The After Party Features Grey Garden's Erin Davie 12/29

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Café (407 West 42nd St.), is pleased to continue THE AFTER PARTY, an informal social gathering for the theatrically inclined. Every Friday from 10:30pm till 2am, join hosts Brandon Cutrell (MAC & Bistro Award winner) and Alysha Umphress (XL Star), as well as Ray Fellman (Captain Louie) at the piano, for this weekly party in the heart of Manhattan's theatre district. There is no cover charge and no minimum. Come and sing yourself as the mic is always open (only rule: your selection must be from a musical!), or sit back and enjoy a cocktail with friends. Located just blocks from the Great White Way, you never know who might drop in.

This Friday, December 29th, we're especially pleased to welcome special guest Erin Davie. As "Young 'Little' Edie Beale," Erin Davie is making her Broadway debut with Grey Gardens. National tours: SWING!, THE MUSIC OF Andrew Lloyd Webber. Off-Broadway: INFERTILITY. Other credits include CAROUSEL (Olney Theatre Center), JEKYLL & HYDE (Surflight Theatre at Trump Plaza) and THE STUDENT PRINCE (Virginia Musical Theater). She appeared as a featured soloist with the Boston Pops and has a BFA in Theatre from Boston Conservatory. Erin will be on hand to belt out a few numbers as only she can.

And as a special treat, we're pleased to welcome award-winning vocalist Lisa Asher to our family. A favorite of the Manhattan cabaret scene, Lisa's pour is as ferocious as her belt. Lisa will be on hand to sing and pour drinks all night long!

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.

Brandon Cutrell is a Bistro Award and two-time MAC Award-winner. New York credits: Broadway By The Year at Town Hall, The 2nd Annual Broadway Unplugged Concert at Town Hall, Pippin (with Ben Vereen and Rosie O'Donnell), La Gioconda at TheatreSource, David Friedman's King Island Christmas and Liz Swados' Waiting For Lefty. National: Theatre of the Stars, Goodspeed Musicals, the Human Race Theatre and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. For nearly two years, Brandon was the original host of the MAC Award nominated show, Mostly Sondheim. Last December, Brandon made his debut in the world-famous Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel. Last month, Brandon made his solo debut at Feinstein's at the Regency, New York's legendary nightclub on Park Avenue. Please visit www.BrandonCutrell.com.

Alysha Umphress, a recent graduate of The Boston Conservatory, made a splash last year at the Chelsea bar, XL, winning their American Idol-type competition, XL Star. She recently opened for Diana Krall at the Fujitsu Jazz Festival, soloed along side Carlos Santana at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium and performed with the Boston Pops. Regional roles include the Witch in Into the Woods, Trina in Falsettos and Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress. Alysha is the recipient of two Bay Area Theatre Critics Awards for her work in Rags and FAB! She has belted out the National Anthem for The Oakland A's, San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and San Jose Sharks.

Ray Fellman recently made his Off-Broadway debut when he was handpicked by Stephen Schwartz to musical direct his off-Broadway musical, Captain Louie. Other Musical Director credits include The Tutor by Wood/Gerle (59 E. 59th), Reluctant Pilgrim (The Barrow Group), Blood Drive: A Musical Triptych by Sheinkin/Derfner (workshop at the O'Neill Theater Center) and Amahl and the Night Visitors (national tour directed by David Aiken). Ray has been seen behind the piano in The Storefront Theatre's New Mondays (with Bill Russell and Emily Skinner), No Reservations (starring Brandon Cutrell with special guests Karen Mason and Shoshana Bean), Broadway Downtown (with Kristy Cates) and We Miss Nancy: The Storefront Sings Lamott (with Liz McCartney). He has also served as accompanist for Utah Festival Opera Company, The Opera Company of Brooklyn, Mid America Productions at Carnegie Hall (with John Rutter) and A Yuletide Celebration with the Indianapolis Symphony starring Judy Kaye. As a singer, Ray has sung with some of the finest opera companies in the country, including Florida Grand, Glimmerglass and New Orleans operas. Ray holds degrees in piano and voice from the Indiana University School of Music.

Lisa Asher's critically acclaimed one-woman show, Stranded in the Moonlight, recently completed a successful run at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, were she was hailed by audiences and critics alike. Lisa made her national television debut in a solo vocal performance on the Emmy Award-winning The Rosie O'Donnell Show, at the insistence of the show's musical director, John McDaniel. Ms. Asher is the recipient of a MAC (Manhattan Association of Clubs & Cabarets) Award for Outstanding Vocalist, as well as the Back Stage Bistro Award for her solo work in cabarets in New York. Her critically acclaimed debut CD, Let The Mystery Be, was nominated for a MAC Award for Recording of the Year, and her recent release Lisa Asher, Live at The Duplex, is available in stores nationwide. Lisa has appeared as a featured vocalist and actress in numerous concert and theatrical venues around the country. Recently, she appeared with Tony nominated songwriter/singer Craig Carnelia (Sweet Smell of Success, Imaginary Friends) at a sold out concert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Recent theatrical credits include starring in the world premiere of two new musicals – I Married Wyatt Earp at The Bristol Riverside Theater and, Almost Heaven . . . Songs and Stories of John Denver at the Tony Award-Winning Denver Theatre Center Company. Lisa has toured nationally with the Broadway show, The Who's Tommy and performed in the Off-Broadway hit, Woody Guthrie's American Song which received a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Musical. www.LisaAsher.com.