Celebrating the purr-fectly marvelous life of EARTHA KITT...

Christmas Day was a bitter-sweet one for me, and for many here in Austin and around the world. Singer-Actress-Dancer-Diva EARTHA KITT left us. But how fabulous that the woman who gave us "Santa Baby" would depart our world on this of all days!
When I brought Eartha down to Austin Cabaret Theatre for our 2006 Gala, it was an event unlike any other.
Gracious, grand, generous of time, and mischievously funny, Miss Kitt won over our multi-generational audience from her first purr.
She won me over long before that, and through the years I'm so blessed to have been her sounding-board, occasional director, and--best of all--friend.
No one was a better poster child for enjoying the finer things in life than Miss Kitt. In one concert, she casually told the audience, "...my favorite meal happens to be Salad Endive, Beluga Caviar, Filet Mignon, and Dom Perignon Champagne. Thanks to all of you, I can afford it now."
So...please...raise your glasses high, ladies and gentlemen, and let's have a toast to my buddy.
We're going to miss you, E.K. Thanks for being one of the finer things in my life.
XO
Stuart

(PS...I know some of you are waiting for the latest cabaret and Broadway reports from New York, so look for those just after the New Year!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

To all the friends of ACT...
I'm so thankful for the support, the words of encouragement, the applause, and the love that you show not only me, but our talented guest artists.
I feel truly blessed to be a part of the Austin community.
Please have a wonderful, special, safe, and tasty Thanksgiving!
Come see us in the new year with JIM CARUSO's CAST PARTY on January 29-30.
Don't forget, we also do gift certificates for those hard-to-buy-for people on your list!
(just call me at 512-289-2287)
All the best,
XO
STUART

ONE WEEK TILL KEVIN!

JUST A QUICK REMINDER...
The handsome and talented KEVIN SPIRTAS graces our showroom
NOVEMBER 20-21.

Don't miss this star of stage, screen, and TV in his terrific show,

NIGHT & DAYS!

Kevin starred as Mike in Broadway's A Chorus Line, spent 7 1/2 years as Dr. Craig Wesley on Days of Our Lives, and had all of the Broadway community buzzing when he was cast as Hugh Jackman's standby in The Boy From Oz!

You'll love the side-splitting stories and songs as Kevin explores the ups and downs of Broadway and Soap Opera life!

Call 453-ACTS to order your tickets now!

PLUS...

You'll be helping to support the American Heart Association's GO RED FOR WOMEN campaign!
See full details below!
And we'll see YOU at the Cabaret!


XOXO
Stuart

DO YOU KNOW ANY WOMEN?

...Ok, everyone knows some women...but did you know that heart disease is the
Number 1 Killer of Women???

That's why for our next performance, which features the dashing KEVIN SPIRTAS in his critically acclaimed one-man show Night and Days, a portion of each ticket sale is being donated to The American Heart Association's GO RED FOR WOMEN Campaign!

(...cue the Damn Yankees cast recording... "You gotta have heart, miles and miles and miles of heart...")

Which actually makes my point...not only does ACT love celebrating the Great American Songbook and the Great American Musical, but we think it's an obligation--and a priviledge--to give back to the community. After all, without the terrific community of patrons here in Austin, we wouldn't be around.

And that would break my heart.

So...I know you're thinking "How can I make this a success and help stop heart disease in its tracks?" I'm glad you asked!

BUY TICKETS.

And then go one step further for me. Call two friends. Invite them to the show. If they decide living under a rock suits them just fine, call two more friends. And DON'T STOP till you get two other people to come to the show with you.

Easy. Fun. WORTH IT. I guarantee.

Night and Days starring KEVIN SPIRTAS
November 20-21, 2008 -- Dinner available at 7:00, show 8:30
The Mansion at Judges' Hill
(MLK & Rio Grande)
TICKETS ONLY $39...CALL 453-ACTS

Ok, so that's the end of the pitch...for now...

At the end of October, I high-tailed it down to Houston's Theatre Lab for a performance by my friend and former boss Susan Claassen in her one-woman tour-de-force, A Conversation With Edith Head. Based on the famed costume designer, it's equal parts entertaining and educational. Suz just returned from a smash run in London's West End. Not only does she bear an uncanny resemblance to Ms. Head, she becomes the dazzling & difficult diva of design. And Theatre Lab did a beautiful job presenting her. Perhaps one day soon we can get this show to Austin!

