By Andrew Gans
04 Jan 2008

Melora Hardin, the singer-actress who plays Jan Levinson on TV's "The Office," makes her cabaret debut at the Catalina Jazz Club Jan. 4-6.

Richard Jay-Alexander, the Broadway producer-director who has staged concerts for Bernadette Peters, Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler, directs the limited engagement at the Hollywood, CA, nightspot. Show times are Jan. 4 and 5 at 9 PM and Jan. 6 at 7:30 PM.

Hardin will offer a mix of her own original tunes and Broadway and jazz standards during her performances. About her new show, which features musical direction by Ben Toth, Hardin recently said, "It's both a challenge and a dream come true and the perfect way to start 2008! I can't wait to get up there on stage and sing my heart out."

Audiences can expect to hear Hardin's renditions of "Raise the Roof," "Everybody Says Don't," "Close to You," "If I Were a Bell," "Roxie," "Good Morning Heartache," "Everything Must Change" and "Teach Me Tonight" as well as her original tunes "All Messed Up" (co-written with Chris Standring), "A Boy And His Cat" and "Teenager."

An actress, singer and songwriter, Melora Hardin's numerous screen credits include "The Office," "The Comebacks," "Monk," "Me, Mom, Dad, and Her," "Gilmore Girls," "Without a Trace," "Thank You for Smoking," "Boston Legal," "Judging Amy," "Once and Again," "Certain Guys," "Erasable You," "Absolute Power," "Renegade," "Touched By an Angel" and "Friends."

Richard Jay-Alexander was formerly a Broadway actor, singer and dancer, who has since directed the critically acclaimed concerts of Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters and Mary Cleere Haran. He was the executive director of Cameron Mackintosh's American company for a decade and was the associate director and executive producer of the original Broadway, touring and Canadian companies of Les Misérables. One of his many current jobs is executive director of Playbill Records. Jay-Alexander will also direct Betty Buckley's upcoming engagement at Feinstein's at Loews Regency.

The Catalina Jazz Club is located at 6725 Sunset Blvd., #100 in Hollywood, CA. Tickets, priced $25 (plus a two-drink minimum), are available by calling (323) 466-2210.

For tickets and more information visit www.catalinajazzclub.com or www.melora.com.