Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presented a spectacular One Night Only EVENT... "A Doris Dear Christmas Special" on December 16th at 9:30pm starring Ray DeForest as "America's Perfect Housewife"...Doris Dear. Scroll down for photos!
The Rumpus Room was jam packed to almost full capacity with luminaries such as activist, author and playwright Larry Kramer, renowned author of "The Secret Life of the American Musical" and Senior VP of Jujamcyn Theaters Jack Viertel, owner of 54 Below and Theatrical producer Steven Baruch and his wife, film maker Marty Madden and many more. Doris Dear and her guests sang all your favorite holiday songs mixed with comedy, salutes to the classic holiday movies, and an original song by musical director Rick Jensen. Doris Dear was the perfect host and took the audience on a fun holiday romp and relived the glory days of the Holiday TV Specials "LIVE" at Feinstein's/54 Below.
Directed by award winning director Lina Koutrakos and musical direction by award winner Rick Jensen, Doris Dear brought her stories and style back for a celebration with her friends dropping in for a holiday drink or two! Special guests included Hansen Award winner and MAC award winner Meg Flather, multi award winning vocalist Lina Koutrakos , Aussie superstar Maree-Johnson Baruch, the swinging Terese Genecco, Windham Hill recording artist guitarist Sean Harkness and even fab theatrical designed Ryan Moller made an appearance with a special holiday gift of the perfect housewife apron for Doris! This was truly a good old fashioned holiday variety show full of tunes to make your holidays shine!
The show is written and performed by Dramatist Guild member and SAG/AFTRA National LGBT Board Member Ray DeForest and inspired by the great TV holiday specials that were the standard of TV watching in the 50's, 60's and 70's!
Doris Dear, the "other" inner Housewife of Ray DeForest, has been featured in movies (Men in Black 3, The Normal Heart) and TV shows (The Carrie Diaries) and has toured with "her" successful show "Doris Dear's Gurl Talk". Ray has been performing professionally for 37 years around the world in tours, stage shows, revues and was a host on TV's HGTV, Food Network, and had his own "How To" TV show syndicated through Fox Syndication.
Photos courtesy of Ray DeForest
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