PLAYBILL PLAYLIST: On the Town's Tony Yazbeck Picks Favorite Show-Tune Classics | Playbill

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Playlist PLAYBILL PLAYLIST: On the Town's Tony Yazbeck Picks Favorite Show-Tune Classics Tony Yazbeck, who will star as Gabey in the upcoming Broadway revival of On the Town, will make his solo 54 Below concert debut this August with The Floor Above Me. In anticipation of his concerts, the singing actor picks his favorite show-tune classics as part of this week's Playbill Playlist.

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Tony Yazbeck Photo by John Fortunato

Yazbeck will offer concerts, which include Broadway classics and more, Aug. 11 at 9:30 PM, Aug. 14 at 9:30 PM and Aug. 19 at 7 PM.

Here's how 54 Below describes the evening: "In this not-to-be-missed evening, with tunes spanning from MGM to Joni Mitchell, Tony will weave tales from his first Broadway gig at age 11 (as a Newsboy in Tyne Daly's Gypsy) to his return to Gypsy as Tulsa in the Patti LuPone revival, as well as share anecdotes from his professional and personal journey that has established him as a stalwart New York song and dance man."

He will be joined by actor-dancer Curtis Holbrook (If/Then, West Side Story, Xanadu) and tap dancer Melinda Sullivan ("So You Think You Can Dance," "Glee") at The Floor Above Me.

Yazbeck has been seen on Broadway in the 1989 and 2008 Broadway revivals of Gypsy, Chicago, Oklahoma!, Never Gonna Dance, A Chorus Line and Irving Berlin's White Christmas.

54 Below is located at 254 W. 54th Street. For more information and tickets, visit 54Below.com.

"Cheek to Cheek" (Irving Berlin, Top Hat, 1935). One of my favorite songs of all time. Also featured in my 54 Below show!

The Gypsy Overture (Jule Styne, Gypsy, 1959). In my opinion, this is the best overture ever written. I could listen to it all day. This clip is from the 1989 revival, where I played the role of Clarence and his Classic Clarinet and a newsboy.

"Tonight Quintet" (Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story, 1957). From one of my favorite shows of all time.

"This Nearly Was Mine" (Richard Rodgers/ Oscar Hammerstein, South Pacific, 1949). I'll never forget being in the ensemble at this Carnegie Hall concert and witnessing Brian Stokes Mitchell give a brilliant performance of this perfect song.

"Some Other Time" (Leonard Bernstein/Betty Comden and Adolf Green, On The Town, 1944). This song has always resonated deeply for me, and it is featured in our upcoming revival of On The Town. Here is a beautiful clip, featuring Leonard Bernstein on piano.

"At The Ballet" (Marvin Hamlisch, A Chorus Line, 1975). This is my favorite song from A Chorus Line. This is a clip from the original production, featuring Sheila's scene into the song.

"Singin' in the Rain" (Nacio Herb Brown/Arthur Freed, The Hollywood Music Box Review, 1929). This song wasn't made famous until 1952 when it was the title song for Gene Kelly's most famous movie musical. There is no better feeling than performing this song onstage in the pouring rain.

"I'm Still Here" (Stephen Sondheim, Follies, 1971). This clip from Elaine Stritch At Liberty speaks for itself.

"How Long Has This Been Going On?" (George and Ira Gershwin, originally written for Funny Face, but not introduced till Rosalie, 1928). I love how songs like this can be stripped down to its core so vulnerably the way this clip shows.

"The Way You Look Tonight" (Jerome Kern, Swing Time, 1936). This is my favorite version of this timeless song. It was also performed exquisitely by Noah Racey and Nancy Lemenager in Never Gonna Dance on Broadway.

"Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again" [Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler ("Get Happy"), Milton Ager/Jack Yellen ("Happy Days Are Here Again"); Nine-Fifteen Revue ("Get Happy"), Chasing Rainbows ("Happy Days Are Here Again"), 1930 and 1929]. This is the best feel-good YouTube clip there is. A beautiful arrangement of these two classic songs sung by legends, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.

"Where or When" (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart, Babes In Arms, 1937). I first fell in love with this song watching "When Harry Met Sally," which got me hooked on Harry Connick Jr.

 
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