Kerry Butler and Laura Bell Bundy to Host May 16 New Voices Concert

By Andrew Gans
03 May 2005

From Top: Kerry Butler and Laura Bell Bundy
From Top: Kerry Butler and Laura Bell Bundy

Hairspray alumnae Kerry Butler and Laura Bell Bundy will host the May 16 Monday Nights, New Voices concert at the Duplex Cabaret Theater.

The series, created to spotlight lesser-known talents working in the city, will feature the vocals of Avenue Q's Howie Michael Smith, Hair's Julie Garnye, "My Hometown"'s Kevin Free as well as Pearl Sun, Ellyn Marsh, Jason Robinson and Carly Frankel. Show time is 7 PM.

Jesse Vargas is musical director for the concert, which will also include appearances by composers Richard Gleaves (Dorian) and Larry O'Keefe (Bat Boy). Scott Alan is the producer of the series.

Laura Bell Bundy created the role of Amber von Tussle in the Broadway cast of the Tony-winning musical Hairspray. She received Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nominations for her performance as Tina Denmark in Off-Broadway's Ruthless, and her other theatrical credits include Wicked, Gypsy, Damn Yankees, Grease!, Pajama Game and The Sound of Music. The singer-actress also premiered her one-woman show, Shameless! The Life and Times of Laura Bell Bundy, at Joe's Pub.

Kerry Butler was most recently on Broadway as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. She portrayed Penny Pingleton in the original Broadway cast of Hairspray, and her other Broadway credits include Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Eponine in Les Misérables and Ms. Jones in Blood Brothers. Off-Broadway she was seen in Bat Boy The Musical, The "I" Word, Prodigal and The Folsom Head. She was also part of the cast of the new musical The Opposite of Sex, which premiered in San Francisco.

The Duplex is located in Manhattan at 61 Christopher Street. There is a $10 cover charge and a two-drink minimum; call (212) 255-5438 for reservations.