Bway Boys, Testa, Etc. Set for Birdland Concerts in March

"Speakeasy," The Broadway Boys and Mary Testa will be featured at Birdland (315 W. 44th St.) during the month of March.

Presented by Jim Caruso and TheaterMania.com, the Broadway at Birdland series is an outgrowth of Cast Party, a weekly open-mic night catering to the Broadway, cabaret and jazz crowds. 

"Speakeasy" will be performed on March 12 at 7pm.  Press notes state, "New York's legendary jazz club transforms into an old-school speakeasy with a new-fangled twist for one night only.  A host of Broadway's most unique personalities will take you back to the days of Billie Holliday, Nina Simone and Bobby Short with their private, lounge-inspired takes on songs by John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Rufus Wainwright, Stephin Merritt and more."

"Speakeasy" will boast the talents of Kevin Cahoon (The Wedding Singer, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, band Ghetto Cowboy), Michael Winther (Songs From An Unmade Bed, Mamma Mia!), Kyle Jarrow (A Very Merry Unauthorized Childrens Scientology Pageant, Gorilla Man, band Fabulous Entourage), and Michael Conley (Hello Boys!). 

The Broadway Boys will take center stage on March 19 at 7pm.  "Producer Jesse Nager created the Broadway Boys in order to create a new sound for theater and non-theater audiences alike.  By mixing pop, jazz, gospel, and funk elements to Broadway standards, the Broadway Boys have created what has been called, 'a symphony of sound.'"

The quartet will include four of the following Boys: Tyler Maynard (Mary Poppins, Altar Boyz), Tituss Burgess (Jersey Boys), David Larsen (Good Vibrations), Enrico Rodriguez (Rent), Daniel Torres (The Pirate Queen), Telly Leung (Pacific Overtures), Lucas Steele (Threepenny Opera), Steve Morgan (Mamma Mia!), Danny Calvert (Altar Boyz), Ryan Patrick Binder (A Christmas Carol), Michael Scott (All Shook Up), Maurice Murphy (25th Annual…Spelling Bee), and Peter Matthew Smith (Hairspray).  

Broadway's Mary Testa will take the stage on March 26 at 7pm.  The evening will also feature special guests.  Testa, known for her belty voice and earthy presence, was nominated for a 2001 Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony for her performance in the revival of 42nd Street, and most recently appeared in Michael John LaChiusa's See What I Wanna See.  Other Broadway credits include Marie Christine, On the Town (for which she received her first Tony nomination), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Rink (standing by for Liza Minnelli), Barnum and Marilyn: An American Fable.  She won Obie Awards for her performances in On the Town and From Above .

This performance will be a benefit for The Songbook Project, which has a mission to promote the art of live performance with a focus on both new and classic popular songs; to preserve this heritage of song and foster it's artists; and to present these songs in schools, community centers and other venue with the goal of educating and developing new audiences.  Visit www.thesongbookproject.org .

There is a $25 cover and $10 food/drink minimum for all three shows.  Call 212-581-3080 or visit www.InstantSeats.com/Birdland for tickets.