Klea Blackhurst to Present THE BOX SET at Chelsea Table + Stage

CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE will present the return of Klea Blackhurst in “The Box Set,” a fantastic season-long retrospective of the celebrated theater and concert artist's acclaimed shows. Following a smash debut this past spring, the series resumes with “Dreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael” featuring Billy Stritch, on September 15, “An Evening with Klea Blackhurst” on October 20, and concludes with a reprise of Blackhurst's most-requested evening, “Everything the Traffic Will Allow: The Songs and Sass of Ethel Merman,” on November 10.

All shows are Sunday nights at 7:00 PM. Blackhurst's “The Box Set” gives Klea's longtime followers the chance to revisit this outstanding body of work, while also allowing new generation of theater and music fans to discover them. Tickets to each show are $20-$40, in addition to a service charge and a two-item food and beverage minimum. A livestream option is available for all shows at $20 each. CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE is located at 152 West 26th Street. FOR TICKETS: www.chelseatableandstage.com/tickets-shows  

Sunday, September 15 at 7:00 PM

“DREAMING OF A SONG: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael”

with Billy Stritch

The powerhouse duo of Blackhurst and singer/pianist Billy Stritch mine the Hoagy Carmichael catalog to unearth lesser-known gems, as well as beloved treasures such as “Skylark,” “Georgia on My Mind” and “Stardust.” You won't want to miss this “remarkably entertaining show with all the ‘Heart and Soul' of the legendary composer himself” (Theatre Scene). Pianist-singer Billy Stritch has been a presence on the New York and national nightclub scene for nearly four decades. He began his career in Houston where we formed the vocal trio Montgomery, Plant and Stritch. The threesome performed all over New York and Europe from 1983 until they parted ways in 1990. That same year, Billy started his solo performing career. He is perhaps best known for his 25-year position as musical director and pianist for Liza Minnelli and has also toured with Tony Bennett, Christine Ebersole, Linda Eder, Melissa Manchester, Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin and many other top singers. His composition “Does He Love You” won a Grammy award in 1993 and was recorded 30 years later by Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, garnering another Grammy nomination in 2023.

Sunday, October 20 at 7:00 PM

“An Evening with Klea Blackhurst”

Nobody loves to sing more than Klea. From Ethel Merman to Jerry Herman, she has been known to zero in on the contributions of someone specific. But this time, Klea goes themeless! From “A Cockeyed Optimist” to “The Sunny Side of the Street,” this special show is a wonderful celebration of American popular songs, musical comedy, and the pocket trumpet. There are a few contemporary surprises as well. Klea will have you listening and laughing to the lyrics of Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Yip Harburg, Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein, and Dorothy Fields.

Sunday, November 10 at 7:00 PM

“EVERYTHING THE TRAFFIC WILL ALLOW –

The Songs and Sass of Ethel Merman”

“Everything the Traffic Will Allow” is Klea Blackhurst's loving tribute to the songs made famous by the quintessential stage personality Ethel Merman. Rather than a Merman imitation, Klea offers a paean to the great Broadway legend that serves as a potent and happy reminder of Merman's sheer, undeniable importance to both the history of twentieth century entertainment and the iconic composers like Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Jerry Herman, who wrote songs just for her. The engagement is a rare chance to experience Blackhurst's crackling wit and

powerful vocals as she performs her brilliant, savvy valentine to one of American theatre's greatest stars.

Klea Blackhurst is an actress, singer and comedienne who has appeared in legendary concert venues from The London Palladium to Carnegie Hall, The Royal Albert Hall to Jazz at Lincoln Center and with symphony orchestras from Atlanta to Boston, Pittsburgh to Philly. Most recently she appeared as the Witch in Into the Woods for Opera North, Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert with the Boston Pops at Tanglewood, conducted by Keith Lockhart, as well as Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert with the Cincinnati Pops, under the direction of John Morris Russell. Theatre credits include NY: Party Face opposite Hayley Mills, Bingo, Radio Gals, Oil City Symphony, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Regional: the 50th Anniversary production of Hello, Dolly! at The Goodspeed Opera House, The Nutty Professor by Rupert Holmes and the late Marvin Hamlisch, directed by legendary Jerry Lewis. Her television appearances include “Pose,” “The Knick,” two seasons on “The Onion News Network” as legal pundit Shelby Cross, “Law and Order SVU”, and “Sesame Street.” Klea is a distinguished Alumna of the University of Utah. She is also a member of Mendez Boxing Harlem where she is known as The Belter.  

Klea Blackhurst's “The Box Set” previously presented “Autumn in New York: Vernon Duke's Broadway” on April 14 and “One of the Girls: The Words and Music of Jerry Herman” on May 5.

 

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