BROADWAY LIVE! AT FEINSTEIN'S and JULIE NEWMAR, The CATWOMAN is on The Prowl Again!

"Real success is not on the stage, but off the stage as a human being, and how you get along with your fellow man." ~ Sammy Davis, Jr.

Happy Saturday!
What do you get when you put three incredible entertainers, two adept producers, two top notch musicians, and a great venue together? You get BROADWAY LIVE! AT FEINSTEIN'S!

Broadway Live ! brings the magic of the Great White Way with song selections from South Pacific, Dreamgirls, Jersey Boys, Jekyll & Hyde, Guys and Dolls, Hair, Chicago, of course, Sondheim and much more. The soul-stirring emotions, comedy and behind-the-scenes theater stories will make you laugh, cry and cheer as recounted by top Broadway performers:Robert Cuccioli, Terry Burrell Christianne Tisdale and featuring Musical Director Barry Levitt with Jon Burr on bass. The show is produced by ShaRell Productions (Sandi Durell & Shari Upbin).
www.sharellproductions.com

I am a HUGE fan of both Robert Cuccioli and Terry Burrell. I have to admit that I am not that familiar with Christianne Tisdale, but what I have seen doing my research for this blog, I've loved! I also love and have the utmost respect for Sandi Durell and Shari Upbin. I also have worked with Barry Levitt and Jon Burr, two of the finest musicians around. I can't wait! I also LOVE to go to Feinstein's!


Robert Cuccioli is from Hempstead, New York. He is best known for originating the lead dual title roles in the musical Jekyll and Hyde, for which he received a Tony Award nomination and won the Joseph Jefferson Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, and the Fany Award.

In addition to seeing Robert at Feinstein's on August 29th, you can also see him in Othello at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey! Lindsay Smiling will play the title role and Robert Cuccioli will play Iago in The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's production of Othello. Bonnie J. Monte will direct the production, which will play the F.M. Kirby Theatre, September 7-October 2.

The cast will also feature Victoria Mack as Desdemona, Jacqueline Antaramian as Emilia, Jon Barker as Cassio, Matthew Bradford Sullivan as Roderigo, Bill Christ as Brabantio, Jay Leibowitz as Lodovico, Susan Maris as Bianca, and Patrick Toon as Montano. Jordan Laroya, David Joseph Regelmann, and Eric Rolland will round out the cast.

The creative team will include set designer Bill Clarke, costume designer Paul Canada, lighting designer Steven Rosen, and sound designer Karin Graybash.

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Terry Burrell is an acclaimed actress whose Broadway credits include Three Penny Opera, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Swinging On A Star, Into The Woods, Dreamgirls, Honky Tonk Nights, Eubie, and the first London production of Showboat.
Burrell was seen Off Broadway in Almost Heaven, And The World Goes ‘Round and Taking a Chance On Love, as well as concerts for "Jazz In July" at the 92nd Street Y, The Duke Ellington Orchestra in Venice and the Oslo Jazz Festival. She was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for her work in Queenie Pie and Showboat. Her one woman show Ethel "Mama Stringbean" Waters will make its debut at the Walnut Street Theatre February of 2012.

I cannot wait to see Terry as Ethel Waters!





Christianne Tisdale has performed lead roles on both Broadway and London's West End, including Beauty and The Beast, Triumph of Love, One Touch of Venus, and Titanic (1st National Tour).

TV audiences have enjoyed her on "30 Rock," "Law & Order CI," "Late Night with David Letterman," "A Tale of Cinderella," the soaps and oodles of commercials. She has sung in some of the world's most famous concert halls and her critically acclaimed debut CD Just A Map - A Lullaby To The World is available online. More information is at www.ChristianneTisdale.com


I guarantee a great night on August 29th and they have worked out an INCREDIBLE deal at Feinstein's to make it affordable! Looking forward to seeing you there!

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY will present BROADWAY LIVE! on Monday, August 29 at 8:30 PM. The performance has a $30.00 cover with $50.00 premium seats available, in addition to a $25.00 food and beverage minimum. Jackets are suggested but not required. The club is located at 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street in New York City. For ticket reservations and club information, please call (212) 339-4095 or online at Feinsteinsatloewsregency.com and TicketWeb.com.


Earlier this week, one of my favorite actresses celebrated a birthday. My blog was already set on that day. But today, I want to wish a belated Happy Birthday to Julie Newmar! I hope you're still celebrating! I'm A HUGE JULIE NEWMAR FAN!

Beauty, brains and a fantastic sense of humor—Julie Newmar is perhaps best known world wide for her role as the sultry Catwoman on the hit series "Batman" or on stage for her original roles of Stupefyin Jones in "Lil Abner" and Vera in "Silk Stockings," not to mention her Tony Award winning performance as Katrin Sveg in "The Marriage-Go-Round."

