The Holidays Are Bursting with Entertainment at Dino's Backstage in Keswick Village

Dino's Backstage and The Celebrity Room, the restaurant/supper club that has become an instant success in Keswick Village in Glenside, PA, has music and special surprises planned throughout the holiday season. With several choices for dining - the main dining room, the bar or in The Celebrity Room with entertainment, Dino's Backstage is reminiscent of the sophisticated scene of the 40's and 50's and was named #1 in Best Ambience in the Philadelphia area by OpenTable.com. Dino's is open for dinner and Sunday Brunch and, during the holidays, there's a special Santa Brunch for families on Sunday, December 11 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Children will love meeting Santa. There will be a special children's menu that day.

The entertainment in December is highlighted by THE SNOW SHOW on December 9, 10 and December 16 and 17, featuring owner Michael Richard Kelly-Cataldi and chanteuse Paula Johns who will delight crowds with such holiday favorites as "Baby, It's Cold Outside, Santa Baby, My Favorite Things" and many more. It is located at 287 Keswick Avenue in Glenside, PA.

"Celebrating the holidays here is like stepping back in time," said Michael Richard Kelly-Cataldi, Dino's BackStage Entertainment Director and partner/husband of owner Dino Kelly-Cataldi and also co-president of Keswick Village. He continued, "The charming Keswick Village designed by world renowned architect Horace Trumbauer conjures up memories of Bedford Falls in the classic film 'It's a Wonderful Life' and we've recreated the glamour of days gone by in the style of our restaurant." Dino Kelly-Cataldi added, "Our guests are thrilled with the food and the music and we couldn't be happier than to have planned a month of holiday festivities ending with a New Year's Eve like none other where Michael will be the featured performer and make everyone feel like they are celebrating in the luxurious style of the 50's."

The December entertainment line-up at Dino's Backstage includes:

· Every Sunday - Michael Richard Kelly-Cataldi with the Tom Adams Trio

· Friday, Dec. 2 - Wendy Simon

· Saturday, Dec. 3 - Jill Salkin

· Fri. Dec. 9 and Sat. Dec. 10 - The Snow Show

· Thurs. Dec. 15 - Ken Silver

· Fri. Dec. 16 and Sat. Dec. 17 - The Snow Show

· Friday, Dec. 23 - Michael Richard Kelly-Cataldi

· Saturday, Dec. 31 - New Year's Eve - 1956! - Michael Richard Kelly-Cataldi

Michael Richard Kelly-Cataldi has performed throughout the country - from Philadelphia and Atlantic City to Denver and Los Angeles -- and in Europe including The Casino De Monte Carlo in Monaco. Locally, he has performed in regional theaters, including performing in the Broadway spoof Forbidden Broadway in Philadelphia at The Bellevue-Stratford in 1983-85. In 1996, he was recognized with Philadelphia Magazine's "1996 Best of Philly" Award for his popular Cabaret Act. In recent years, he's been seen in many of the local clubs, splitting his time working in real estate and business. He is the co-owner with Dino of Kelly-Cataldi HOME, a boutique gift and women's accessory shop across the street in Keswick Village.

Paula Johns is an accomplished cabaret singer and jazz vocalist who hails from Philadelphia. She has several recordings and has sung with such noted pianists as George Mesterhazy, Dean Schneider, Tom Adams and many others. Often compared to Ella and some of the great contemporaries of that era, she has performed in clubs and festivals throughout the region. Her signature smile and warm, infectious laughter makes her a standout whenever she performs.

Every inch of Dino's Backstage has been well-planned to make the experience uniquely entertaining, with and without live music. For example, on the walls of the dining room, there are large black and white photographic images of friends and family that take guests back to the era of the Latin Casino and Palumbo's, the glamourous era when guests dressed for the occasion. In The Celebrity Room, the movie idols of the 40's and 50's, from Cary Grant to Lana Turner, decorate the walls. The beautifully appointed black and white color scheme includes zebra carpeting, a large stage with a white-curtain backdrop and a black grand piano. Even the menus were designed with the guest in mind as the dimmed lighting in the room does not affect reading the menus, as they glow, lit from the inside.

The management, or as Michael and Dino say, the cast, is an all-star line-up. Executive Chef Scott Howlett worked for the Ritz-Carlton, a number of restaurants up and down the east coast and brings great knowledge as the former owner of his own restaurant for over six years. The general manager is none other than Thomas J. Finnegan who oversaw the finest establishments in Philadelphia - Le Bec Fin, Lacroix at The Rittenhouse, R2L and, more recently, Butcher and Singer.

Reservations are always recommended. Tickets are $20 for entertainment and The Snow Show is a $30 ticket. There is a $20 dining minimum. On New Year's Eve, reservations are required for two seatings - 6:30 p.m. with an 8 p.m. show for $100/person and 9:30 p.m. with an 11 p.m. show for $125/person. For more information, please visit www.dinosbackstage.com or call (215) 884-2000.

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