Paulanne Simmons
The Stars Come Out at 11 O’Clock
"11 O’Clock Numbers at 11 O’Clock!"
Presented by Scott Siegel
Directed by Scott Coulter
Feinstein’s at Loews Regency
540 Park Avenue at 61 Street
Thursdays at 11 pm
Music charge: $15-$25, plus one drink/food minimum
feinsteinsattheregency.com or siegelentertainment@msn.com
By Paulanne Simmons
It's eleven o'clock. You've just seen a Broadway show or perhaps you've been taking in the sights from morning to night, but you're not quite ready to call it a day. What can you do in the city that never sleeps? If it's a Thursday night, you can go to Feinstein's at the Regency for "11 O'Clock Numbers at 11 O'Clock!" and enjoy one more hour of dazzling New York City entertainment.
The show was created specifically for this spot and this time by Scott Siegel, the man behind Town Hall's Broadway by the Year and the Nightlife Awards.
"Michael Feinstein asked me if I had an idea for a show," says Siegel, "And I thought about it for a long time before the lightbulb went on."
The result of this "aha" moment is an extremely affordable and delightful late night show performed on Thursdays by veteran entertainers in an intimate venue. It's perfect for night owls and theater lovers, whether they're spending a week in New York City or have lived here all their lives.
"11 O'clock Numbers at 11 O'clock" is directed by Scott Coulter, a featured performer touring internationally with Stephen Schwartz. Coulter shares the stage with Drama Desk nominee (Forbidden Broadway) and "Newsical the Musical" star Christina Bianco and Broadway by the Year star Carole J. Bufford. The three sing, banter and introduce each of the numbers with interesting pieces of theater lore.
The 11 o'clock number was first incorporated into musicals when shows began at 8:30 and ended at 11:15 or 11:30. They were intended to grab the audience's attention and wake up anyone who might be succumbing to the late hour. Traditionally, they were large production numbers such as "Oklahoma."
Nowadays the 11 o'clock number may be the song in which the hero or heroine has a major revelation that brings the show to a climax with a great power ballad. Or it may be a reprise of a major number in the first act.
11 o'clock numbers include some of Broadway's greatest hits, songs that have not only thrilled theatergoers, but also entered the repertoire of many of our best vocalists. Bufford, Bianco and Coulter's toast to Broadway with numbers like "What Did I Have That I Don't Have" from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965), "As Long as He Needs Me" from Oliver! (1964) or "Sing For your Supper" from The Boys from Syracuse (1939) is the perfect nightcap.
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