BWW Previews: Brandy's Piano Bar Launches SUPPORT BRANDY'S Concert Series August 6th

Brandy's, the Upper East Side neighborhood piano bar that is a home away from home for patrons and staff alike, has been navigating the last five months of the global health crisis and New York City lockdown with online concerts, Gofundme drives, and a lot of grace and grit. This week, as the future of the bar and the Brandy's family lies in the hands of a questionable fate, the team prepares for a massive month-long fundraising effort.

Brandy's staff member John Bronston sent the following email to any and everyone who might help raise awareness, serve as potential audience members, or act as possible donors in the effort to keep the neighborhood haunt alive.

As we enter the fifth month of the shutdown of New York City's nightlife, the staff of Brandy's Piano Bar asked how we could help keep the lights on at our beloved establishment. We decided to dedicate the month of August to raising funds to keep our bar alive, which is a valued part of the city's nightlife and a small locally owned gay business that welcomes everyone who crosses our threshold. It has been a home for countless musicians and entertainers over the years and we wish it to remain so for years to come.

On August 6th we will hold our first Support Brandy's fundraising concert, broadcast live from Brandy's to Facebook and YouTube. All proceeds will go to helping keep Brandy's going and the first show will feature the talents of Jennifer Pace, Jon Satrom, Joe Ardizzone, Gregg Goodbrod, and Lauren Mufson with John Bronston at the piano. In addition we will have appearances by an all-star roster of friends of Brandy's. This week we are pleased to welcome Erica Lustig (National tour of Hair), Tommy McDowell (National tours of Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret, and American Idiot), and recording artist Anne Steele (multi MAC, Bistro, and Nightlife Award Winner, headliner Joe's Pub, Provincetown Pride, Town Hall, The Beacon Theatre, and Symphony Space in addition to tours throughout the US, Europe, and at sea with RSVP Vacations, Atlantis Events, and R Family Vacations).

This is the first in a series of Thursday night concerts that will be broadcast Live from Brandy's in the month of August featuring the staff and friends of Brandy's Piano Bar. Each show will begin at 7:00 PM EST and can be found at the Brandy's Facebook page HERE and on Youtube HERE

We hope you will join us for what are sure to be incredible evenings of entertainment! If you would like to Support Brandy's Piano Bar, please visit our GoFundMe HERE

Sincerely,

John Bronston For The Staff of Brandy's Piano Bar

Brandy's has been operating as a piano bar since 1980, when it was purchased by Erv and Rob, the original owners of Don't Tell Mama and The Duplex; before that, though, the space was a seafood serving singles bar tof the 60s and 70s. Indeed, legend has it that the building has housed a bar of some sort since before Prohibition. Joe Connell purchased Brandy's in 1985 and, at his death two years ago, left it to Jim Luzar, a 4-time MAC award recipient for directing and writing the likes of Brian Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, Nancy Wilson, Betty Garrett, and The Mama's and the Papa's. Mr. Luzar directed the Warner Bros. Music series at the Algonquin, featuring Chaka Khan, Nancy Wilson and Annie Ross among many others. LA credits include four seasons with Cybil Shepherd on Cybil and cult favorite M.Y.O.B. with Lauren Graham. New York audiences have seen Jim in I Love To Singie, and numerous collaborations with Ricky Ritzel and casts of ten's in his one-man show, Waiter, There's a Fly In My Soup. Luzar's roots are found in the New York piano bars performing and managing at such favorites as Don't Tell Mama's, The Duplex, 88's, The Five Oaks, and Marie's Crisis.

The staff at Brandy's represents people at all stages of their performing arts careers. Lauren Mufson has worked as an actress around the country, including three years on the Broadway and with the First National Tour of Mamma Mia, playing Donna. She has also worked at Brandy's off and on for twenty years. Gregg Goodbrod was in the original Broadway cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Joe Ardizzone has performed all over the country as well as becoming an internet sensation for one of his surreptitiously recorded performances at Brandy's. Jennifer Pace is a respected jazz singer in Manhattan and the winner of several MAC awards, and Jon Satrom toured with the first and second national tours of A Year With Frog and Toad as well as continuing to work regionally and in Manhattan as an actor and as a cabaret artist. John Bronston served as the musical director of the North American tour of Hair and is currently the conductor of Bounce: The Basketball Opera in Manhattan. These members of the Brandy's family represent the first of the weekly fundraisers that will include special guests Erica Lustig (National Tour of Hair), Tommy McDowell (National Tours of Cabaret, Jesus Christ Superstar, and American Idiot), and Anne Steele (multi award winning recording artist), who have all spent time working at Brandy's at some point in their careers.

Brandy's is a home for artists that sustains them in between the big gigs, giving them support, both artistic and financial, and a second family, not just with their colleagues, but with the regular patrons who have come to rely on Brandy's as a home away from home.