Actress Emily Bergl will open the fall season of the Oak Room at the historic Algonquin Hotel with her cabaret, "Kidding on the Square." She will be accompanied by Jonathan Mastro, composer and musical director of the hit revival of "Our Town," directed by David Cromer. Ms. Bergl starred as Beth Young on ABC's "Desperate Housewives," and currently plays Tammi Bryant on TNT's "Southland." She most recently appeared on the New York stage in Nora Ephron's "Love, Loss and What I Wore," and in Second Stage's "Becky Shaw," and has starred in several Broadway productions.
"Kidding on the Square," directed by
Sarna Lapine, is a vintage cabaret told from the perspective of a modern girl. Drawing upon her work as an actress, Ms. Bergl creates a variety of colorful characters to bring the elegant melodies of the 1920's and 30's to life. Audiences are transported to a unique cabaret world that blends classic hits from Noel Coward to Fats Waller with modern favorites from Madonna to the Scissor Sisters. "I created 'Kidding on the Square' because I felt nostalgia for more glamorous times gone by, so of course the Oak Room could not be more fitting" enthuses Ms. Bergl, "I've even added a new song about
Dorothy Parker to celebrate the history of the Algonquin Hotel."
Ms. Bergl is also a passionate volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, and has built houses in Thailand, Borneo, Mississippi, and Washington DC. In November she will build alongside President and Roslyn Carter in Haiti as part of the Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Work Project.
"Kidding on the Square" has been featured in the NY Times, TimeOut NY, and Cabaret Scenes Magazine, and has played to sold out audiences in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego and Seattle.
WHEN
August 30 through September 10
Tuesday through Thursday @ 8:30 PM
Friday and Saturday @ 8:30 PM and 11 PM
LOCATION:
The Oak Room Supper Club
The Algonquin Hotel
59 W. 44 St
NY, NY