KINKY BOOTS Star Kevin Smith Kirkwood Returns to Joe's Pub

Kevin Smith Kirkwood, currently appearing on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots, will bring CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! back to New York this month after another smash, sold-out show last summer. The evening returns to Joe's Pub at The Public by popular demand on January 29, 2018 at 9:30 PM. After playing to packed houses at The Cutting Room and Joe's Pub - and being hailed as a "Critics' Pick" by Time Out New York - Kirkwood will again channel the voice, look and spirit of the late icon Whitney Houston as she ascends from the choir of heaven and inhabits the body of Kirkwood to perform renditions of special live concert arrangements of hits from the diva's incredible catalog. Since the previous show, Kirkwood has performed CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! around the world on Atlantis Cruises and even a command performance at Whitney's estate. Witness the show's triumphant return to the place where it all began almost two years ago. Highlights of the 2018 edition of the show will include Whitney's legendary showtunes medley, a poignant "Mr. Bojangles" and of course her mega-hits including "I Will Always Love You," "Saving All My Love for You" and "Queen of the Night."

The show was hailed as "pitch perfect" by The Huffington Post, with BroadwayWorld.com calling it "thrilling" adding "Kirkwood's good-natured performance delivered Whitney at her best." According to Washington Square News, "to say that Kevin Smith Kirkwood dazzled as Whitney Houston would be an understatement. You couldn't take your eyes off of him!" Backed by a full band and three back-up singers (who also play guests including her mother Cissy Houston, brother Gary, and Bobby Brown), Mr. Kirkwood serves Whitney realness with a script that is constructed from excerpts of her concert banter and interviews, CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! is the ultimate Whitney tribute from the ultimate Whitney fan.

Click HERE for tickets.

The New York Times wrote "Mr. Kirkwood is fabulous in drag!" in Off Broadway's How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes and also hailed him as "Hilarious!" in It's Karate, Kid, The Musical! The Houston Chronicle exclaimed "Mr. Kirkwood's Trixie registers as a genuine dish- a vivacious femme fatale (with a big belting voice to boot)" and The San Francisco Chronicle raved about his "astonishing Whitney Houstion-ish star turn" in Dragapella! Starring the Kinsey Sicks!

Kevin Smith Kirkwood made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and earned a 2005 New York Innovative Theater Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor for It's Karate, Kid! Kirkwood can currently be seen wowing audiences in Broadway's Tony Award Winning musical Kinky Boots and stars as Roxy in the recently released feature horror film titled Condemned (written and directed by Eli Morgan Gesner and also starring Dylan Penn and Lydia Hearst).

CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! is written by Mr. Kirkwood, directed by Ray DeMattis, with musical direction by Drew Wutke (Into the Woods, Little Fish) with Jimmy Brooks as Bobby Brown, John Lucas as Gary Houston, Lacretta Nicole as Cissy Houston, and Kerry Flanagan as Bette Sussman. Costume design is by Kirkwood and Marcus Desion with wigs by Sabana Majeed (Kinky Boots).

The show will be presented at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. The venue is located in The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (between East 4th and Astor Place) NYC. . For tickets - which cost $25 - call (212) 967-7555 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM or visit joespub.com, or visit in person at The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street from 2:00 PM daily. There is a $12 food / two (2) drink minimum per person per show, unless otherwise noted.

ABOUT Joe's Pub AT THE PUBLIC Named for Public Theater founder Joe Papp, Joe's Pub at The Public opened in 1998 and plays a vital role in The Public's mission of supporting young artists while providing established artists with an intimate space to perform and develop new work. Joe's Pub consistently presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community and artistic freedom. The organization also offers unique opportunities like New York Voices, an artist commissioning program that provides musicians the resources and tools needed to develop original theater works. Commissioned artists have included Ethan Lipton, Toshi Reagon, Bridget Everett, Allen Toussaint and more. In 2011, the Pub received a top-to-bottom renovation, leading to improved sightlines, expanded seating capacity and a new menu from acclaimed Chef Andrew Carmellini. With its intimate atmosphere and superior acoustics, Joe's Pub presents talent from all over the world as part of The Public's programming downtown at its Astor Place home, hosting approximately 800 shows and serving over 100,000 audience members annually.

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