EXCLUSIVE: Elaine Paige to Play Feinstein's; New CD, Too | Playbill

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News EXCLUSIVE: Elaine Paige to Play Feinstein's; New CD, Too West End musical theatre star Elaine Paige, who made her long-awaited Broadway debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, is heading back to New York City.

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Elaine Paige

The celebrated singing actress, who created lead roles in the London productions of Evita, Cats and Chess, will make her New York cabaret debut at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in the fall. Exact dates will be announced shortly.

The engagement will mark a rare departure for Paige, who is accustomed to playing large theatres and concert houses. Paige, who told Playbill.com about her upcoming Feinstein's run, said, "Recently, I just did a jazz set . . . at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival here in England, and that was in a very small, kind of intimate [venue] similar to Feinstein's. And initially, I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm not going to enjoy this. [The audience will be] too close to me,'" she laughed. "And, actually, you know, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the intimacy of it and the fact that I could feel them almost. It's incredible . . . so I'm hoping that, having dipped my toe into it here, that it'll work as well in New York for me."

While in New York this summer, Paige will also begin recording her latest CD. "I'm just about to go into the studio with Phil Ramone to do a new album," Paige told Playbill.com. "I'm very excited about it. It's kind of an 'Elaine Paige and Friends'-type album, and it's more modern [songs]. We're doing some covers, but there are a couple of new pieces, as well, and I'm hoping to do a couple of duets with a few pals."

As previously reported, "Elaine Paige: Celebrating a Life on Stage" will be seen on WNET/Thirteen June 9 at 8 PM ET; check local listings. The program takes the audience on a journey from Paige's beginnings in the musical Hair to performances in Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chess, Cats and Sunset Boulevard.

The evening was filmed in 2009 at the State Theatre in Sydney, Australia, during her 40th anniversary tour. Elaine Paige was brought to the public's attention when she created the role of Eva Peron in the original London production of Evita. She then created the role of Grizabella in the original production of Cats and followed with a recording hit: "I Know Him So Well," with Barbara Dickson, from the concept album of Chess. Paige later starred in the West End mounting of Chess as well as London productions of Anything Goes, The King and I, Piaf and Sunset Boulevard. She repeated her work as Norma Desmond for New York audiences, and in 2004 she performed the role of Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd at the New York City Opera (and snagged a Drama Desk Award nomination for her work). She has recorded 16 solo albums and six cast albums. In 1995 Paige received the Order of the British Empire for services to Musical Theatre. Paige most recently starred in the title role of the London production of The Drowsy Chaperone and currently hosts a weekly radio program for the BBC.

Playbill.com will offer a full interview with Elaine Paige shortly.

 
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