Laura Osnes & Tony Yazbeck

Things Are Looking Up, An Evening of Gershwin Greats

Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 8:00 PM at Landmark on Main Street

Tony Award nominees Laura Osnes and Tony Yazbeck join forces for a dazzling evening of song and dance! After enchanting audiences in Manhattan Concert Productions' Crazy For You at Lincoln Center, this duo recognized their undeniable chemistry and mutual love for the music of George Gershwin. Now, they reunite for this intimate evening featuring Gershwin's gorgeous melodies guaranteed to lift your spirits and leave your toes tapping... quite literally!

Tony Yazbeck won the Astaire Award and was nominated for Tony, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his virtuosic performance in the 2014 Broadway revival of On the Town. He recently debuted his solo show with Lincoln Center's American Songbook series and starred in the title role in The Scarlet Pimpernel in concert at Lincoln Center. Other recent credits include The Cradle Will Rock at Classic Stage Company, the Encores! production of A Chorus Line, and the PBS Great Performances special The Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood.

His television and film credits include Billions, Smash, and the feature documentary Every Little Step. In concert, he has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas; Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops under the baton of Steven Reineke; with National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap with Michael Barrett; at Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony Orchestra celebrating Leonard Bernstein; with Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena Symphony at the L.A. Arboretum. Mr. Yazbeck also stars in his own song and dance show. His debut album, The Floor Above Me, has been released digitally and on CD by PS Classics.

Laura Osnes was last seen on Broadway in Bandstand. Previously, she starred as the title role in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Drama Desk Award; Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League and Astaire Award nominations). She made her Broadway debut as Sandy in the most recent revival of Grease and also starred in Bonnie and Clyde (Tony Award nomination), creating the role at Asolo Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award). She appeared as Hope Harcourt in the Tony Award winning revival of Anything Goes (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Astaire Award nominations) and Nellie Forbush in Lincoln Center Theater's production of South Pacific.

On television, she has been seen on the CBS series Elementary, in the HBO pilot The Miraculous Year, Sondheim: The Birthday Concert at Avery Fisher Hall and HBO's documentary Six By Sondheim. Her many concerts and cabarets include performances with Michael Feinstein, the New York Philharmonic, The New York Pops, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Boston Pops, and the Pasadena Pops. In addition to being heard on several cast recordings, Laura has two solo albums, Dream A Little Dream: Live at The Cafe Carlyle and If I Tell You: The Songs of Maury Yeston.

Landmark audiences will recognize Laura Osnes' name and amazing voice from her bravura performance at the 2016 Landmark Gala, when she stepped in with only hours' notice on the day of the event. We've been wanting to hear more from her ever since!

Santino Fontana

Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 8PM at Landmark on Main Street

With his rich voice, dynamic versatility, and charisma, Santino Fontana is one of Broadway's favorite leading men. A Tony Award nominated actor, Santino began his career at 18 when he won the renowned Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. As an interpreter of the American Songbook he has sung with orchestras, big bands, and smaller ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, Birdland, NY Pops, Collegiate Chorale, Westchester Philharmonic, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Sesame Street Muppets, Phoenix Symphony, and at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, NJPAC, and the Bravo Festival at Vail.

Film and television fans will recognize him as the voice of the villainous Prince Hans in Disney's Frozen, as well as the singing barman, Greg, in the CW series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Broadway credits include Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, The Importance of Being Earnest, Brighton Beach Memoirs (Drama Desk Award), Billy Elliott, and Sunday in the Park with George.

Recently he played Cornelius Hackl in the acclaimed run of Hello Dolly! and will next be seen on Broadway as Michael Dorsey in Tootsie. 

