Michael Feinstein And Christine Ebersole Debut GOOD FRIENDS At Feinstein's 9/8-12

By: Aug. 21, 2009
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FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed "Best of New York" by New York Magazine and "an invaluable New York institution" by The New York Post, will open its star-studded Fall 2009 season with the first joint engagement of the club's founder Michael Feinstein and two time Tony Award winning Broadway and TV star Christine Ebersole from September 8 - 12. Their new duet show "Good Friends" will feature classic standards and Broadway hits by Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart and Jerry Herman, in addition to never-before-heard rarities from the Great American Songbook. Feinstein's longtime Musical Director John Oddo will lead the all-star band. All shows take place at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street).

Michael Feinstein - the multi-platinum selling, five-time Granny nominated entertainer dubbed of "The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook" - is considered one of the premiere interpreters of American Popular Song. His 150 plus shows a year have included Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and major concert halls, as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace. More than a mere performer, he is nationally recognized for his commitment to the American popular song, both celebrating its art and preserving its legacy for the next generation.

The Sinatra Project - his latest CD from Concord Records which celebrates the musical sensibilities of "Old Blue Eyes" - earned Michael his fifth Grammy Award nomination in 2009. Feinstein is currently preparing a PBS-TV series, "Michael Feinstein: Man On A Mission" - to start airing in 2010 - in which Michael discovers treasures of the Great American Songbook around the world. He is designing a new piano for Steinway called "The First Ladies," inspired by the White House piano. Feinstein will also serve as the Artistic director of the Carmel Performing Arts Center, a $160 million three-theatre performing arts center in Carmel, Indiana which will host an annual international Great American Songbook festival, along with diverse live programming and a museum to house his rare memorabilia and manuscripts.

Feinstein served as host and consultant on the new PBS documentary film "Soundies: A Musical History" and has written the score for a new stage musical The Gold Room, opening soon in London's West End. His previous CD from Concord Records is Hopeless Romantics, a songbook of Harry Warren classics recorded with legendary jazz pianist George Shearing. In 2004, Michael completed a national tour with songwriting icon Jimmy Webb based on their CD, Only One Life - The Songs of Jimmy Webb. The disc was named one of "10 Best CDs of the Year" by USA Today. Recently he hosted and produced The Great American Songbook, a PBS Special and DVD set from Warner Brothers that traces the history of popular music in our country and debuted at the Palm Springs Film Festival.

Christine Ebersole has enchanted audiences throughout her performing career, from the Broadway stage to television series and specials, films, concert appearances, and recordings. Ms. Ebersole received virtually every Off-Broadway award and her second Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical in Grey Gardens. Christine just ended a successful run in the Broadway revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit as Elvira. Other memorable New York stage performances include her Tony Award-winning performance as Dorothy Brock in the smash hit revival 42nd Street, Steel Magnolias, On the Twentieth Century, OklahomaI, Dinner at Eight (Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations), and The Best Man. She has starred in five City Center Encores! productions, most recently receiving unanimous praise for her starring role as Margo Channing in Applause.

Ms. Ebersole has appeared in many hit movies, including Tootsie, Richie Rich, Black Sheep, Amadeus, Dead Again, Folks!, Ghost Dad, True Crime, My Girl 2, Mac and Me, and the recently released Confessions of a Shopaholic. On television, she was seen as the stripper Tessie Tura in Bette Midler's Gypsy, co-starred in the reunion film Mary and Rhoda, with Diana Ross in Double Platinum, and with Jane Fonda in the critically acclaimed The Dollmaker. She starred in the television series "The Cavanaughs," "Valerie," "Ryan's Hope," "Related," and "Rachael Gunn, RN.," along with appearing in guest starring roles in such hit shows as "Will and Grace," "Murphy Brown," "Cashmere Mafia," "Boston Legal," "Law and Order SVU," "Lipstick Jungle," and "Samantha Who." In addition, Ms. Ebersole was a series regular on "Saturday Night Live" during the 1981-82 season.

In concert, Ms. Ebersole has appeared in numerous halls throughout the country. This fall, she participated in the Opening Night Gala of Carnegie Hall's 118th Season. She appeared with the San Francisco Symphony in their tribute to Leonard Bernstein. After making her debut with the Boston Pops two years ago, she returned to Boston's Symphony Hall and Tanglewood last season to star as Desiree Armfeldt in a concert version of A Little Night Music with the Boston Pops. In televised concerts, she has often appeared on PBS, including her star turns in "Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall" and "The Rodgers & Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty." In December 2006 she performed on the Kennedy Center Honors on CBS. A recording artist as well, Ms. Ebersole has released such albums as Christine Ebersole: Live at the Cinegrill, In Your Dreams, and Sunday in New York. For more information, please visit her website at www.christineebersole.com.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY will present Michael Feinstein and Christine Ebersole for one week only, from Tuesday, September 8 through Saturday, September 12. The engagement will play the following schedule: Tuesday and Wednesday at 8:30 PM; Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM. All shows have a $95.00 cover with $150.00 premium seats and $250 up-front seats. All shows have a $40.00 food and beverage minimum. Jackets are suggested but not required. The club is located at 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street in New York City. For ticket reservations and club information, please call (212) 339-4095 or visit us online at feinsteinsatloewsregency.com and TicketWeb.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.



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