ON KENTUCKY AVENUE Comes to Stage 72 for Five Shows This August; Preps for Tour, Broadway?

Due to popular demand, ON KENTUCKY AVENUE, a newly revised musical revue based loosely on fact (and mostly fiction) about the people and performers who took the stage and filled the tables at the majestic Club Harlem 'on Kentucky Avenue' in the north section of Atlantic City from the 1930s until the late 1980s, will return to STAGE 72/THE TRIAD, 158 West 72nd Street, for five performances in August. The additional performances will take place on Sundays, August 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 3 PM, and Monday, August 4, at 7 PM.

Tickets for the five additional summer performances are a cool $20 plus a 2-drink minimum. Tickets can be ordered 24/7 from Brown Paper Tickets 1-800-838-3006 or online at www.Stage72.com or www.onkentuckyavenue.com. Doors open at 1/2 hour before curtain. All Tickets will be at Will Call.

The new musical revue, created by Jeree Wade and written by Adam Wade and Ty Stephens, has been in development for the past 2 1/2 years, and is now being prepared for a planned Broadway production in 2015 that will follow a brief tour. The musical is presented by Robert R. Blume, Songbirds Unlimited Productions, Peter Martin/Rick Newman in association with J.R. Knauf, Marshall N. Warner, Marya Coburn and Cobi Narita. Adam Wade is the Director and Ty Stephens is Choreographer.

The show stars Ty Stephens, Cheryl Freeman, and Andricka Hall and features Lee Summers as The Comedian, and Jeree Wade as singer Damita Jo. Also appearing are dancers (in alphabetical order): Donna Clark, Brian Davis, Gregory J. Hanks, Mindy Haywood, Olutayo, Cassandra Palacio and Renee Ternier. The swing dancers are Carmen Carriker and Holly Wright. The on-stage live band features Frank Owens on piano, Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Greg Bufford on drums and Richard Cummings, Jr. on synthesizer.

The original music is by Ty Stephens, Frank Owens, Branice McKenzie, Wilbur Bascomb, Adam Wade and Jeree Wade. The musical direction is by Frank Owens. Musical supervisor is Wilbur Bascomb and music archivist/conductor is Richard Cummings, Jr. Swing dance choreography is by Mickey Davidson. The associate choreographer is Donna Clark. Showgirl consultant is Betty Jo (original Club Harlem showgirl) and creative consultant is Russ Weatherford. Costumes were created by Ty Stephens and Pearl Williams. The production manager is Pearl Williams.

The ON KENTUCKY AVE Club Harlem Revue takes place in a time -- before the Casinos took over Atlantic City -- when nightclubbing was still in vogue with leggy showgirls, hysterical comedians, and great singers and dancers entertaining the well dressed, well heeled audiences. The most famous of the clubs on the musical street known as Kentucky Avenue was the Club Harlem. Regarded in those years as "the black Copacabana" the club starred the major black talent of the era in fantastic stage shows that had flair and fashion from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

ON KENTUCKY AVENUE captures the feel and aura of the club, based on the personal experiences of Adam and Jeree Wade, who performed there during different eras - 30 years apart -- and were witnesses to much of the backstage intrigues that took place nightly. The musical features a hot band, beautiful showgirls, exciting dance numbers, humor, tears and laughs, as well as a poignant love story, performed to an original score true to the era, interspersed with hit songs from that same era!

For additional information, visit www.onkentuckyavenue.com.