Bill Charlap Trio plays the Songs of Leonard Bernstein: A 100th Birthday Celebration

March 16th | SOPAC | 8 PM

Grammy Award-winning pianist Bill Charlap has performed with many of the leading artists of our time including Phil Woods, Tony Bennett, Gerry Mulligan, Wynton Marsalis, Freddy Cole and Houston Person. Born in New York City, Charlap began playing the piano at age three. His father was Broadway composer Moose Charlap, whose credits include Peter Pan, and his mother is singer Sandy Stewart, who toured with Benny Goodman, and was a regular on The Perry Como Show. She earned a 1963 Grammy Award nomination for her recording of “My Coloring Book.” In 2005, Charlap and Stewart released the acclaimed CD, Love Is Here To Stay (Blue Note).

In 1997 Charlap formed his trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, now recognized as one of the leading groups in Jazz. In 2000, he was signed to Blue Note Records and received two Grammy Award nominations for Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein and The Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard. He is known for his interpretations of American popular song.

Time magazine wrote, “Bill Charlap approaches a song the way a lover approaches his beloved…no matter how imaginative or surprising his take on a song is, he invariably zeroes in on its essence.” In 2016, Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap: The Silver Lining, The Songs of Jerome Kern, was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album. In April, the Bill Charlap Trio released, Notes from New York, their debut recording for the Impulse label. Alan Morrison’s five-star review in Down Beat stated that the new recording is “a masterclass in class.”
 
In 2017, Charlap will be celebrating his 13th year as Artistic Director of New York City’s Jazz in July Festival at 92Y. He has produced concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Chicago Symphony Center and the Hollywood Bowl. Charlap is married to renowned Jazz pianist and composer Renee Rosnes, and the two artists often collaborate in a duo piano setting. In 2010 Charlap and Rosnes released Double Portrait (Blue Note). Bill Charlap is currently the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.

Laura Benanti performs at SOPAC

Sat., March 10th | 8 PM

Tony Award-winner LAURA BENANTI just completed her 2016 Tony-nominated role as Amalia Balash in the hit Broadway Musical, She Loves Me. Laura also received Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and Drama Desk Award nominations for this role. 

Laura can now be seen touring the country in her latest solo show, Tales from Soprano Isle. The show will feature songs from Laura’s career, including She Loves Me, along with humorous anecdotes and experiences that she has encountered on/off the stage and screen.

On television, she can be seen playing the role of Alura Zor-El in the CW action drama "Supergirl".

In addition to television work and her critically acclaimed performance as Elsa Schrader in NBC's The Sound of Music LIVE, Ms. Benanti is a highly celebrated, five-time Tony Award-nominated stage actress who took Broadway by storm at the age of 18.

She received a Drama Desk award, Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Award Nomination for her starring role in the Broadway production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown for Lincoln Center where she also starred in the Broadway production of Sarah Ruhl'sIn the Next Room or The Vibrator Play. Ms. Benanti earned the 2008 Tony Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, a Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award for her revelatory portrayal of Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy opposite Patti LuPone and directed by Arthur Laurents. Her other Broadway roles include The Wedding Singer, Nine starring Antonio Banderas, her Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award-nominated performance of Cinderella in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and her sultry Tony nominated turn in Swing! Ms. Benanti made her Broadway debut as Maria in The Sound of Music opposite Richard Chamberlain.

Other distinguished theater performances include the Public Theater's production of Christopher Durang's Why Torture is Wrong and the People Who Love Them, Perdita in The Winter's Tale at the Williamstown Theatre Festival opposite Kate Burton, Anne in A Little Night Music at the L.A. Opera opposite Victor Garber, Eileen in Wonderful Town opposite Donna Murphy and most recently her portrayal of Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella, both for City Center Encores! Ms. Benanti completed a week-long engagement at the popular New York cabaret club, Feinstein's/54 Below, for which The New York Times hailed her as a "supremely confident" performer whose "bright, full soprano, with its semioperatic heft, can go almost anywhere." In September 2013, she released her debut album, "In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live at 54 Below" on Broadway Records to ecstatic reviews.

Laura currently performs her concerts in venues around the country and even recently performed for the President and First Lady of the United States at both the Fords Gala and the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington DC.

