Wiping Off the Mascara, Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway Ends Sept. 10; Tour Planned | Playbill

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News Wiping Off the Mascara, Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway Ends Sept. 10; Tour Planned Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway, the first stab at Broadway for the cabaret duo Kiki and Herb, ends its limited run Sept. 10 at the Helen Hayes Theatre.

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Kiki & Herb bids farewell to Broadway. Photo by Carol Rosegg

Fresh (or not-so-fresh) from their Broadway debut, the pair will head out on a tour — with dates and venues currently being solidified, according to a production spokesperson — stopping first at the Newmark Theater for the TBA Festival in Portland, Oregon Sept. 11.

Following an Off-Broadway gig, a Carnegie Hall concert and a recent national tour, the downtown New York City faves brought their act to Broadway Aug. 11 for a limited run which opened Aug. 15 to positive reviews. The first show of the 2006-2007 season — which played 5 previews and 27 regular performances — will make way for Jay Johnson: The Two and Only! starting Sept. 19 at the venue.

David J. Foster, Jared Geller, Ruth Hendel, Jonathan Reinis Inc., Billy Zavelson, Jamie Cesa, Anne Strickland Squadron and Jennifer Manocherian presented the Broadway run in association with Gary Allen and Melvin Honowitz.

Following their special "farewell performance" in Kiki & Herb Will Die For You at Carnegie Hall in 2004, an 11-week run of Kiki & Herb: The Resurrection Tour revived the pair who offer unique renditions of popular songs by writers ranging from Eminem to Britney Spears to Kate Bush, peppered with political barbs and social observations.

Written and performed by Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman, "Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway finds the widely acclaimed duo performing in New York for the first time since their wildly successful sold-out 2004 concert," according to show materials. "As fate would have it, they didn't expire as they hoped and promised following that unprecedented event." Among the songs being performed — in their own unique way — are "Celebration" (by Schmidt/Jones from the musical Celebration), "Don't Believe The Hype" (Public Enemy), "Same Old Lange Syne" (Dan Fogelberg), "All Over Town" (The Magnetic Fields), "Let's Go To Bed" (The Cure) and "Take Your Mama Out" (The Scissor Sisters).

The design team for Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway features The Pillowman Tony Award winner Scott Pask (set), Jeff Croiter (lighting), Marc Happel (costumes) and Brett Jarvis (sound).

Kiki & Herb recently released a two-disc album of Kiki & Herb Will Die For You which also played in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They have also premiered the film "Kiki & Herb: Reloaded" at the 2005 Los Angeles Gay And Lesbian Film Festival and opened for the band Scissor Sisters at various venues.

Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman created Kiki & Herb in 1992 and have been embodying their respective alter-egos ever since in various shows. The infamous twosome make their way through a number of songs, occasionally taking the off ramp into the brash and boozy bio of the "septuagenarian" (as her press release states) Kiki. As she "drags" us through those unforgettable moments, her shy straight man accompanist Herb tickles the ivories. Previous works include Kiki & Herb: Coup de Theatre, Jesus Wept and There's a Stranger in the Manger!

Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway played at the Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West 44th St. For more information, visit www.kikiandherb.com.

 
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