Lots of fun was had at our first annual Halloween Party.
It was a small affair here in the neighborhood, but next year...LOOK OUT!
We're going to "scare" up a bunch of people, have some great food for "goblin" up, and make it a fundraiser for Austin Cabaret Theatre. We did take some donations at the party for ACT (big, BIG thanks to those who so charitably gave). Also, a big thanks goes to Brian Jenson and Rick Payton for the food preparation. So mark your calendars for next Halloween...it would be a "grave" mistake to miss it!

I can't wait to see you all at the next show...round up the troops, forward this to your friends, let's fill the place and wipe out heart disease!!!

XO, Stuart

THE BIG APPLE REPORT!

Ok, kids! Grab a cup of coffee or a cocktail (depending on the time of day...) and settle in! This post has "all the news that's fit to print...and then some!"

First off, a fabulous time was had by all with the incomparable AMANDA McBROOM and MICHELE BROURMAN. You missed a p-a-r-t-y if you missed that show.
I just can't thank these delightful and TALENTED ladies enough. What a TERRIFIC show...

Now...NEW YORK:

I was in the big, bad Apple for the annual Broadway Cabaret Festival, which is an excellent opportunity for me to view potential Artists to bring to ACT. Being the superstitious fella that I am, I won't put in print who is being considered for the 09/10 Season, but if ya call me I might tell ya!

At the convention...

I got to see some of my pals, like esteemed writer and critic Roy Sander:

And my fellow Cancerian and longtime show-biz buddy Doug Ladnier, who was performing at the convention:
Also got to visit with Liz Callaway, and Alex Rybeck, both Austin Cabaret Alumni.
Producer Scott Siegel always puts together a grand convention, with diverse artists.
Thanks, Scott!

The best part of being in New York was my best big city pal JODY JACKSON came with me. The moment we stepped out of the hotel and I offered her my arm, she cried out "At last, my arm is whole again!!!" I guess that makes me Mrs. Lovett.

Beyond the convention, I was able to take in some other entertainment, as well...starting with the revival of EQUUS on Broadway. Richard Griffiths and Daniel Radcliffe lead the strong cast in this classic by Peter Shaffer. I will forego the temptation to make a joke about seeing Harry Potter's magic wand (oops, guess I did it anyway...). The production values were stunning, the acting superb.

Also on tap was the new musical Billy Elliot direct from a successful London premiere. The show at the Imperial Theatre was quite good...I liked it but didn't love it.
On Thursday I went to DON'T TELL MAMA's to see Seth Rudetsky's Chatterbox. This is a weekly "must-do" as each week Seth brings in a different B'way star in an informal "talk-show" format. His guest was Lin-Manuel Miranda, writer and Tony winner for IN THE HEIGHTS...

...which I saw last season and loved. Look for Lin-Manuel's work in the revival of WEST SIDE STORY coming soon to Broadway. He is doing the lyric translation for the songs that are sung by the "Sharks," which will all be in Spanish. Great concept...

I took in the play TO BE OR NOT TO BE, based on the movie(s) of the same title. Mother always told me that if I couldn't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

Hmmm...the sets were pretty.

I also attended the opening night party of ALL MY SONS. Very swanky, very exclusive. Very ME! (ha-ha-ha...)
I went as the "date" of dear bud Armando Licon, who does the wigs for GREASE on Broadway, and cuts the men's hair for ALL MY SONS...

...and he was able to get me into AMERICAN IDOL star ACE YOUNG's dressing room for a visit. Ace just stepped into the role of Kenicke in Grease. He is so gracious, charming, kind, and sweet. Thank you, Ace, for taking time to chat. And I'm serious about coming to Austin...your voice would be wonderful on the Great American Songbook...(write to him thru his website and tell him so, everyone!!!!!)

That's right, ladies...me alone with Ace...but don't worry, he totally plays for your team, girls.

And he really is gorgeous. I kinda hate him.

My friends Sara and Craig (Sara is with Sterling Affairs, the folks responsible for the amazing food at ACT, The Mansion, and The Long Center) were in town and we managed to squeeze in some time together, including dinner at my favorite Chez Josephine and it's brilliant "host-with-the-most" Jean-Claude Baker. We brunched at 44x10, and hit some of the sights...

Saturday brought me the matinee of A TALE OF TWO CITIES, The Musical. Picture a Lifetime Television mini-series based on the Dicken's novel as a musical. Yep.
Then, truly from the ridiculous to the sublime, I caught my friend Patrick Page (brilliantly portraying King Henry opposite Frank Langella's Sir Thomas Moore) in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS. What an honor to take in that performance. Thanks for the fabulous seats, Patrick!!!

