In a small bar in south philly, on a typical night in 1959, billie holiday, the icon dubbed lady day, put on a show that unbeknownst to. Lady day at emersons bar and grill portland center stage. Lady day at emersons bar and grill concord theatricals. This awardwinning musical play reenacts one of the final performances of jazz legend billie holiday with stories and songs from her turbulent life. Lady day at emersons bar and grill ticket information take in a performance of lady day at emersons bar and grill to experience a thrilling stage production celebrating american jazz. For if this version was never done we would all be missing out on something incredibly great.
Audra mcdonald received her eighth tony award nomination for playing the alcoholic, heroinaddicted and pioneering jazz singer billie holiday, in lady day. Lady day at emersons bar and grill is a play with music by lanie robertson, recounting some events in the life of billie holiday. There is no question that her presence is regal if not refined. Lady day at emersons bar and grill runs through march 4, 2018, at the creative cauldron 410 s. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of.
According to the john coltrane reference on june 17, 1948, coltrane and percy heath stopped by emersons to see saxophonist lester young billie holidays gig at the south philly dive bar four months before her death is the setting for the broadway play, lady day at emersons. The play originally premiered in 1986 at the alliance theatre in atlanta, georgia, and then opened offbroadway. Lady day at emersons bar and grill tickets lady day at. The show is playing at the wyndhams theatre until 9 september 2017. Lady day at emersons bar and grill is not only a perfect star vehicle for mcdonald, who brings to life the spirit of billie holiday in lanie robertsons 1986 play but is also a delight for audiences and fans of holidays music. Lady day at emersons bar and grill is a play with music featuring a 44 yearold billie holiday giving one of her last live shows in march 1959 before passing away four months later. Director lonny price starring audra mcdonald, shelton becton, george farmer genres drama subtitles english cc audio languages.
She completely channels billie holiday, gravelly, drugaddled voice and all. Featuring iconic songs like god bless the child and strange fruit, lady day at emersons bar and grill is an allaccess pass to billie holidays final concert. It was a hard trip, too, judging from the bruised and fragile state we find her in now at rep stage, courtesy of lanie robertsons fine 1986 playwithmusic, lady day at emersons. In lady day at emersons bar and grill, audra is not audra, she is lady day. Audra mcdonald is a performer of great vocal prowess and precision. The play premiered in 1986 at the alliance theatre in atlanta, georgia, and soon played offbroadway. Lady day at emersons bar and grill by zach theatre by brian paul scipione hey, lady day. Zach theatre is extending the production may 18 june 11, 2017, and moving it to the kleberg stage. With humor and hopefulness, the legendary singer takes us on a journey through the highs and lows of her tumultuous life, interspersed with exuberant renditions of her beloved repertoire.
Lady day at emersons bar and grill, starring audra mcdonald, takes place in the months before billie holiday died, set in a city that she had reason to loathe. Oh, how i wish i had gone to nyc to see her perform this piece. Audra mcdonald stars as billie holiday in this onewoman jukebox musical. Lady day at emersons bar and grill in the subgenre of smallscale bioshows of legendary musical performers, lady day at emersons bar and grill has been a popular attraction, not just re. It is set at a smoky little rundown club in south philadelphia, a setting that is meant to echo billies own brokendown condition. Lanie robertsons 1986 work lady day at emersons bar and grill isnt exactly a musical and it isnt exactly a play.
Chanel playing the titular role of lady day enters the stage via the audience. Cheap tickets to all lady day at emersons bar and grill shows are available on cheaptickets. Its 1959 and jazz legend billie holiday is playing a seedy bar in philadelphia. Audra mcdonald in lady day at emersons bar and grill. Through her poignant voice and moving songs, one of the greatest jazz singers of alltime shares her loves and losses. This work by portland center stage at the armory is licensed under a creative commons attributionnoncommercial 4. Eleanora fagan april 7, 1915 july 17, 1959, professionally known as billie holiday, was an american jazz singer with a career spanning nearly thirty years. Emersons tavern, located at 15th and bainbridge streets, was listed in the negro motorist travel guide.
So great she is, you forget that you are not really watching the great late lady day herself. Lady day at emersons bar and grill new repertory theatre new. As she shares stories about her stormy personal life, her battle with addiction and her ground. Get the best deal on the west end straight to your mobile. Portland center stage presents deidrie henry as billie holliday in this recreation of the jazz legends final live performance. Lady day at emersons bar and grill tickets are now on sale. Search all lady day at emersons bar and grill events and get last minute tickets with a 150% moneyback guarantee. Nicknamed lady day by her friend and music partner lester young, holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing. Tony awardwinner audra mcdonald plays billie holiday in this adaptation of the hit broadway play. Adaptation of the 2014 broadway hit that won audra mcdonald her sixth tony award for her portrayal of billie holiday, who, in a haunting 1959 performance in philadelphia shortly before she. Children under 6 are not permitted at any production at the armory.
Reviews of lady day at emersons bar and grill learn more. Lady day is to this day an icon that many a performer looks up to for her depth of soul and expression, but she is also a tragic soul who found solace and comfort by letting her emotions be released in song. Lady day at emersons bar and grill debuts at the west end mcdonald was expected to reprise her role in the west end at the wyndhams theatre, from june 15 through september 3, 2016. Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play audra mcdonald best sound design of a play steve canyon kennedy. Its 1959 in a seedy bar in philadelphia, and billie holiday is giving one of her last performances interlaced with salty, often humorous, reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of the lady and her music 4 months before her death. A sixtime tonywinner, she has a rich, operatic voice, and in lady day at emersons bar and grill.
Lady day at emersons bar and grill tickets vivid seats. Lady day at emersons bar and portland center stage at. She was to take a 3month break from her role on broadway in shuffle along, or, the making of the musical sensation of 1921 and all that followed. Lady day at emersons bar and grill from broadway to the. Its 1959 and billie holiday is performing in a rundown bar during one of the last performances of her lifetime. See this recreation of a singular night in music history, written by lanie robertson and directed by betty hart, in aurora. Lady day at emersons bar and grill relives this final performance with billie telling her life story and singing over a. More comfortably described as a biopicperformance, the play is set in philadelphia in march 1959, some four months. With audra mcdonald, shelton becton, george farmer, clayton craddock. By lanie robertson directed by danielle drakes musical direction by wil lewis iii november 219, 2017.
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