Eric Michael Gillett's Careless Rhapsody: An Evening Dedicated to the Lyrics of Lorenz Hart, will play 54 Below, February 4 at 7pm, February 7 at 9:30pm and February 26 & 27 at 7pm.
54 Below is located at 254 W. 54 Street, NYC. Tickets: 866.468.7619 or online. Cover charge $30 (bar seating), $40 (main room seating). Food/drink minimum $25.
Arthur Masella, director
Don Rebic, musical director
Dick Scarpola, bass
In "Careless Rhapsody," award-winning vocalist, director and Broadway actor (The Frogs, Sweet Smell of Success, and Kiss Me, Kate) Eric Michael Gillett uses the wit and wisdom of Lorenz Hart to remind us all that, though love can be be experienced with abandon, to be careless with the heart can also have a price. George Balanchine called Lorenz Hart the "Shelley of America" and, it's true, his lyric writing ranks with the greatest romantic poetry of all time. Though he, himself, was unlucky in love, his writing casts a spell that will always survive the test of time, inspiring generations of lovers to come to follow their hearts.
Eric Michael Gillett is a MAC and Bistro Award winning vocalist whose own cabaret shows have included "Cast of Thousands: The Songs of Craig Carnelia" (for which Eric was named MAC's Major Male Vocalist of 2012), "It Takes Two: The Duets of Stephen Sondheim" (with Melanie Vaughan), "Best of My Love," and his critically-lauded collection of radio songs of the past forty years, "Hook, Line, and Singer."
Eric has been seen on Broadway in the original casts of Kiss Me Kate, The Sweet Smell of Success, and The Frogs. New York audiences have seen him in the role of "Papa" Denny in Dream a Little Dream at the Village Theatre, and in the New York City Opera productions of Cinderella, The Pirates of Penzance, and Candide.
His films include Maid in Manhattan, The Producers, The Third Testament, the upcoming Out of Order, and on television he has appeared in multiple episodes of Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, Ed, Good God and many others.
Eric Michael sang the role of the Father to Patti LuPone's Anna in the New York City Ballet production of Seven Deadly Sins at Lincoln Center.
For additional credits and information, go to www.ericmichaelgillett.com.
Director Arthur Masella has worked with Hal Prince on a number of projects, including remounting Phantom of the Opera for the smash hit 5 year run of the show at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Mr. Masella has directed shows internationally, including long runs of Sweet Charity and Fiddler on the Roof. "Careless Rhapsody" continues a collaboration between Eric Michael and Artie Masella that began when Mr. Masella cast Eric Michael in the New York City Opera production of Candide, in which Mr. Masella directed him twice.
Musical director Don Rebic has worked with a variety of singers including Peggy Lee, Barbara Cook, Betty Buckley, Dixie Carter, Morgana King, Lainie Kazan, Karen Akers, Mary Cleere Haran, Margaret Whiting, Leslie Uggams, Regis Philbin, Tovah Feldshuh, Ricky Martin, and Jose Carreras (with a 70-piece orchestra). A sample of recent activities shows Don's diverse interests: orchestrating the music for the HBO documentary Unchained Melodies; playing on the soundtrack for the movie Stuart Little Part II; soloing with the North Carolina Symphony Orchesrta; and teaching jazz piano at the University of Buffalo. For more information, please go to donrebic.com.
Bassist Dick Scarpola has an extensive background in recording and performing with such notables as Tony Bennett, Michael Feinstein, Barbara Cook, Maureen McGovern, Rebecca Luker, Karen Akers, Charles Aznavour, George Shearing, Mel Torme, Susannah McCorkle, Peggy Lee, Chris Connor, Marian McPartland, and many others. His studio experience includes work with such diverse artists as Lenny Kravitz, Wyclef Jean, Sting, Celine Dion, Nellie McKay, Judy Collins, Rufus Wainwright and nearly 100 major films. He toured internationally with Liza Minnelli for more than 9 years and performed with Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra.
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