Photo Flash: Anita Gillette Returns to Birdland

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present the return of actress/singer Anita Gillette to her musical home on Monday, September 28 with her show, "So, As I Was Saying..."

Ms. Gillette premiered this new autobiographical concert to rave reviews at Birdland in March. In the show, she weaves her hilarious stories with song, covering her many years on Broadway and in films with stories about such people as Burt Lancaster ("It Never Was You"), Bill Murray ("Baby Elephant Walk"), Irving Berlin ("Song For A Belly Dancer"), and Tina Fey ("Blue Skies").

Anita Gillette has won both a MAC and Bistro Award for her show "After All," which premiered at Birdland three years ago, garnering reviews like "as close to perfect as a cabaret show can be" (Cabaret Scenes/Benjamin), and "seamless, exuberant, humorous and touching" (Bistro Awards/Windeler). She has appeared in fourteen Broadway shows and won a Tony nomination for Chapter Two. But she may be best known as Tina Fey's mother in "30 Rock," or Quincy's bride in "Quincy," or as Mona the Mistress in "Moonstruck," or Miss Mitzi in "Shall We Dance." She has also played everybody's mother on film: Bill Murray ("Larger Than Life") Jack Black ("Bob Roberts"), Jennifer Anniston ("She's The One"), John Goodman (Normal Ohio), Mary Louise Parker ("Boys On The Side"). She appeared on every game show ever created, "Pyramid" being her favorite. She was a foil for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show at least 50 times! She had recurring roles on "CSI" and "Law & Order" and a was a regular on "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," "Almost Grown" (by David Chase), "Normal, Ohio," and "The War At Home." She recently guest starred on "Blue Bloods" and "Modern Family."

Photos by Kevin Alvey