THE AFTER PARTY RETURNS ON FRIDAYS AT THE BEECHMAN
THE WEST BANK CAFE/LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATER (407 West 42nd Street,
NYC - 212-695-6909 -
http://www.westbankcafe.com/theater/schedule
) is pleased to continue THE AFTER PARTY, an informal social gathering
for the theatrically inclined. Every Friday from 10:30 pm till 2:00
am, join hosts Brandon Cutrell (MAC & Bistro Award winner) and Alysha
Umphress (XL Star), as well as Ray Fellman (Captain Louie) at the
piano, for this weekly party in the heart of Manhattan's theatre district.
The mic is always open (only rule: your selection must be from a musical!).
And as a special treat, Brandon and Alysha are pleased to welcome
award-winning vocalist Lisa Asher to serve as bartemtress. A favorite
of the Manhattan cabaret scene, Lisa's pour is as ferocious as her
belt. Lisa will be on hand to sing and pour drinks all night long!
There is no cover charge and no minimum.
Brandon Cutrell is a Bistro Award and two-time MAC
Award-winner. New York credits: Broadway By The Year at Town Hall,
The 2nd Annual Broadway Unplugged Concert at Town Hall, Pippin (with
Ben Vereen and Rosie O'Donnell), La Gioconda at TheatreSource, David
Friedman's King Island Christmas and Liz Swados' Waiting For Lefty.
National: Theatre of the Stars, Goodspeed Musicals, the Human Race
Theatre and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. For nearly two years,
Brandon was the original host of the MAC Award nominated show, Mostly
Sondheim. Last December, Brandon made his debut in the world-famous
Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel. Last month, Brandon made his solo
debut at Feinstein's at the Regency, New York's legendary nightclub
on Park Avenue.
Alysha Umphress, a recent graduate of The Boston Conservatory,
made a splash last year at the Chelsea bar, XL winning their American
Idol-type competition, XL Star. She recently opened for Diana Krall
at the Fujitsu Jazz Festival, soloed along side Carlos Santana at
San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium and performed with the Boston
Pops. Regional roles include the Witch in Into the Woods, Trina
in Falsettos and Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress. Alysha is the
recipient of two Bay Area Theatre Critics Awards for her work in
Rags and FAB! She has belted out the National Anthem for The Oakland
A's, San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings
and San Jose Sharks.
Ray Fellman recently made his Off-Broadway debut when
he was handpicked by Stephen Schwartz to musical direct his off-Broadway
musical, Captain Louie. Other Musical Director credits include The
Tutor by Wood/Gerle (59 E. 59th), Reluctant Pilgrim (The Barrow
Group), Blood Drive: A Musical Triptych by Sheinkin/Derfner (workshop
at the O'Neill Theater Center) and Amahl and the Night Visitors
(national tour directed by David Aiken). Ray has been seen behind
the piano in The Storefront Theatre's New Mondays (with Bill Russell
and Emily Skinner), No Reservations (starring Brandon Cutrell with
special guests Karen Mason and Shoshana Bean), Broadway Downtown
(with Kristy Cates) and We Miss Nancy: The Storefront Sings Lamott
(with Liz McCartney). He has also served as accompanist for Utah
Festival Opera Company, The Opera Company of Brooklyn, Mid America
Productions at Carnegie Hall (with John Rutter) and A Yuletide Celebration
with the Indianapolis Symphony starring Judy Kaye. As a singer,
Ray has sung with some of the finest opera companies in the country,
including Florida Grand, Glimmerglass and New Orleans operas. Ray
holds degrees in piano and voice from the Indiana University School
of Music.
Lisa Asher's critically acclaimed one-woman show,
Stranded in the Moonlight, recently completed a successful run at
The Laurie Beechman Theatre, were she was hailed by audiences and
critics alike. Lisa made her national television debut in a solo
vocal performance on the Emmy Award-winning The Rosie O'Donnell
Show, at the insistence of the show's musical director, John McDaniel.
Ms. Asher is the recipient of a MAC (Manhattan Association of Clubs
& Cabarets) Award for Outstanding Vocalist, as well as the Back
Stage Bistro Award for her solo work in cabarets in New York. Her
critically acclaimed debut CD, Let The Mystery Be, was nominated
for a MAC Award for Recording of the Year, and her recent release
Lisa Asher, Live at the Duplex, is available in stores nationwide.
Lisa has appeared as a featured vocalist and actress in numerous
concert and theatrical venues around the country. Recently, she
appeared with Tony nominated songwriter/singer Craig Carnelia (Sweet
Smell of Success, Imaginary Friends) at a sold out concert at the
New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Recent theatrical credits include
starring in the world premiere of two new musicals - I Married Wyatt
Earp at The Bristol Riverside Theater and, Almost Heaven . . . Songs
and Stories of John Denver at the Tony Award-Winning Denver Theatre
Center Company. Lisa has toured nationally with the Broadway show,
The Who's Tommy and performed in the Off-Broadway hit, Woody Guthrie's
American Song which received a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Musical.
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