Laurie Beechman News

From one-person character driven shows to pop performers and Broadway personalities, Richard Skipper and friends paint a picture for us of the magic, the music, and the romance that is cabaret!

Writer-actor, Dan Ruth's A Life Behind Bars returns to Los Angeles as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2018. A Life Behind Bars was universally praised by critics in New York City during its 2017 run at the Laurie Beechman Theater on Theatre Row. This past March, Ruth won the 2018 MAC Award for 'Best Spoken Word' and the 2018 Bistro Award for 'Outstanding Solo Play."  A Life Behind Bars opened in Los Angeles in January 2018 with two highly acclaimed performances at the Whitefire Theatre's SoloFest and now it returns to the Lounge Theatre II for five performances beginning Thursday, June 14th at 6 pm, Sunday, June 17th at 10 pm, Monday, June 18th at 8 pm; Thursday, June 21st at 10 pm and Sunday, June 24th at 12 pm.

Two time MAC Award Nominee MargOH! Channing is returning to the fabulous supper club Pangea with her show MargOH!'s Favorite Nips May 18 7PM and May 19 9:30PM

Baldwin Wallace has a long and storied history of producing tremendous theatrical talents. We very proud of our relationship with BW and were thrilled to welcome a new batch of mega stars to Broadway Sessions recently.  Helping to welcome the grads were BW alumni and Broadway scene stealers  Jai'Len Josey (Spongebob), Zach Adkins (Anastasia) and John Kramer (Book of Mormon). We also enjoyed special performance by Christopher Timson and The Beechman's own Michael Kirk Lane.

It was January 25 2011 and Raissa Katona Bennett brought her new show, exploring the music of Jerome Kern to Feinstein's at The Regency Hotel. It got rave reviews from the critics at that time. Amazingly looking and sounding even better, Raissa returned to the cabaret stage last night at The Laurie Beechman Theatre's West Bank Cafe' and Broadwayworld was there. Check out the photos.

The Coastal Cohorts will perform their musical King Mackerel & The Blues Are Running: Songs & Stories of the Carolina Coast at the West Bank Cafe's Laurie Beechman Theatre on Friday, May 18th and Saturday, May 19th at 7 p.m.

Broadway Sessions welcomes Ritchie, Mach, Tunstall, Elledge and more for Boys Night Out, 4/26

Broadway actress-singer, MAC and Bistro Award winner, Raissa Katona Bennett, returns to the cabaret stage in April celebrating the release of her third recording, CAN'T HELP SINGING - THE MUSIC OF JEROME KERN. This romantic celebration of Kern's greatest hits, including 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,' 'All the Things You Are' and 'The Way You Look Tonight,' will play April 26th & May 3rd at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Pianist, Jon Weber, joins Katona Bennett as Musical Director for this engagement. The Laurie Beechman Theatre is in the rear and downstairs at the West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street, NYC 10036. For tickets/reservations call 212.695.6909 or visit: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/986039.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 presents Christopher Timson in #TBT: A Chubby Boy's Guide To Growing Up Normal on Thursday, April 26th, 2018 at 9:30pm. Celebrate Throwback Thursday with the hilarious journey of an awkward, chubby, closeted kid from Long Island, who grew up to be a confident, well­-rounded (pun intended), married gay man! Featuring fast­-paced showtune medleys and blackmail video footage long abandoned in his grandma's basement, Christopher leads you through "a charming, fast-paced, ingenious multi-media extravaganza that, for all its flash and fire, never loses sight of the intimate human story he has to tell. '#TBT…' is practically perfect in every way. [-The Bistro Awards]'

The New York based vocalist has been receiving 'Rave' reviews for her powerful interpretations of the songs written by the legendary team of Alan & Marilyn Bergman. From being called 'The Miracle at Feinstein's,' to being compared to both Streisand and Linda Eder, Marieann's reputation as one of the best interpreters of song working today, continues to soar!  

Someone once said, "Don't Be Cruel, to a Heart That's True"… but it's not ALWAYS a good idea to repress your cruel intentions. Especially if your intention is to create a completely madcap music theatre 90's pop/rock concert retelling of the 90's cult classic Cruel Intentions. Well, thank the musical theatre gods someone saw fit to do just that.

Duo Shows At 54! is a summer series at FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW celebrating the special collaboration of two artists brought together, curated by Creative and Programming Director Jennifer Ashley Tepper. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/series/duo-shows-at-54 or call (646) 476-3551.

Vocalist Rachel Ulanet, who has appeared on Broadway as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, as well as Lovemusik and King David,  makes her Feinstein's/54 Below solo debut with Keep Me Searching. Ulanet's funny and provocative reflection on our changing political and social landscape is supported by a strong and timeless repertoire. Performing music from Stevie Wonder, Kurt Weill, Bonnie Raitt, Michel Legrand and Neil Young, among others, Ulanet explores our shared experiences during these unusual times, and their effect on her life as an artist, mother and citizen. Directed by Julie Reyburn (Sondheim Unplugged, multi-MAC, Bistro, and Nightlife Award winner), Keep Me Searching features a trio headed by Musical Director/pianist Matt Baker, with Ray Marchica on drums and Michael Blanco on bass. The show is Tuesday, May 29th at 7pm at Feinstein's/54 Below, 254 West 54thStreet, Cellar. Advance reservations are highly recommended. Call: 646.476.3551 or visit: https://tinyurl.com/y8kd6ntw.

As they say in Damn Yankees- " You gotta have heart, miles and miles and miles of heart". Or did they mean to say "You gotta have HARTT"? Either way, we had both at Broadway Sessions recently as we welcomed the extremely talented 2018 MT grads from The HARTT School alongside talented HARTT alumni. Enjoy performances by Kelly McIntyre, Spencer S. Lawson, Holly Holcomb and more.

The Coastal Cohorts will perform their musical King Mackerel & The Blues Are Running: Songs & Stories of the Carolina Coast at the West Bank Cafe's Laurie Beechman Theatre on Friday and Saturday, May 18th-19th, 2018, at 7 p.m. each evening.

ROLE TIDE! That's University of Alabama's war cry. What does it mean? Well, I'm not exactly sue, but it might as well mean "Roll out the talent"! We learned that much at Broadway Sessions recently as we welcomed the '18 MT grads and alumni from "Bama". Enjoy highlights from this magical musical night here.

Amy Wolk and Nikki M. James present I Only Have Lies For You, a new live gameshow that pits Broadway panelists against each other in a lying contest.  Two teams of three will go head-to-head telling stories, some of which may not be true---it is up to the other team to guess, Truth or Lie.

Richard Skipper topped himself once again with a rousing afternoon of Broadway and Off-Broadway stars taking to the stage at the Laurie Beechman Theater to tell stories of how they created or personalized great roles in the musical theater.

Creative Arts Lab presents STAGE LIFE, a rousing celebration of lives well-lived in and around the Theatre - The work, the art, the passion, the craziness and the joy, conceived and adapted by Martin Tackel.

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Bway Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano. This Thursday night, April 12th, Broadway Sessions offers up it's one monthly open mic party featuring special guest vocalists.