The singer, songwriter and recording artist Carolyn Montgomery-Forant continues her recent comeback as she adds new shows to the critically acclaimed run of "Visible Phoenix" at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd Street, a show which took off in October. The flame-throwing wit's first solo show since returning to the stage in January of last year, "Visible Phoenix" marches on Fridays, tonight, March 13, and April 10, May 8. All shows are at 7pm.
With music direction by jazz virtuoso
Jon Weber, who leads a quintet topped by Montgomery-Forant's back-up trio, The Fine Whine, "Visible Phoenix" features music from a wide range of genres and eras, original comedy, and a healthy measure of songs with music and lyrics by Montgomery-Forant. Eric
Michael Gillett is the director.
A MAC, Bistro and Nightlife Award-winning performer, Montgomery-Forant was a respected tunesmith and club and session singer when she slipped the cabaret coil to own and operate Café Forant, a successful West Side restaurant. Then, in January of 2014, after eight years outside the entertainment orbit, Montgomery-Forant made her dazzling re-entry into cabaret's atmosphere.
Within nine months, she was featured in the acclaimed review, "The
Amanda McBroom Project," directed by Broadway's
Arthur Masella (co-starring
Karen Akers, Mandy Gonzales,
Lacretta Ross and
KT Sullivan); she appeared in the popular series "Broadway by the Year" at Town Hall, and she co-starred at 54 Below in the hit show "Dirty Little Songs." Her shows at Davenport's in Chicago, The Hackney Attic in London, and Martuni's in San Francisco proved this Tin Pan Alley throwback was no flash in the pan.
The host of NPR's Piano Jazz -- a show he inherited from the legendary
Marian McPartland --
Jon Weber was called, "an exceptional musician (...) a true piano polymath" by
Will Friedwald of The Wall Street Journal. The actor-singer-director Eric
Michael Gillett has directed successfully for a string of standouts, including
Jarrod Spector and
Jessie Mueller, Mandy Gonzales, and
Karen Akers. Chester Munro, in Chicago Cabaret Professionals, calls Montgomery-Forant "a class act and a true entertainer." Writing in
broadwayworld.com,
Billie Roe calls her "the very personification of that rare and beautiful bird."
The Friday March 13 performance will be recorded live by Rolando Gori of Musa 212 for a recording Montgomery-Forant is fast-tracking for a release in April. The music charge is $20 with a two-drink minimum. For reservations call
212/301-1901, or visit
www.westbankcafe.com, or for more info visit
www.carolynmontgomeryforant.com.
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