Feinstein's at the Regency marks six month in operation with the announcement of a spring-summer booking schedule that features appearances by Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb, Rosemary Clooney, Rita Rudner, Tony Danza and the club's namesake, Michael Feinstein.
Broadway star Linda Eder is currently playing Feinstein's through March 25.
The Feinstein lineup continues into the summer with an extended booking by mentalist Marc Salem who will parlay the cabaret setting into something of a psyche-parlor, complete with assistants, music and mind readings.
Audience response to the launch of Feinstein's has impressed the Loews Corporation, with owns the Regency, where co-chairman Bob Tisch said he is optimistic about the nightclub's future.
The launch of Feinstein's last October marked the first major supper club opening since the closing of the Rainbow Room in 1998. "It is the Rainbow Room format with a much better room with a more intimate feel," Tisch told Playbill On-Line. "One big difference is that we've had compliments on our food and service -- which are excellent. You don't usually find that's true in a club of this type." Tisch recalls a time when there were as many as five nightclubs in New York at one time -- The Persian Room, the Empire Room, the Copacabana, the Royal Box and the Latin Quarter.
"We entered show business in '62," Tisch recalls, "and opened the Royal Box at the Americana in New York. At one time, between '60 and '70, we had a total of three nightclubs in operation. They were all in Americana hotels -- there was the Royal Box in New York, one in Puerto Rico and one in Miami Beach. But they closed around 1970 because the economics did not work. I don't know when the Carlyle and the Algonquin's nightclubs opened, but I think it was seven or eight years ago. Today, they're called 'supper clubs.' "
Tisch also recalled the events surrounding the opening of Feinstein's in October 1999. "Michael Feinstein and his associates came to us with the idea of a club because we had a great room," Tisch said. "We have the dining room for our regulars at breakfast and lunch, but now we were able to figure out a way to make the nightclub seating work. We realized we had the best sight lines of any club, by far, compared to the Carlyle and the Algonquin. Having the best location and the best room, we felt we should try it.
"Michael has been at the club a great deal of the time and his associates take responsibility for booking the room. They have been successful in getting first class acts," Tisch said.
Broadway star Linda Eder did seven shows last week and eight this week at Feinstein's. "She even worked Monday," Tisch said. "I think she wanted to play a small room. She and her husband, Frank Wildhorn looked at different rooms and decided this was the best for her. With her two week run she wanted to get close to her audience and I've seen some people here to see her twice in the last eight days."
The schedule for Feinstein's at the Regency is Linda Eder through March 25; Michael Feinstein from March 28 - April 5 and from April 15 - April 22; Rita Rudner April 6 - 8 and April 14; Tony Danza April 25 - May 6; Glen Campbell; and Jimmy Webb May 16 - May 20;and Rosemary Clooney May 30 - June 10, before summer headliner Marc Salem.
There is a $60 cover charge. Tue. - Sat., shows start at 8:30 PM, with seating beginning at 6 PM. There is an a la carte menu and dinner is required. On Fri. and Sat. only, shows start at 11 PM with seating beginning at 10 PM. For these shows there is an a la carte supper menu with a $25 minimum.
For tickets, club information and schedules call (212) 339-4095
-- By Murdoch McBride
