Amra-Faye Wright Makes NYC Concert Debut at the Met Room This December

This month, celebrated Broadway and West End star Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly in Chicago) will make her long-awaited New York City concert debut with "Sittin' on Top of the World," an all-new evening of songs and stories, for five performances only at the Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street, between 5th and 6th Aves).

With musical direction and arrangements by Mark Hummel, performances of "Sittin' on Top of the World" are set for Monday, December 27 at 9:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 29 at 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., and Thursday, December 30 at 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Tickets are $20 each (plus a two-drink minimum) and are available online at www.metropolitanroom.com or by calling 212-206-0440.

"Sittin' on Top of the World" is an elegant evening of wry tales, which traces with engaging wit and sophisticated glamour, Amra-Faye Wright's unlikely journey from African farm girl to Broadway leading lady - illustrated with stylish interpretations of The Great American Songbook, popular show-tunes and renditions from her native South Africa and other lands.

Featuring Mark Hummel on piano, Jeff Carney on bass and Heinrich Kruse on drums, "Sittin' on Top of the World" is an evening that warmly illustrates Amra-Faye's amazing passion for life and tenacious insistence on making home anywhere in the world that strikes her fancy.

Amra-Faye Wright's performing career grew unconventionally from The Farmlands of her native South Africa to the international stage, resulting in a versatile and eclectic performance style.

She began her career as a dancer and discovered her voice while performing at the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo, which lead to two years starring at the Cabaret du Casino de Monte Carlo. After that, she starred in many multi-million dollar musical extravaganzas across the globe and in Southern Africa's Sun City.

She has worked in many musical genres, but has returned again and again to her love of cabaret. Her most rewarding successes include It's Not Where I Start and Rouge Pulp (both of which are FNB Vita Award winners in South Africa) and Drinks on Me.

Most recently, Amra-Faye has dazzled audiences all over the world as merry murderess Velma Kelly in the hit musical Chicago, a role she has played to great acclaim since 2001, and which for the past five years has taken her back and forth from Broadway to London's West End, and this year to Japan, where she performed the role in Japanese.

Amra-Faye is proud to be a part of Broadway in South Africa, a performance outreach organization impacting on the healthy development of youth in South Africa.

Musical director and arranger Mark Hummel has written cabaret acts for Chita Rivera (Feinstein's), Marcia Lewis (Rainbow & Stars), Karen Akers (Carnegie Hall) and Julie Wilson (The Algonquin). He also frequently collaborates with Brian Stokes Mitchell, Barbara Cook, Rufus Wainwright, Bernadette Peters and Tommy Tune.

As Music Director for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Hummel wrote three compositions for their 75th Anniversary in 2007, and on Broadway this season, the new musical Sister Act will feature his dance musical arrangements.

Visit www.metropolitanroom.com for more info.

Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel

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