MTC MainStage Presents LADY DAY AT EMERSONS BAR AND GRILL 4/24-5/3

MTC MainStage, Music Theatre of Connecticut's Professional Equity Acting Company, presents "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" a play with music by Lanie Robertson and directed by Kevin Connors. Set in 1959 in a seedy bar in Philadelphia, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" recreates one of Billie Holiday's final performances. Performances are April 24 - May 3, 2009 and take place at the MTC MainStage Studio Theatre in Westport, CT.

Lanie Robertson's "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" was first produced Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, and has since played around the world to critical-acclaim. More than a dozen musical numbers, including "God Bless the Child" and "Strange Fruit," are interlaced with salty and humorous reminiscences and paint an unforgettable portrait of the lady and her music.

American jazz singer and songwriter Billie Holiday (1915-1959) was nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner Lester Young. A seminal influence on jazz and pop singing, Holiday's vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Above all, she was admired for her deeply personal and intimate approach to singing. Critic John Bush wrote that she "changed the art of American pop vocals forever." She co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards, notably "God Bless the Child", "Don't Explain", and "Lady Sings the Blues". She also became famous for singing jazz standards written by others, including "Easy Living" and "Strange Fruit."

Gayle Samuels plays Billie Holiday. Samuels most recently played the role of Mrs. Loftus in the world premiere of "Little House on the Prairie" starring Melissa Gilbert at the Guthrie Theatre. She is also proud of the work she did originating the role of Tracee (a cancer victim) in the hit show "The Divorce" starring Vanessa Bell Calloway and Dawnn Lewis. Gayle also played the role of Lynne in the film "The Ties That Bind," starring Marla Gibbs, she played James Avery's wife in "Honeybee," starred opposite Ruby Dee in "Flying Over Purgatory," played the role of Wanda in ReGina Taylor's "Crowns" and toured around the world as a featured vocalist with Harry Belafonte. Her television credits include "Cupid," "The Class," "Twenty Good Years," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and she can currently be seen co-hosting "The Soul Story" with the infamous Jerry Butler. On Broadway Gayle has appeared in "Sunset Boulevard," "Grind," "Dancin'" and "Dreamgirls." Off-Broadway she played Josephine Baker in "The Dark Star from Harlem" and Ronnette in "Little Shop of Horrors." Internationally, Gayle starred in Russia, playing the Phyllis Hyman role in "Sophisticated Ladies" and toured Europe playing the role of Charlaine in "Ain't Misbehavin'." Regionally, Gayle won critical acclaim for her role as Tina Turner in "Beehive" and as Kate in an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew."

Max Haymer plays Jimmy Powers and also serves as musical director. Haymer was born and raised in Los Angeles, began his classical piano studies at the age of seven and was introduced to jazz piano at the age of 14. He continued to study both classical and jazz through high school and won numerous awards playing music from Bach to Stravinsky and Copland (who continue to influence his jazz playing). Max was awarded the Bill Green Scholarship from the L.A. Jazz Society and was a finalist in the inaugural Horace Silver Piano Competition. Max won second prize in the Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Jazz Piano Competition in Switzerland. Max has performed at "Dizzy's" at Jazz at Lincoln Center and was named a Future Star by the Orange County Performing Arts Center receiving a scholarship and a performance at Founder's Hall. Max received his Bachelor of Music degree as a Jazz Performance major at the University of California at Irvine. Max has performed with numerous artists such as Ernie Andrews, Justo Almario, Andrew Heringer, Brian Swartz, Munyungo Jackson and Barbara Morrison. Max has also acted as assistant musical director for the UC Irvine main stage musicals, "Kiss Me, Kate" and "Seussical" and was musical director for "Urinetown." Max was the musical director for MTC MainStage's "John and Jen."

"Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" is directed by Kevin Connors, MTC MainStage Executive Artistic Director and co-founder of Music Theatre of Connecticut. Scenic design by James Burns, lighting design by Graham Kindred, costume design by Diane Vanderkroef and stage management by James Schilling.

The MTC MainStage 2008/09 Season is generously sponsored by Shoff Darby Companies, Inc. and TD Bank, with additional support from The Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Memorial Foundation.

Performances take place April 24 - May 3, 2009, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm, Sundays at 3pm at MTC MainStage Studio Theatre, 246 Post Road East in ColoniAl Green (lower level) in Westport, CT. Tickets are $35. $25 student and senior tickets available for matinees (Saturday at 4pm and Sundays at 3pm), subject to availability. Reservations suggested. This production contains adult language and themes and may not be suitable for younger audiences. For reservations or more information, call MTCMainStage at 203.454.3883 or visit www.MTCMainStage.org

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