Special Feature: Checking in on JIM CARUSO'S CAST PARTY

On December 23, 2002, Jim Caruso threw a party. On hiatus from his performing career, he found himself working as a press agent for a now-defunct nightclub called The King Kong Room. There hadn't been much to promote, other than an occasional drink special, but with the holidays nearing, it was a perfect time for his showbiz friends to gather for an adult beverage and a nosh. Folks like Julia Murney, Linda Lavin, Amanda Green, RAndy Jones, Natalie Douglas, Max von Essen, Neil Patrick Harris, John Hill, Christopher Sieber, Hunter Foster, Jen Cody, Marc Kudisch, cast members from Avenue Q and Chicago, and even Jim's own mom showed up. "But when my bff Billy Stritch took to the grand piano," Caruso explains, "all hell broke loose. A simple get-together turned into a happening. Some of the most talented singers from the Broadway, jazz and cabaret scenes took a turn at the mic, entertaining each other on the tiny stage." The next day, Lionel Casseroux, manager of the nightclub, asked Jim to recreate the fun on the following Monday - traditionally Broadway's dark night. Nervous that friends wouldn't show up two weeks in a row, Jim warily agreed. But show up they did, changing the trajectory of his career, as well as New York's showbiz nightlife.

After a few weeks of fun, the soirée was given a name - "Cast Party." "I never planned on hosting a weekly three-hour variety show," Caruso says. "But a regular hang with my talented and funny friends sure appealed to me. The evening was a musical, sexy, sing-and-be-seen catch-up time for a group of people longing for community. It was the party I'd always wanted to attend."

Time went by, with Cast Party growing every week. Stritch, David Raleigh, and Mark Hartman traded off piano duties, and Steve Doyle added his musical know-how on the bass. It had become a first-rate open-mic night, and star-studded, thanks to Caruso's little black book. "The minute I saw Lauren Bacall sharing a thin-crust pizza with Lypsinka, I knew we were onto something. Crazy things happened. Liza Minnelli celebrated her birthday. Betty Comden sang a song from Wonderful Town. John Tartaglia smuggled a puppet out of Avenue Q to entertain us. Stephen Schwartz, Josh Groban, Kristin Chenoweth, and Matthew Broderick all came to see what the fuss was about."

After a year of fun, The King Kong Room closed it's doors, and Jim and his Party-ers were left out in the cold. A broken-hearted community joined forces to recreate the fun in a series of other rooms, but it wasn't until Gianni Valenti, the owner of iconic jazz club Birdland, offered an endless series of Mondays. Cast Party had found it's forever home and family in the heart of Manhattan's Theater District. Musical director Billy Stritch commented, "Birdland is where Cast Party really took off. It's the best club in Manhattan - from both the audience and the performer's point-of-view. Also at Birdland, we added the wonderful drummer Daniel Glass, and the "Cast Party Symphony Orchestra," as Jim calls it - was complete. It's so much fun to play with Steve and Daniel every week, and I love the continuity of having this gig every Monday night."

An astonishing fifteen years later, the weekly event ABC-TV called an "extreme open mic" continues full throttle. Of course, celebrities have helped to shine a spotlight on Cast Party. The crowds have been royally entertained with impromptu performances by Martin Short, Donny Osmond, Michael Feinstein, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Kenny Loggins, Carol Channing, Chita Rivera...on and on. But the real story is the constant parade of hopefuls, up-and-comers, Broadway kids, jazzers and cabaret types who have kept the entertainment going strong. Jim says, "When we first started, it was a lot of fun, but the talent could be hit-or-miss. One week would be like 'Night of a Thousand Stars,' and the next week would be 'The Den of Non-Equity!' Happily, we've reached a happy medium over the years!" Audiences aren't just privy to show tunes and standards, either. "There have been performances by hula dancers, didgeridoo players, professional whistlers, magicians, contortionists, and a girl who kept 50 hoola-hoops twirling at once," Caruso laughs. "We never know who or what will walk through the doors - it's come-what-mayhem!"

Bassist Steve Doyle says, "I think the most rewarding thing about Cast Party has been the challenge of consistently creating magical, musical moments that elevate the performers to be their very best. The band is often meeting the 'contestants' for the very first time on the Birdland stage in front of a packed house of paying customers. It's something of a high wire act that I find enjoyable, and when the forces align, it's electric. Audiences are fascinated when they learn that we are playing everything on the fly all night long."

Drummer Daniel Glass agrees. "The list of performers who stop by Cast Party each week is simply stellar - they hail from every country in the world. As the house band, our challenge is to assess both performer and material in a matter of seconds, then create a soundtrack so solid and comfortable that it feels like we've been working together for years. Our goal is to elevate a simple performance into something unique, entertaining and worthy of one of the world's most respected music venues. This process, which gets repeated upwards of 30 times a night, requires not only tremendous concentration, but the ability to authentically play every musical style from the raunchiest ragtime to the deepest cuts from the Great American Songbook. Alongside Jim Caruso, my fellow "Orchestra-mates" and I integrate a smart, snappy rapport that feels casual and off-the-cuff but is loaded with telepathy and a professionalism that allow us to seamlessly handle anything that comes our way."

Those interested in taking part in the impromptu fun show up at Birdland around 9:15pm, armed with sheet music for an upbeat tune. "It's a party," Caruso explains. "It's not the time for a bunch of dreary ballads about love gone hideously awry." Names are put on a list, then it's time to sit back and enjoy the wildly diverse entertainment. When a singer's name is called, they storm onto the stage, have a quick chat with the host, and launch into their musical moment in the sun. Billy Stritch explains, "I think we're offering a really unique and valuable service in providing a world-class stage for up-and-coming, as well as established artists to perform. I'm constantly aware of what a cool thing this is. When I think back to when I was starting out in New York, there were piano bars where people could sit in - but a night like Cast Party in a venue as perfect as Birdland did not exist. How I wish it had! But I'm glad that I am a part of something that people really love and enjoy coming to week after week. You never know who you'll meet (or in my case, play for) and that always makes it special. Broadway star Jonathan Pryce, country stars Neal McCoy and Pam Tillis, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, jazz great Dave Koz - these are just a few of the big names that have performed at Cast Party in the last few months alone!"

And so the happy Party continues. Because of some international press, Cast Party is high on the To-Do List for people from across the globe. Caruso explains, "Cast Party is like the Ellis Island of showbiz. At some point, they all come through the doors. I feel very lucky to connect with so many talented people. We just do our job week after week...but it's started to feel like community service! Every week, someone walks up and tells me they come to town once a year, and never miss Cast Party. They're from Kentucky. Or Sydney. Or Finland. That's when you realize that what's happened has become a part of people's lives...of people's history. With all the turmoil in the world, it's a tiny ray of light that lets talented people create and be celebrated. It's a happy experience for us all."

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