CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! - THE RAINBOW SHOW Returns to Joe's Pub

Kevin Smith Kirkwood - who appeared on Broadway in the entire run of the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots - will return to Joe's Pub with CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! in a special celebration of 2019 World Pride "The Rainbow Show" on Monday, June 24 at 9:30 PM. The night features a special performance recreating Whitney's appearance at 1999's Pride Dance and her live covers of tunes by the divas who inspired her and keep the LGBTQ community dancing (including Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, and Judy Garland).

In CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE!, the legendary Whitney Houston has come back to earth, reincarnated in the body of Kevin Smith Kirkwood, to deliver a retrospective concert and celebration of some of her iconic live performances. Here, Whitney is backed by a full band and back-up singers (who also play her mother Cissy Houston, brother Gary, and other key figures in her life) and musical director Drew Wutke. With a script constructed from bits of her live concert banter, and re-enactments of her live concert musical arrangements, it's the ultimate Whitney tribute from the ultimate Whitney fan, kicking off 50 years of LGBTQ Pride with this one-night-only event.

Featured on NBC TV and hailed as a "Critics' Pick" by Time Out New York, CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! has played to packed houses at The Cutting Room, around the world on Atlantis Cruises and even a command performance at Whitney's estate. The show was hailed as "pitch perfect" by The Huffington Post, with BroadwayWorld.com calling it "thrilling" adding "Kirkwood's good-natured performance delivered Whitney at her best." According to Washington Square News, "to say that Kevin Smith Kirkwood dazzled as Whitney Houston would be an understatement. You couldn't take your eyes off of him!"

CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! is written by Mr. Kirkwood, directed by Ray DeMattis, with musical direction by Drew Wutke (Into the Woods, Little Fish), featuring John Lucas as Gary Houston, Lacretta Nicole as Cissy Houston, and Kerry Flanagan as Bette Sussman, JaLeesa Beavers as Aretha Franklin, Fred Odgaard as George Michael, and Natalie Joy Johnson as Judy Garland. Costume design is by Kurt Kielmann and Martha Smith, with wigs by Sabana Majeed ("Pose," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel").

The New York Times wrote "Mr. Kirkwood is fabulous in drag!" in Off Broadway's How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes and also hailed him as "hilarious" in It's Karate, Kid, The Musical! The Houston Chronicle exclaimed "Mr. Kirkwood's Trixie registers as a genuine dish - a vivacious femme fatale (with a big belting voice to boot)" and The San Francisco Chronicle raved about his "astonishing Whitney Houstion-ish star turn" in Dragapella! Starring the Kinsey Sicks!

Kevin Smith Kirkwood made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and earned a 2005 New York Innovative Theater Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor for It's Karate, Kid! Kirkwood then wowed audiences in Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots, and starred as Roxy in the 2015 horror film Condemned (written and directed by Eli Morgan Gesner, also starring Dylan Penn and Lydia Hearst). He can currently be heard voicing the character DJ in Marvel's Wolverine podcast, available at Stitcher.com. This summer Kirkwood will play the Scarecrow in The Wiz at Sacramento Music Circus.

CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! will be presented at Joe's Pub on Monday, June 24 at 9:30 PM. Tickets are $30. The venue is located in The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (between East 4th and Astor Place) NYC. For tickets call (212) 967-7555 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM or visit joespub.com, or visit in person at The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street from 2:00 PM daily. There is a $12 food / two (2) drink minimum per person per show, unless otherwise noted.

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