Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertson
Max & Louie Productions proudly present a 3-week engagement of Lanie Robertson’s Tony Award-winning Broadway revival Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill starring Alexis J. Roston. Ms. Roston reprises her Joseph Jefferson (The Chicago “Tony”) Award-winning role as jazz legend Billie Holiday. Billie Holiday dubbed “Lady Day” by her friends – forever changed the world of jazz and popular music with her pioneering vocal style. Acclaimed pianist, composer and arranger Abdul Hamid Royal brilliantly complements Ms. Roston as Billie’s accompanist.
Reviews
By Ann Pollack – St. Louis Eats and Drinks, February 19, 2017
“There are some musicians whose recordings, no matter how good, how beloved, don’t do them justice. Chief among them, I would argue, is Billie Holiday.”
By Mark Bretz – Ladue News, February 21, 2017
“‘Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill’ Is Both Entertaining and Provocative”
By Richard Green – Talkin’ Broadway, February 21, 2017
“It may be heresy, but I liked this one better than Audra McDonald’s.”
By Snoop MK – Snoop’s Theatre Thoughts, February 21, 2017
“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill gives audiences the closest chance they can get to seeing Holiday perform live.”
By Judith Newmark – St. Louis Post Dispatch, February 22, 2017
“Alexis J. Roston takes us time-traveling to hear Lady Day.”
By Chris Gibson – BroadwayWorld.com, February 24, 2017
“Max & Louie Productions’ Compelling Lady Day at Emerson’s & Grill”
By Tina Farmer – KDHX, February 24, 2017
“Alexis J. Roston brings Billie Holiday to life in the evocative ‘Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill'”
By Joan Leyden – Intermission Magazine
“Something quite remarkable is happening down on Grand Avenue”
Articles
‘Fierce, sassy and bold’: Max and Louie Productions presents jazz legend Billie Holiday
Nancy Fowler – St Louis Public Radio, Feb 17, 2017
The story of a jazz a singer whose signature song drew attention to the brutal treatment of African-Americans will be on stage in St. Louis for the next two weeks. Read more…
Billie Holiday’s last stand: “Lady Day” at the Kranzberg Arts Center
Rosalind Early – St Louis Magazine, February 15, 2017
Holiday’s voice summoned up a world of emotion: agony, defeat, joy, love, anger, devastation. Read more…
National Reviews
“Alexis J. Roston simply captivates….And when Roston croons out Johnny Mercer’s ‘When a Woman Loves a Man’: Goosebumps!” – Huffington Post
“Sensational! Dazzles! Electrifying theater! Roston holds the audience in the palm of her hand with a scintillating performance!” – Show Biz Chicago
“Not only does Roston sound like Holiday, she captures her power, discipline, free spirit and aching vulnerability in roughly equal measures, which is a decidedly tricky cocktail to mix.” – Chicago Tribune
“….Abdul Hamid Royal’s piano playing is the stuff dreams are made of.” – Show Biz Chicago
“The richest jazz singing in town just now is at this subtle absorbing dramatic performance……” – N. Y. Times