Chicago Foursome Celebrate the Music of Richard Rodgers

Cory Jamison, Joan Curto, Tom Michael and Dan Stetzel Show Includes a special showing of Richard Rodgers memorabilia

Chicago Cabaret performers Cory Jamison, Joan Curto and Tom Michael will be joined by musical director Dan Stetzel to present "Across a Crowded Room," a celebration of the music of legendary composer, Richard Rodgers at DAVENPORT'S Piano Bar & Cabaret (1383 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL - 773-278-1830 - http://www.davenportspianobar.com/). Shows are Wednesdays through Sundays, August 21st through September 1st. Wednesday through Saturday shows are at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 7:00 pm. There is a $20.00 cover charge with a two-drink minimum. Reservations are strongly suggested

"Across a Crowded Room" pays homage to the immense contribution Richard Rodgers compositions made to American Popular Music. His career spanned over six decades and includes over 900 songs. His masterful melodies were combined with the lyrical genius of Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein to create some of the most memorable music written for the musical theater. In addition, there will be a special display of Rodgers correspondence and pictures from the private collection of Dr. Tighe Zimmers.

All four of the featured performers have garnered critical acclaim for their individual performances and are some of Chicago's most popular cabaret artists. They are joined by musical director Dan Stetzel who has received numerable accolades for his creation of the songwriter series at Davenport's as well as the Songwriter concerts that have become a mainstay of the Chicago Humanities Festival.

San Francisco resident,æCory Jamison, is one of the nation's emerging young cabaret talents, appearing regularly at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the New York, San Francisco, and Chicago Cabaret Conventions, the prestigious Chicago Humanities Festival, as well as at national cabaret rooms.æ Jamison is best known for her critically acclaimed tribute to composer Hoagy Carmichael.æ Her debut CD, "Here's to Hoagy," was listed as the fourth best jazz CD in 1999 by the Chicago Tribune and sold over 10,000 copies in its first year of release.ææ Her latest show, "Kenton's Cool School; A Tribute to Anita O'Day, June Christy, and Chris Connor" opened at Davenport's Piano Bar and Cabaret in May and will be the subject of her second CD, due for release in early 2003.

Joan Curto is quickly establishing herself as a top cabaret performer in Chicago. She performs regularly at Davenport's Cabaret and Piano Bar. Her last show "Unexpressed?", was named one of the top ten shows in Chicago for 2001. Joan has performed in the Chicago Humanities Festival for the last two years. In addition Joan was invited to perform in the first ever Mabel Mercer Foundation's Chicago Cabaret Convention in March and she made her New York debut in April. Joan attended the Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Symposium in 1999.

Vocalist Tom Michael has been performing across the country to acclaim for the past fifteen years. Appearing in such nightspots as New York's Don't Tell Mama and Triad, Houston's Ovations, Chicago's Davenport's, Toulouse on the Park, Pops For Champagne and The Royal George Cabaret Theatre. Tom was also invited to sing at the Cabaret Convention in New York's Town Hall in 2000 and 2001, as well as the ASCAP & Chicago Humanities Festival's "Songwriters Now" and "A Woman Wrote That Song" concerts. Tom also participated in the 1995 Cabaret Symposium at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, and was a feature performer at the first Chicago Cabaret Convention held in 2002 at The Empire Room and The Park West.

Dan Stetzel has musical directed many of Chicago's prominent vocalists. His work in musical theater has been seen both nationally and at many Chicago area venues, and has been recognized multiple times by the Joseph Jefferson Awards. He has performed in many cabaret rooms coast to coast, including Davenport's, Toulouse Cognac Bar, Gentry, Eighty Eights, Judy's Chelsea, Odette's, The Plush Room, The Gardenia and The Cinegrill. Dan directed, arranged and co-orchestrated Cory Jamison's "Here's to Hoagy" album. Dan is a professor of Musical Theater at Roosevelt University where he teaches a class in cabaret performance.

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