Stephen Hanks, BroadwayWorld.com Cabaret columnist and reviewer, has produced and will host Stephen's Angels, a cabaret variety show presented by ScoBar Entertainment and slated for the Iridium Jazz Club on May 14 at 10pm. Stephen's Angels will introduce audiences to six "smart, sassy, sexy young women, whose singing is sublime." Five of the six ladies are currently preparing summer or fall cabaret shows for the Metropolitan Room, and one will be launching a CD release show at the Laurie Beechman Theater in June.
"I've met these young women over the last few years during my travels in cabaret and think they are immensely talented and deserve a forum to display all their charms," says Hanks, who has brought on MAC and Bistro Award-winning Musical Director Daryl Kojak as the show's MD and pianist.
Staring in Stephen's Angels are:
Lindsay Roginski: An actress, mezzo-belter and Bob Fosse-trained dancer with more than a dozen theater roles, Lindsay won critical praise starring as Roxie Hart in the national and international tour of Chicago, and has appeared opposite the actor Richard Kind as Lola in Damn Yankees. In 2011, Lindsay co-starred in the off-Broadway hit The Fartiste, as 19th-century Moulin Rouge headliner La Goulou. Lindsay recently made her New York Cabaret debut at the Metropolitan Room, and is already in rehearsal for her first solo show set to debut in the fall. For more info visit www.lindsayroginski.com
Liz McKendry: Originally from Buffalo, NY, Liz has been on Broadway in The Producers and was recently seen in Broadway Backwards at The Palace Theatre. On May 19th, she'll appear in A Benefit for Help is on The Way Today/Cabaret Cares (at 5pm at The Laurie Beechman Theatre), and she has a new solo show on Sept. 12th at 7pm at The Metropolitan Room. Liz will be appearing in the role of Gretchen in Boeing, Boeing at Cape May Stage July 31-September 13 . www.lizmckendry.com
Jackie Kristel: Jackie is a native New Yorker whose debut solo cabaret show, A Girl You Should Know, premiered in June 2012 at Don't Tell Mama to rave reviews and earned Jackie a Broadway World.com Cabaret Award nomination for "Best Female Debut." Jackie is a former member of the outrageous burlesque troupe "The Glamazons," for which she made numerous television and club appearances around the country and abroad. Film and Television credits include: Law and Order, Third Watch, A Novel Romance, Shoe Store Romeo, Across the Universe, Greenpoint Tavern, and Hemispheres which was featured at The Cannes Film Festival. Jackie will stage her newest cabaret show, A Girl You Should Know Better, at The Metropolitan Room on June 11th at 7pm. (Please click on Page 2 below to continue.)
Jodi Beck: Jodi is an actress and singer who is preparing to release her debut EP "Never Gonna Be Easy" and will perform the songs at her CD release show on June 8 at the Laurie Beechman Theater. Her last solo show was in November at The Mint Theatre as a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Two years ago, this Ohio native spent some time living in China. www.jodibeck.com
Kimbre Lancaster: Kimbre is a recent transplant to NYC from Washington State and who was signed by Harden Curtis Associates after two seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Most recently, Kimbre spent six months performing as "Angeligue" in The Imaginary Invalid, and "Perdita" in The Winters Tale for Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Great Lakes Theatre. She is planning on staging her debut solo cabaret show this summer or fall at the Metropolitan Room. www.kimbrelancaster.com/
Lauren Glazer: Lauren was Bronx-born and raised, has studied singing and dancing her whole life, and pursued a career in musical theater after graduating from Yale University. Though she is now a full-time and high-powered ad exec, she recently returned to the stage after a 10-year hiatus, performing her first cabaret show for a sold out house at Don't Tell Mama last December. This summer, Lauren will debut her newest cabaret show, Life Begins At . . . , at the Metropolitan Room.
Daryl Kojak, Musical Director: Daryl is a pianist, producer, composer, songwriter, arranger and musical director who has worked in a wide range of musical genres and performed with many legends, including: Vicki Sue Robinson, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Warren Vaché, and Tiny Tim. Daryl has composed and scored music for film, television, stage, artist recordings and video games, and has been honored with The Bistro Award for Outstanding Musical Director; The Caribbean Gospel Music Award for Top Gospel Arranger; The MAC Award for Best Jazz Group; and with Laurie Krauz, The Bistro Award for Outstanding Theme Show for Tapestry Rewoven. www.darylkojak.com
Stephen Hanks, Producer/Performer: Stephen has been a magazine publishing executive--working in both editorial and advertising sales--for more than 30 years and has either created or run more than a dozen magazines. But during the past three years, Stephen has also become a cabaret columnist and reviewer for BroadwayWorld.com and Cabaret Scenes Magazine. In 2002, Stephen created the "Broadway Musical Fantasy Camp," a workshop in which amateurs perform staged readings of famous Broadway shows. Since '02, Stephen either produced, directed and/or performed in six BMFC productions. In 2010, Stephen was elected the first Board President of the Musical Mondays Theatre Lab, Inc., a 13-year-old non-profit organization that presents workshops of new and developing musicals four times each year, and in 2011 he was a Co-Producer of the Off-Broadway Musical The Fartiste. In February, Stephen hosted the first BroadwayWorld.com New York Cabaret Awards at the Metropolitan Room. He will be performing his debut solo cabaret show, Beyond American Pie: The Don McLean Songbook, at the Metropolitan Room on May 31, June 14 and June 22. (http://metropolitanroom.com/show.cfm?id=84824&cart)
The Iridium. 1650 Broadway (51st), New York, NY 10019. For reservations (212) 582-2121. www.theiridium.com
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