Hanz and Kirkwood Perform 'Comme Tu Veux' at Beechman 9/23, 24

Vocal powerhouses, Ritter Hanz and Kevin Smith Kirkwood are proud to be back in NYC for two nights only to delight audiences with their new cabaret, ‘Comme Tu Veux,’ performing Monday and Tuesday, September 22nd and 23rd at the 42nd Street’s acclaimed Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Hanz, who has appeared on stages all over the city and has made quite a name for himself singing in concerts at Joe’s Pub, The Metropolitan Room, and The Ritz will join Spelling Bee’s Kirkwood for this cabaret extravaganza.

The title ‘Comme Tu Veux’ pays homage to the very origins of cabaret and turn-of-the-century performers like Josephine Baker, Jacques Brel, and Brazilian drag performer Joao Francisco dos Santo (aka Madame Sata), who perfected an art of performance that allowed audiences to escape, dine, drink, and connect in an intimate setting. In that same come-as-you-are tradition, ‘Comme Tu Veux’ literally invites the audience to a night ‘as you want’ – a night designed for ‘whatever.’

After years performing on the road, Ritter and Kevin are back in NYC, in the wonderfully intimate Beechman Theatre, to serve up R&B, Pop, and Broadway tunes featuring artists including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Amy Winehouse, Donnie Hathaway, Whitney Houston, and Sylvester.

‘Comme tu Veux’ will also feature Nicole Lewis (Hair in Central Park, Lennon, Rent), Kerry Flanagan (It’s Karate, Kid! The Musical) and Jim Bray (It’s Karate, Kid! The Musical, Rattlesnake) as background vocalists and special guest soloist, Sal Sabella (The Phantom of the Opera, Godspell). The evening will be music directed by Spelling Bee's Karen Dryer and will be directed by Jake Hirzel (2005 NYIT Award-winner for Best Musical: It's Karate, Kid! The Musical)

“Comme tu Veux” will take place Monday and Tues. Sept. 22nd and 23rd at 9:30PM. At the Laurie Beechman Theater. 407 W. 42nd Street, just west of ninth, underneath the West Bank Cafe The evening will be music directed by Spelling Bee's Karen Dryer and will be directed by Jake Hirzel (2005 NYIT Award-winner for Best Musical: It's Karate, Kid! The Musical).Tickets are $15 plus $15 min. food/beverage purchase. For reservations, please call 212-695-6909.

CALENDAR LISTING:
“COMME TU VEUX,” featuring powerhouse performers Ritter Hanz and Kevin Smith Kirkwood as you want them, singing styles from R&B and Pop to Broadway. “Comme Tu Veux” performs Monday and Tuesday Sept. 22nd and 23rd at 9:30PM at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, just west of Ninth Avenue, underneath the West Bank Cafe. Tickets are $15 plus $15 minimum food/beverage purchase. For reservations, please call 212-695-6909.

BIO INFORMATION:

Ritter Hanz - Member of Actors Equity, Ritter has performed all over the world. He starred in the European Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar (with Kevin), directed by Baayork Lee, performing the roles of Peter and Jesus throughout Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland. He also performed as a Lead Vocalist for Royal Caribbean Cruiselines performing in Mexico and the Caribbean. He has worked with Holland America performing in Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, Central and South America. Ritter has toured the United States with the Grease! National Tour (also with Kevin), playing both Eugene and Teen Angel, Enjolras in Les Misérables at Maine State Music Theatre, Annas in Jesus Christ Superstar at Kansas City Starlight Theatre, a lead vocalist at Branson Variety Theatre in Broadway Spectacular. He has also worked on The Dreamer, a musical about the life of George Washington Carver, with BJ Crosby. He has done recordings for Derin Brockovich, a campy spin on “Erin Brockovich,” and once again with Kevin  for It’s Karate, Kid! The Musical. Ritter’s NYC cabaret experience began 7 years ago at the Duplex in a show called Impossible, Bitch also starring Kevin Smith Kirkwood, and he has since been heard wowing audiences at Metropolitan Room, Joe's Pub, Splash, XL, XES Lounge, and The Ritz.

Kevin Smith KIRKWOOD - is a native of Toledo, OH, where at a young age, he began studying alto saxophone and conducting his church’s youth choir. Toledo All City Choir, All-Ohio Youth Choir, and OMEA Honors Choir were some of the ensembles he sang in high school. Since graduating from Fordham University in NYC, he co-founded and conducted the award-winning Fordham Glee Club as well as the choir at Community United Methodist Church in Jackson Heights. In the theater world, Kevin recently made his Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He then went on to earn rave reviews as Mitch the Comfort Counselor on the 1st national tour of Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway, Kevin earned raves in The New York Times for his performance in ‘How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes’ and also for It’s Karate, Kid! The Musical. His performance as Mr. Miyagi also earned him a New York IT Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor. Other NYC credits include: The Understudy, Sunfish, Dragapella: Starring the Kinsey Sicks, and Izzy!. Other national tours include: Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar (Europe), and Grease! (with Cindy Williams). Favorite regional credits include: Smokey Joe’s Café (John Engeman Theater), Songs for a New World, Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida (Actor’s Playhouse), Big River, Violet, and RENT (Weathervane Theater). No stranger to the worlds of cabaret, Kevin collaborated with Ritter 7 years ago on their first sold-out engagement, Impossible, Bitch!. In 2004, his solo show, It’s Me Baby, It’s Kevin! also had a sold out engagement at Rose’s Turn. Kevin is a founding member of the Jaradoa Theater company, a new service and outreach based company in NYC whose mission is to promote mercy, beauty, and truth through performance and service. www.jaradoatheater.org

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