14th - 16th December 2006
Thurs 14th - 15
Fri 15th & Sat 16th - 20
“Lea DeLaria is blessed with one of the most beautiful voices around"--Q
Trailblazing diva Lea DeLaria fronts the outrageously suave Dirty Martini Band, under the musical direction of the eminent pianist and composer Janette Mason. In three special Christmas shows, Lea and the band perform a scintillating repertoire of witty festive favourites, classic torch songs, up-tempo jazz standards and soulful ballads. With Julian Siegel (saxophone), Tom Arthurs (trumpet), Simon Little (bass) and Mark Fletcher (drums).
Lea DeLaria, who has already enjoyed a career as a Broadway singer and stand-up comedian, made her recording debut for Warner Bros in 2000. Hailed by the Times as “the Best Jazz Album of 2001", Play It Cool confirmed Lea as one of the best jazz singers of our time. Her second album, Double Standards, received rave reviews from press around the world, and both 'Call Me' and 'Philadelphia' continue to receive regular radio play on both sides of the Atlantic.
The first openly gay comic to appear on national television in the United States, DeLaria went on to tour the world with her one-of-a-kind blend of cool jazz and in your face comedy, often creating stirs (The United States Congress officially “criticised" Lea in 1993) but always winning accolades (Muff Diva - Best of the Fest - Edinburgh 1993, Wellington 1994). Lea has recorded two live comedy albums and developed specials for HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, CBC, and Channel 4.
DeLaria's work in television is as unique as it is varied. She has created strange characters for daytime soaps (One Life to Live), Primetime (Will and Grace, Friends and, would you believe it, Matlock ) and has appeared on just about every talk show there is, from The Today Show (NBC morning show), Chef Du Jour (Food Channel), Rosie O'Donnell (National Syndication) and Politically Incorrect ( ABC Late Night ). The small screen eventually gave way to the big screen for Lea with bit parts in major motion pictures (The First Wives Club, Major Bilko) and lead roles in independents (Rescuing Desire, Mercury In Retrograde, Homo Heights and Edge of Seventeen).
Like all singing comics, Lea's greatest desire was to stand downstage centre and hold a Broadway audience captive. Her dream came to fruition in 1997 with The Public Theatre's revival of On the Town. Directed by 2 time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe in the role of Hildy she stopped the show 8 times a week and received Obie, Drama Desk, Theater World and Fanny Awards. She became a Drama League Honouree and the recipient of the most notorious snub of recent Tony history. The notoriety pushed Lea into the limelight of the New York theatre scene, making her one of the few openly gay actors in the world to cross boundaries playing straight and gay roles and even portraying men!
As a result of all these musical comedy turns, DeLaria's singing career blossomed. It was whilst touring night clubs and concert halls that Lea was spotted by Warner Jazz and subsequently signed a deal. The public and critical acclaim for both the albums she went on to record for Warner established Lea as one of the finest jazz singers of her generation.
These December dates will be promoting The Very Best Of Lea DeLaria, a collection of favourites from her two Warner Bros. albums, which is out now on Warner Jazz.
For more information contact AirMTM.
