Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch Team Up for Holiday Snowfall Shows at Birdland | Playbill

Cabaret & Concert News Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch Team Up for Holiday Snowfall Shows at Birdland It's one of three different shows Strich has lined up for the New York City nightclub in the coming weeks.
Christine Ebersole David Andrako

Fresh from her Tony-nominated run in the Broadway musical War Paint, Christine Ebersole is warming up for a return to Birdland for the holiday concert Snowfall with pianist-singer Billy Stritch. Snowfall will be performed 7 PM December 18 and 6 PM December 28 at the New York City jazz club.

It's one of three gigs Stritch will be playing at Birdland between now and New Year's Eve.

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Billy Stritch

Stritch tells Playbill that the Snowfall concert will celebrate the holidays with seasonal material from the duo’s past shows, including “Winter Wonderland," “I'll Be Home For Christmas,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” “Santa Baby,” “Snowfall,” and “River,” plus new songs like “Tennessee Christmas” and “The Man With The Bag.”

Stritch says, “There's no one more fun to sing with than Christine. I have been in love with her voice from the very first day of rehearsals for 42nd Street back in 2001. There’s really no style of music that she doesn't excel at! I am always amazed when I see Christine in an iconic role like such as Big and Little Edie Beale in Grey Gardens or as Elizabeth Arden in War Paint. I witness her magnificence and can't believe that I'm lucky enough to work with her and be her friend. We have the best time together and no one makes me laugh more!”

Ebersole won Tony Awards for her performances in both Grey Gardens and 42nd Street.

“The most fun thing for me about being an accompanist is in the collaboration and Christine and I are very much on the same wavelength. From the very first rehearsal for our first show together in 2004 it was apparent that we were kindred musical spirits and performing with her has been a real high point in my career.”

In addition to her stage work, stage, Ebersole has appeared in films such as Tootsie and Amadeus. Her television career includes roles on Royal Pains, Saturday Night Live, and One Life to Live.

Read: Behind Dressing Room Doors: War Paint’s Tony-Nominated Christine Ebersole

In addition to his duo concert with Ebersole, Strich is also planning to bring two other shows to Birdland in the coming weeks.

He will premiere his new solo show Lucky To Be Me on the Birdland stage for three shows only (6 PM November 25, December 2, and 9). This show will include Stritch’s arrangements of songs by Gershwin, Kern, Hoagy Carmichael, Cy Coleman and other giants of American popular music, and he will share stories of his career so far. These shows also commemorate the 20th anniversary of Stritch’s first appearance at Birdland in 1997 when he premiered his Brazilian album Waters of March, and will include selections from that recording as well. Strictch will be accompanied by bassist Neal Miner (November 25, December 9) and Tom Hubbard (December 2).

The playlist for that concert includes "Lucky To Be Me" from On The Town (Bernstein / Comden & Green), "They Didn't Believe Me" (Jerome Kern / Herbert Reynolds), "Wonder Why" (Nicholas Brodsky / Sammy Cahn), “Love Walked In” (George and Ira Gershwin) and "In Love In Vain" (Jerome Kern / Leo Robin).

Lastly will come the eighth annual edition of Stritch’s holiday show, A Swinging Birdland Christmas, December 22–25, with guest stars Klea Blackhurst and Jim Caruso. The three will sing "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm," "It Happened In Sun Valley," and Kay Thompson’s arrangement of “Jingle Bells.”

Stritch has arranged for, produced and performed onstage with Liza Minnelli, Tony Bennett, Marilyn Maye and Charles Aznavour, and was guest conductor for The Rosie O’Donnell Show. He is the winner of the Nashville Music City News Award, a BMI Song of the Year Award, and four awards from the Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets.

Tickets for Snowfall cost $50–$65 and can be ordered here. Tickets for Lucky to Be Me cost $30 and can be ordered here. Tickets for A Swinging Birdland Christmas cost $30 and can be ordered here.

Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street in Manhattan.

Ebersole has been a special guest performer on Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Tickets are now on sale for Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas July 2018 cruise to Iceland, accompanied by Ebersole, Judy Kuhn, Rob McClure, Jarrod Spector, Carmen Cusack, and Sierra Boggess.

Visit PlaybillTravel.com for booking and information.

SEE WHAT YOUR FAVORITE STARS ARE UP TO AWAY FROM BROADWAY WITH PLAYBILL UNIVERSE!

 
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