A woman of great genetic stock, her father was a one-time Chicago Bears football player and her mother a star of the 1920 Follies. From an early age, Julie studied piano, dance and classical ballet. She graduated from high school at the age of 15, and spent a year touring Europe with her mother and brother. Julie became prima ballerina for the Los Angeles Opera. She attended UCLA studying classical piano, philosophy and French. Julie went to New York to audition for Broadway musicals and almost immediately Julie made her Broadway debut as the ballerina in "Silk Stockings" in 1955 and won acclaim for her role as Stupefyin' Jones in "Li'l Abner." Although audiences and critics alike where stupefied by her good looks, that is not the compliment Julie had particularly wanted. Julie wanted to be known for her comedy, as she told the New York Times: "Tell me I'm funny, and it's the greatest compliment in the world." Promoting her various Broadway and off-Broadway show appearances, Julie often posed as a pinup girl.
(Attached artwork by GlenHanson.com)

Making the transition to TV, Julie appeared in Rod Serling's science fiction series the "Twilight Zone" in 1963, playing Miss Devlin (devil).
As physical perfection, Julie was perfect to play Rhoda the Robot in "My Living Doll," the sitcom had an enthusiastic cult following. In 1966, urged on by her friends, she would try out for and be cast as Catwoman (a character she had never heard of) in the wildly popular TV series "Batman."

Due to a movie commitment, Julie was unavailable to play TV's Catwoman in the 3rd season (her part was taken by Eartha Kitt).

Julie was very busy in the 1960s and 1970s, making guest appearances in many TV top rated shows and several TV-movies including Star Trek, Beverly Hillbillies, Love Boat, Get Smart, McCloud, Bewitched, The Bionic Woman, Chips, Hart to Hart and more. Because of her love of the stage and live performances, Julie toured the country in stage productions of "Damn Yankees" and "Dames at Sea" and others. Becoming an entrepreneur, in 1977 Julie turned up in People Magazine wearing her new invention "Nudemar" pantyhose (due to an elastic back seam it provided fanny support). In the 1980s, Julie appeared in 9 films while she was busy raising her son and working in the real estate business. Julie went back to UCLA to take a few real estate courses. In 1991 Julie toured in a stage production of "The Women." Still very active, and very beautiful, Julie will appear at fan conventions occasionally. Most recently, Julie has been thrust back into the spotlight with her highly televised legal battle with neighbor Jim Belushi that resulted in her on air appearance in his hit series "According to Jim."

And now, Julie Newmar, offers what she hopes will be the perfect little “how to” book to place on the bedside table - "The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth".

There seems to be a lot of buzz in the media about the upcoming reincarnation of the latest Catwoman, by Anne Hathaway in "Dark Knight Rises," which has made this the "purrrrfect" time for the original Catwoman, Ms. Julie Newmar, to release her new book "The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth."

Julie has four confirmed LA signings of the book on ...

Sunday, Oct 2nd, 2011 at 3:30
West Hollywood Park - Open Book Pavilion

Wednesday, Oct 5th, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Book Soup (8818 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90069)

Saturday, Oct 15th, 2011 from 7:00-9:00pm Santa Monica Library's Meet the Author (601 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica CA)

Friday, Nov 11th, 2011 at 7:00pm
Vromans bookstore in Pasadena 395 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91011

Currently, Ms. Newmar has several books in the works. "The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth" features the wit and wisdom of Ms. Julie Newmar, to be followed by "First Fantasy".
"The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth" is a book in which you read a phrase and pause…read another phrase and take a breath… read more and then cry a little.
A compilation of wonderful tid bits of information, inspirational thoughts, and practical advice for daily living that Julie has collected and experienced over her lifetime, and she is sharing with the reader.
Julie was trying to create that perfect little “how to” book to place on the bedside table – the one that would empower others to be the very best I can be.

As most all individuals do, we search for role models who define the vision of what we would like to one day be and we set our minds on emulating them.

The tall, statuesque, graceful and powerful woman, Julie Newmar, inspired many. Not only in physical appearance, but as an entrepreneur in LA real-estate and inventor, developing "Nudemar" panty-hose. In 2009, the Smithsonian Institute inducted her famous and the original Cat-Woman suit into its permanent Entertainment Exhibit collection making her one of the nine Legendary Ladies of Stage and Screen to be included.

Smithsonian Institute honors nine Legendary Ladies of Stage & Screen - Carol Channing, Phyllis Diller, Tippi Hedren, Florence Henderson, Angela Lansbury, June Lockhart, Rose Marie, Julie Newmar, and Esther Williams. Emcee: Dick Van Patten Host: JoAnne Worley -

Pearls of wisdom from "The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth"

* Tall girls, don't slump. Think of how many short guys out there would love to have your offspring. Stand up for them.

* On Criticizing others. Don't hear it, see it, or respond to it. Unless...you're in an outdoor cafe Via Veneto style, and then it's prodigious fun.

* Responsibility is the home base of great women and men. Greatness is to take responsibility for your feelings, your acts, and their consequences. Lack of responsibility lands you in the hospital, the poor house, or with "friends" who want to hurt you.

* Women bloom later in life. Some of them like roses, bloom, and re-bloom and re-bloom.

* Forgive yourself first. You'll have reserves when you want others to forgive you.

* I hide my annoyance when people tell me: "But you can wear anything!" Anything... is what I don't wear.

* Words, thoughts, eventually have a life of their own. Never say something you don't want to be true.

* Good manners are wisdom practiced backwards. Bad manners are the throne of selfishness claiming to be individuality.

* Every profession has its scullery duty.


* Never mind changing the world. Make everything you have better. People will notice.


Julie Newmar, visited KCAL9 to discuss her new book, “The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth.


Love you, Julie! Thanks for the gifts you have given us and continue to give us and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULIE NEWMAR!


SOURCES: Sandi Durell and Harlan Boll


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