A slew of stars came out last night to the Cafe Carlyle to bid farewell to the legendary Elaine Stritch, who began her last New York run. Her new show, Elaine Stritch at the Carlyle: Movin' Over and Out, a freeform evening of story and song, will play for one week only. This will be the final chance to see Ms. Stritch - who has been dubbed the Carlyle's own "Octogenarian Eloise" - give one of her now-legendary performances at her home venue, before she leaves the Carlyle Hotel and the city of New York for good. (Ms. Stritch will be relocating to her home state of Michigan.) Elaine Stritch has played 4 sold-out engagements at the Café Carlyle over the past 7 years.
She told the New York Times: "I loved being on Broadway, but performing has become exhausting, and I just don't want to live in New York anymore. I'm just sick of the competition in New York, the feeling that I always have to rehearse to keep up my performance. I don't feel like rehearsing, even though it should be my favorite thing in the world to do. I just don't have the energy, darling. I'm 88! I don't look or always feel it, but I'm 88!"
On what to expect from her final show, Stritch commented: "Sondheim is a devil, with those lyrics to keep straight, and part of me just wants to tell stories. I'd love to just tell jokes that my dad kept in his wallet."
Café Carlyle is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street @ Madison Avenue). Elaine Stritch will play Tuesday, April 2 through Saturday, April 6 at 8:45PM. There is a $125 cover charge per person and $85 bar seating per person. For additional information, visit www.thecarlyle.com.
Photos by Walter McBride
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