Meet Norm Lewis at Bay Area Cabaret

 

Continuing its 10th Anniversary Season, Bay Area Cabaret presents Tony Award-nominated Broadway star Norm Lewis.  Mr. Lewis comes to the Bay Area for this special one-night-only engagement 5:00pm, Sunday, October 20, at the historic Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason Street. Tickets ($43-$48) are available at www.bayareacabaret.org or by phone at City Box Office (415) 392-4400.

Mr. Lewis took Broadway by storm last season, starring opposite Audra McDonald in 2012’s highly-acclaimed The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. His performance brought the singer/actor critical praise, as well as Best Leading Actor nominations for the Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle Awards.  The dynamic actor has also had roles on television and currently stars as Senator Edison Davison on ABC’s hit political-drama Scandal.

After making his Broadway debut in The Who’s Tommy, the powerful baritone earned notable roles in Miss Saigon, Side Show, Dreamgirls, Chicago, Dessa Rose (Drama Desk nomination), and The Wild Party. While co-starring with Barbara Cook and Vanessa Williams in Sondheim On Sondheim, critics singled out his performance of “Being Alive” as one of the highlights of the production.  He also appeared on Broadway as “King Triton” in Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Mr. Lewis’ portrayal of “Javert” in Les Misérables received such critical praise that he was asked to reprise the role in the 2006 West End production, the all-star 25th anniversary concert version filmed at London’s O2 Arena in 2010, and again at the St. Louis MUNY Opera this summer.

Most recently he starred opposite Laura Benanti in New York Public Theatre’s new musical adaptation of The Tempest (in which The New York Times called his performance “regal.”)  This fall, he will begin a tour of Scandinavia with Sweden’s biggest musical theatre star, Peter Jöback (Phantom of the Opera). Lewis can be heard on his solo album, This Is The Life, as well as many cast recordings.

Bay Area Cabaret was founded nine years ago by fifth generation San Francisco native Marilyn Levinson as a not-for profit organization. Through its concert series and wide-ranging outreach activities, BAC aims to expand the definition of cabaret and broaden the audience for intimate entertainment, offering Great American Songbook entries from Harold Arlen and Stephen Sondheim to Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joni Mitchell. Past seasons have featured Sutton Foster, Barbara Cook, Marvin Hamlisch, Christine Ebersole, songwriters Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Peter Gallagher, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, Stacey Kent and Jane Monheit, Rent stars Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, and the high school vocal competition Bay Area Teen Idol.

Bay Area Cabaret will continue its 10th Anniversary season with America’s Romantic Piano Sensation Jim Brickman with Broadway’s David Burnham (November 10, 2013).  In the new year, Bay Area Cabaret welcomes John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey in “This Must be the Place” (January 19, 2014), Chita Rivera in “Chita Rivera: A Legendary Celebration” (February 23, 2014), Stacey Kent in “The Changing Lights,” (March 15, 2014), rising pop star Morgan James (April 6, 2014), and Karen Mason in “Secrets of the
Ancient Divas” (May 18, 2014).

For Bay Area Cabaret patrons, The Fairmont San Francisco offers a delicious buffet dinner in the Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar for $40 (plus tax and tip), plus four hours of free parking for all who dine in the Laurel Court.  For more information, visit www.bayareacabaret.org.