theatreWashington's showTunes & Cocktails Begin 11/3

theatreWashington heats up the pre-holiday season with its popular showTunes & Cocktails on Mondays, November 3 and December 8, from 7 to 10 p.m., at the Beacon Bar & Grill, 1615 Rhode Island, NW in Washington DC. Happy-hour prices and a pay-what-you-can admission policy add extra incentives for an event that's sure to make theatre lovers and Broadway aficionados start the week on a high note.

Brad Watkins, Director of Theatre Services and showTunes host, said, "I think showTunes & Cocktails is a bit of a phenomenon. People who love theatre, people who loved starring in their high school musical, people who sing like a Broadway pro but, instead, chose to run IBM or the corner deli all come together for a moment of nostalgia, their great love of the art, and the unabashed joy of singing their hearts out."

Special guest Chris Sizemore, currently rehearsing Fiddler on the Roof at Arena Stage, joins Glenn Pearson and Brad Watkins on November 3 to sing a handful of solos and to encourage veterans and newcomers to raise their voices - as they raise their glasses. Sizemore was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for his work in LES MISERABLES at Signature Theatre, where his appearances also include Miss Saigon and The Crossing. Other work on local stages includes Parade, Civil War, Violet, and 1776 at Ford's Theatre, Camelot in Concert at The Kennedy Center, and Candide at Shakespeare Theatre Company.

On December 8, Vincent Kempski takes a Monday-night break from Round House Theatre's musical-comedy The Nutcracker to help theatre lovers sing in the holidays. Another Signature Theatre regular, Kempski was featured as Tulsa in Gypsy, and appeared in Miss Saigon, Spin, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Other area credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Ford's Theatre, Spring Awakening at The Keegan Theatre, and an appearance as Teen Angel in Grease at Olney Theatre Center.

In keeping with theatreWashington's mission to promote the work of professional theatre's throughout the capital region, each showTunes & Cocktails event includes a chance to win free tickets to current productions. Already up for November 3 are chances to attend Fiddler on the Roof and Five Guys Named Moe at Arena Stage, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures at Theater J, Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe at Molotov Theatre Group, and Visible Language at WSC Avant Bard.

For more information on showTunes & Cocktails, and to get production and ticketing details for all 90-plus professional theatres in the greater Washington area, visit theatreWashington.org.