The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Café (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue our Friday night soiree, THE AFTER PARTY. Now going strong it's third, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as "a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined." Every Friday from 10:30 pm until the wee hours, pros from Broadway and aspiring stars alike belt it out on the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Join hosts Brandon Cutrell (MAC & Bistro Award winner) and Alysha Umphress (XL Star) with Ray Fellman (Captain Louie) at the piano for this weekly party in the theatre district. There is no cover charge for this event. Come and sing yourself as the mic is always open, or sit back and enjoy a cocktail with friends. Located just blocks from the Great White Way, you never know who might drop in.
Friday, December 19th, we're pleased to to welcome Wicked's Kristy Cates, KITTY HICCUPS, Vanities' Lauren Kennedy, The Apple Tree's Cindy Marchionda, Hairspray's Marissa Perry, Ace's Gabrielle Stravelli, and Avenue Q's Sharon Wheatley. All will be on hand to greet fans and perform a few numbers as only they can. Professor Terry LaBolt, who taught Cates, Cutrell, Hiccups, Kennedy, Marchionda, Stravelli and Wheatley at CCM, will also perform.
The Laurie Beechman Theatre is located downstairs, within The West Bank Café, 407 West 42nd St. at 9th Avenue . There is a full bar and bar menu available, and reservations are not necessary for this event. THE AFTER PARTY highly recommends audience members arrive early. Seating is first come, first serve. Priority seating may be given to those who wish to order from the menu and/or the bar.
Kristy Cates recently originated the role of Tracy Boyd in the Off-Broadway bound musical Unbeatable. The actress is best known for playing the role of Elphaba in the smash hit musical, Wicked. She made her Broadway debut as a member of the original Broadway cast (as, among other things, "the woman with the parasol" in the Emerald City). Kristy was the original understudy to Idina Menzel, and filled in for an injured Stephanie Block for several weeks in Toronto. Kristy went on to complete a twelve month runas Elphaba in the Chicago production of the mega-hit. Other New York credits include Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall, Princess Ida and her acclaimed portrayal of Ruth Wallis in the off-Broadway production of Boobs! The Musical. Kristy has also appeared at the St. Louis MUNY, The Lucille Lortel White Barn Theatre, North Bay Opera, The Playhouse on the Green and The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Conference. As a singer, she's appeared at a number of nightlife hotspots, including Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, The Producer's Club, Joe's Pub, XL, The Triad, Vlada and Therapy. She was also honored to sing the National Anthem for the Chicago Bears, Bulls and White Sox. Kristy is a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music where she was the first recipient of the Laurie Beechman Scholarship Award. Please visit www.KristyCates.com.