In 2014, she joined the cast of ABC's hit series "Nashville" guest-starring as songbird Sadie Stone. Laura also appeared in recurring roles on CBS's "The Good Wife" and HBO's "Nurse Jackie."

Laura's past television credits include a starring role in the NBC series "The Playboy Club" and "Go On" opposite Matthew Perry. She also starred in the F/X original series "Starved". Ms. Benanti recurred on"Law and Order: SVU," "Royal Pains," and "Eli Stone." and had appearances on "The Big C" and "Elementary".

Bill Charlap Trio plays the Songs of Leonard Bernstein: A 100th Birthday Celebration

March 3rd | Landmark on Main Street | 8 PM

Grammy Award-winning pianist Bill Charlap has performed with many of the leading artists of our time including Phil Woods, Tony Bennett, Gerry Mulligan, Wynton Marsalis, Freddy Cole and Houston Person. Born in New York City, Charlap began playing the piano at age three. His father was Broadway composer Moose Charlap, whose credits include Peter Pan, and his mother is singer Sandy Stewart, who toured with Benny Goodman, and was a regular on The Perry Como Show. She earned a 1963 Grammy Award nomination for her recording of “My Coloring Book.” In 2005, Charlap and Stewart released the acclaimed CD, Love Is Here To Stay (Blue Note).

In 1997 Charlap formed his trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, now recognized as one of the leading groups in Jazz. In 2000, he was signed to Blue Note Records and received two Grammy Award nominations for Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein and The Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard. He is known for his interpretations of American popular song.

Time magazine wrote, “Bill Charlap approaches a song the way a lover approaches his beloved…no matter how imaginative or surprising his take on a song is, he invariably zeroes in on its essence.” In 2016, Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap: The Silver Lining, The Songs of Jerome Kern, was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Album. In April, the Bill Charlap Trio released, Notes from New York, their debut recording for the Impulse label. Alan Morrison’s five-star review in Down Beat stated that the new recording is “a masterclass in class.”
 
In 2017, Charlap will be celebrating his 13th year as Artistic Director of New York City’s Jazz in July Festival at 92Y. He has produced concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Chicago Symphony Center and the Hollywood Bowl. Charlap is married to renowned Jazz pianist and composer Renee Rosnes, and the two artists often collaborate in a duo piano setting. In 2010 Charlap and Rosnes released Double Portrait (Blue Note). Bill Charlap is currently the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.

The Hot Sardines | SOPAC | Friday 10.13 | 8 PM

In the talented hands of the New York-based ensemble, music first made famous decades ago comes alive through their brassy horn arrangements, rollicking piano melodies, and vocals from a chanteuse who transports listeners to a different era with the mere lilt of her voice.
On French Fries & Champagne, The Hot Sardines’ new album for Universal Music Classics, the jazz collective broadens its already impressive palette, combining covers and originals as they effortlessly channel New York speakeasies, Parisian cabarets and New Orleans jazz halls. Bandleader Evan “Bibs” Palazzo and lead singer “Miz Elizabeth” Bougerol met in 2007 after they both answered a Craigslist ad about a jazz jam session above a Manhattan noodle shop. The unlikely pair— she was a London School of Economics-educated travel writer who grew up in France, Canada and the Ivory Coast, he was a New York City born and raised actor who studied theater at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia—bonded over their love for Fats Waller. Influenced also by such greats as Dinah Washington, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, they began playing open mic nights and small gigs and by 2011, they headlined Midsummer Night Swing at New York’s Lincoln Center.

The Hot Sardines’ self-titled debut album, named by iTunes as one of the best jazz albums of 2014, spent more than a year on the Billboard Jazz Chart, debuting in the top 10 alongside Michael Bublé, and Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. The accolades began pouring in for the band: Downbeat called The Hot Sardines “one of the most delightfully energetic bands on New York’s ‘hot’ music scene,” while The London Times praised their “crisp musicianship” and “immaculate and witty showmanship,” declaring them “simply phenomenal.”