Monday night was an especially hysterical diversion, with CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY at the Triad.

This wacky, wonderful show features a rotating cast of stars...our night included Kristen Johnston (worth the price of admission to hear her read from Mr. T's autobiography...), Matthew Broderick, Sherri Shepherd (hysterical as Elizabeth Taylor...), Seth Rudetsky, Susie Essman, and Eugene Pack. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Especially at the litany of food likes and dietary avoidances of Mr. Neil Sedaka. Crazy.

As if that wasn't enough, we followed it up with the tail end of the concert by Asian internet anomole Wing (my ears are still bleeding) and JIM CARUSO'S CAST PARTY! (don't forget, he's coming to Austin Cabaret Theatre in January!!!)

Tuesday night I caught ACT and Trading Spaces diva PAIGE DAVIS in the Broadway revival of BOEING BOEING (Paige, you ROCK with those tickets! THANKS!). My sides still hurt from laughing. Not only was Paige terrific (SO much fun to see her play a "brassier, more brazen" role than I'm used to!), but the entire ensemble knocks it out of the park. I also was able to visit with Broadway, TV, Film, and BOEING star CHRISTINE BARANSKI backstage after the show, in a meeting that Paige was kind enough to set up...we were discussing the possibility of an ACT appearance. Be still, my beating heart. Yes, kids, she's interested!

We went with fellow TS Designer Hildi and her gorgeous Mom, and followed up the show with dinner and drinks at Bar Central, where Katie Holmes was dining at the next booth. Only in New York.

If you're still with me at this point, congrats--you have more stamina than Lance Armstrong! I finished out the trip by seeing the Mamet play SPEED THE PLOW (for which a little stamina was also needed...). A huge thank you to the fabulous Irene Candy for arranging the seats. Jeremy Pivens was wonderful, Raul Esparza very strong, didn't like Elizabeth Moss. The best part was taking it in with my "separated-at-birth-fellow-Broadway-queen" Tommy O'Malley, who came down from Boston so we could catch up and laugh. Tommy used to be the arts features writer and critic at the Austin American-Statesman, who often would get us some great press. God, I miss him!!!

So that's it...EXCEPT that I am reminding you to get your tickets to KEVIN SPIRTAS at Austin Cabaret Theatre...call me at 453-2287. More about that next time...

PLEASE POST A COMMENT AT THE LINK BELOW if you aren't completely comatose by now.

XO
Stuart

LEAVE A COMMENT HERE SO I KNOW YOU VISITED!!!

ONLY ONE WEEK AWAY!!!

Friends!
Don't forget, the amazing AMANDA McBROOM is gracing our showroom in only one week!
Performances are Thursday-Friday, Oct 2-3, '08.
Pre-show dining is available (and it's yummy!) and showtime is 8:30 pm.
Read more about her on her site (click the pic to the right) or below.
Great seats are still available, and you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS SHOW!
Remember, you can also still order Season Tickets.

I look forward to seeing you all.
This posting is short and sweet, but I have an upcoming trip to NY, and will have lots of stories (and some photos) to share with you then.
Meanwhile, leave a comment (click below) so I know you were here.
XOXO
Stuart

From Diva to Diva...to Diva!!!

I simply can't BELIEVE that it's time for another show!
Seems like I just sent La Stritch off to the Emmy's, and here I am welcoming another...
fabulous... funny... DELICIOUS guest star...
drum roll, please...
AMANDA McBROOM!
For those of you who don't know this enchanting and witty singer-songwriter, all I have to say is four words and you'll know exactly who she is...
"Bette Midler's The Rose."
Yup. Amanda wrote it.
AND YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT SONG SUNG UNTIL YOU HEAR AMANDA DO IT.
Wow. Not to mention the other incredible music this lovely lady has penned.
You are in for a treat, my friends.
Her shows are October 2-3, at the beautiful MANSION AT JUDGES' HILL (MLK & Rio Grande) (512) 453-ACTS.
Tickets are $39 and pre-show dining is available. DON'T MISS IT!!!!
A very special thanks to all of you who came to see Elaine Stritch, At Liberty, At Austin Cabaret Theatre.
Holy cow, what a show. A living legend...
PLEASE, do continue to support us and attend our performances.
BIG NEWS--
we are in the process of "re-vamping" our website, and the very clever folks at Sitestreet are the geniuses behind what you'll be seeing soon. Video, on-line ordering, news & views...oooooh, it's just too exciting for words!
I'll keep you posted.
Thanks, my friends--and I'll see you at the cabaret!
XO
Stuart