Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill - 2014 Broadway History , Info & More
Circle in the Square (Broadway)
1633 Broadway at 50th St. New York, NY
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill recounts Billie Holiday's life story through the songs that made her famous. 1959, in a small, intimate bar in Philadelphia, Holiday puts on a show that unbeknownst to the audience, will leave them witnesses to one of the last performances of her lifetime. Through her poignant voice and moving songs, one of the greatest jazz singers of all-time shares her loves and her losses.
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill - 2014 - Broadway Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
Audra McDonald offers a moving night with 'Lady Day'
9 / 10
McDonald gets to show off her comedic skills, naughtily teasing her conductor and pianist (the excellent Shelton Becton) and wandering among the audience members who sit at tables incorporated into the set. At one point, her Holiday heads for the bottles of booze lined up in back of them and pours herself a strong one; at another, she nuzzles her pet pooch, Pepi (played by a sweetly poised rescue dog named Roxie)...Not surprisingly, though, Lady Day is at its most potent when the songs speak for her. McDonald delivers a beautifully phrased God Bless the Child, an enchanting Crazy He Calls Me, a chilling Strange Fruit.
Stepping Into the Shoes of a Ravaged Singer
8 / 10
We hear much (too much) of this sorry story during the show, written by Lanie Robertson and directed by Lonny Price, and first produced Off Broadway in 1986...Mr. Robertson has created a persuasive voice for these reflections, salty and sassy, occasionally flaring into hot bursts of anger, and prone to gin-fueled digressions. Ms. McDonald moves between the moods with a jittery sharpness, conveying the warmth and humor in bright, glowing bursts that can quickly subside into dark, bitter ruminations on the wayward, reckless groove into which her life gradually fell...Still, it's worth putting up with the show's tackier (and duller) aspects for the pleasure of hearing Ms. McDonald breathe aching life into some of Holiday's greatest songs.
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill History
Other Productions of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
| 1986 | Off-Broadway |
Original Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
| 1986 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2014 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 2017 | West End |
West End Production West End |
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill - 2014 Broadway Awards and Nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Leading Actress in a Play | Audra McDonald |
| 2014 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Audra McDonald |
| 2014 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill |
| 2014 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Audra McDonald |
| 2014 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill |
| 2014 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play | Audra McDonald |
| 2014 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Steve Canyon Kennedy |
Videos
