Craig Rubano in Take the Moment: Hamptons Summer Songbook By the Sea at LTV Studios

Craig Rubano

Craig Rubano made his Broadway debut as young lover Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables, performing the role over 700 times. Craig’s concert experience began a cappella, at Yale. As a member of singing groups Redhot & Blue and, following in Cole Porter’s footsteps, The Whiffenpoofs, he performed in 37 U.S. states and 13 foreign countries: highlights included a Carnegie Hall salute to Cole Porter; a Bangkok debut of love songs written by the King of Thailand; a stint at Copenhägen’s Tivoli Gardens; and a command performance in Monte Carlo for then Prince Albert of Monaco. Craig’s debut solo recording, Finishing the Act: Act One Finales from Broadway (AF Records), was the MAC (Manhattan Association of Clubs) Award-winning Recording of the Year. The NY Post hailed Craig’s “resounding legit voice,” on an “impeccably produced, gloriously orchestrated CD.” Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote of the subsequent Finishing the Act concert show, “Craig Rubano has an intelligence and wit to match his robust baritone...an exceptionally well-conceived cabaret debut,” awarding the show a star. Craig has gone on to win Back Stage Bistro, Palm Springs Desert Star, JPF Recording Producer, Creative Music Solutions Talent Search, and four MAC, awards. Craig has been a frequent singing ambassador for the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s mission of preserving the Classic American Popular Song idiom; he has appeared in Cabaret Conventions in East Hampton’s Guild Hall (three times), Palm Springs’ Annenberg Theater, San Francisco’s Herbst Theater, the Prince Music Center in Philadelphia, The Empire Room and The Park West in Chicago, the Greenwich Theater in London, and thirteen years in NYC—five at The Town Hall, and eight on the main stage of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Beth Ertz

As a young pianist, Beth Ertz loved accompanying musical family and friends in local musicals, beginning a lifelong love of Broadway. When studying classical accompanying at the University of Southern California, at night she played in seedy night clubs, much to the dismay of her strictly classical professors. Mentored by composers and arrangers Johnny Mandel, Henry Mancini and Nelson Riddle, she caught the attention of film composer Elmer Bernstein. Beth’s Hollywood career began as orchestrator for Mr. Bernstein for comedies (Animal House, Airplane, Trading Places) and tender stories such as The Chosen and later some quirky films with Danny Elfman. She sees film composition as another form of accompanying, just with a bigger “piano”…the orchestra. Diverse arranging assignments have included Barbra Streisand, Willie Nelson, Placido Domingo, Stevie Wonder, producer David Foster, Pops orchestras, and the Academy Awards Show. In NYC, Beth has musically directed events at The Town Hall, Symphony Space, Lincoln Center, the York and tributes for Encompass New Opera Theatre honoring Chita Rivera, Danny Burstein, Sheldon Harnick, Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Menken and many others. As an accompanist, Beth has loved playing with Bette Midler, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kristin Chenoweth, Melissa Manchester, Karen Ziemba, Brian Stokes Mitchell and various dance companies. But there’s no one she enjoys collaborating with more than Craig Rubano, full of surprises, dipping into the classical realm, Cole Porter, modern musicals…all with his beautiful voice, heart, and soul.

Jeffrey Carney

Jeffrey Carney is touring bassist for Barbra Streisand and jazz great Bobby McFerrin. He has performed with Stan Getz, Sting, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, and many more. Jeff is Principal bassist of the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. On Broadway, he has played first chair for Beauty and the Beast, Cyrano, The Secret Garden, Anything Goes, and Les Misérables. Studio/Film credits include Gemini Man, The Greatest Showman, HailCaesar!, Carol, Mr. Holmes, True Grit, Julie & Julia, The Good Shepherd, Secret Window, Shaft 2, The Producers, and many more. Jeff is a professor for The New School University’s Jazz and Contemporary Music school.

Josh Gladstone

Donna Rubin

Jeff Harnar

JEFF HARNAR is a multiple MAC, Bistro, and Broadway World Cabaret Award winning Director. He was recipient of The Noël Coward Foundation Cabaret Award, the 2022 Mabel Mercer Award, and was the 2022 Chicago Cabaret Professionals National Honoree. He has directed solo shows for Tovah Feldshuh and Rita Gardner, and Broadway World, MAC, and Bistro Award winning shows for Celia Berk, Josephine Sanges, Dawn Derow, Margo Brown, and Therese Lee. Jeff is also a multiple award-winning vocalist and recording artist.