JAMES BEAMAN & GOLDIE DVER REINTERPRET THE SONGS OF LESLIE BRICUSSE IN "CRAZY WORLD"

Opening on Thursday, October 4th for Seven Performances; Thursdays at 8:00 pm through November 29th at Don't Tell Mama

James Beaman, the actor/singer best known for his award-winning portrayals of Marlene Dietrich and Lauren Bacall, sheds his female alter egos to team up with powerhouse vocalist Goldie Dver in a theatrical cabaret, "Crazy World," celebrating the songs of the Oscar and Grammy-winning composer/lyricist Leslie Bricusse. Musical direction and arrangements are by Bistro Award winner David Maiocco, with Sam McPherson on bass. "Crazy World" opens on Thursday, October 4th at 8:00 pm and plays on Thursdays at 8:00 pm through November 29th (no shows on October 25th & November 22nd) at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street, NYC - 212-757-0788 - http://www.donttellmama.com/). Cover is $15.00 plus a two-drink minimum.

Conceived and directed by James Beaman, and inspired by Bricusse's lyric "Each day's a brand new life," Beaman and Dver take the audience through an imaginary day, from dawn through morning and night to the following dawn as they explore life's joys and challenges from childhood wonderment to first love, desire, disillusionment, sorrow and redemption. The show weaves a rich tapestry using well-known songs by prolific composer Bricusse. Among the songs reinterpreted in fresh, contemporary arrangements by David Maiocco are "You and I," "What Kind of Fool Am I?", "Talk to the Animals," and "Crazy World."

Composer/lyricist Leslie Bricusse is a double Oscar and Grammy Award winner. His stage musicals include "Stop the World ... I Want to Get Off," "The Roar of the Greasepaint ... The Smell of the Crowd," "Victor/Victoria," and his recent collaboration with Frank Wildhorn, "Jekyll and Hyde." For films he has written songs for "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," "Dr. Doolittle," "Scrooge," "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," "Superman," and "Goldfinger." Hundreds of Bricusse's songs have been sung by major artists including Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, and Sammy Davis, Jr. Leslie Bricusse was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in New York, one of only four Englishmen to be so honored, after Noel Coward, John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Performer James Beaman has been dazzling audiences in the US and Europe for almost nine years with his realistic impersonations of Marlene Dietrich and Lauren Bacall. His work has earned him the BACK STAGE Bistro Award and four MAC Award nominations for Outstanding Impersonation/Characterization.

Emerging now from his "glamour gal" impersonations to sing as himself, Beaman says, "I began the impersonations to stretch as an actor and explore my creative possibilities. I feel I have accomplished nearly everything I set out to do as an impersonator, and felt it was time to get back to my roots as a singer/actor. I grew up in a theatre family, enjoying Bricusse's music and the magical films he wrote for. These songs feel like coming home."

Goldie Dver is a well-established singer who has performed extensively on the club circuit, opening in Atlantic City for such luminaries as Pat Cooper, Soupy Sales, and Anthony Newley (a performer closely associated with Leslie Bricusse as his songwriting partner). Dver has acted in New York as well as in regional theatre and even in Japan in such shows as "Starting Here, Starting Now," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "It Happened in Verona." She just finished a run of "Swingtime Canteen" at the Depot Theatre in Westport. Last season her cabaret act, "After Today," directed by Beaman, was well received by critics and audiences alike.

Musical Director David Maiocco acts as a narrative presence in "Crazy World" and also joins the singers on trios. Beaman, working with Maiocco on conceptualizing Bricusse's material in a new way to give creative, inventive interpretations to familiar tunes, comments, "We have almost every song style represented in the arrangements of these songs. From musical theatre standard to pop, classical, jazz, Latin and even R&B. David has really worked from every color in his paint box."

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