broadway!" at Feinstein's at Loews Regency throughout February of 2010. Performances run through the 27th and take place Tuestday through Thursday at 8:30pm and Friday and Saturday at 8:00pm and 10:30pm. Tickets for the concert may be purchased online or by calling the Feinstein's at Loews Regency box office at 212-339-4095. For more information, visit www.feinsteinsattheregency.com.

Click Here for More of The Broadway Local!