The DIVA

WOW!

We've got one of the

most incredible voices on this planet and I am NOT kidding you...

...and she's going to be my second guest. Saturday, December 12th.

The amazing...

Stacy Francis

I've had the honor and pleasure to sing with Stacy a couple of times and each time I was quite simply blown away.

She's worked with the greats and shared the stage with incredible stars.

Well we've got her for Saturday night December 12th and those of you who are coming to that show are in for a HUGE treat.

Click For Tickets

Here's a story below:

BroadwayWorld

Here's her website: CLICK ME

And here's her bio:

Stacy Francis is ready for her close-up. She has performed live with music icons including Chaka Khan, Madonna and Prince. She’s drawn rave reviews for starring roles in hit musicals on Broadway, released albums and toured the world as part of a major label R&B group, and played featured roles on network television. Francis has somehow managed to fly under the radar through it all, prompting her friend Will Smith to say, “I can’t wait for the world to discover Stacy.”

The wait is over as she steps into the spotlight with her solo debut album, Shine. The project will feature Francis—accompanied by a full orchestra—wrapping her amazing voice around timeless pop classics by legendary songwriters including Burt Bacharach & Hal David and Alan & Marilyn Bergman, as well as introducing new songs they’ve composed especially for Shine. Previously, the New York Times has praised her, “vocal pyrotechnics and a range that runs from chesty depths to unearthly heights, and stated that, “Stacy Francis has a powerhouse voice.” On Shine, it will be radiant.

The concept of mixing Francis’ interpretations of iconic American popular songbook standards with newly-penned future classics came from award-winning album producer Tena Clark, who is overseeing Shine’s artistic direction. All phases of the development and recording of the album—including sessions with celebrated songwriters and behind-the-scenes moments with Stacy and her circle of famous friends—will be filmed for The Making Of A Diva, which will air as an episodic series on cable television.

As part of the project, Francis will also establish the Shine Foundation, focusing on programs directed towards empowering young girls and women. “Through art and music,” she says, “there is a lot of healing that we can do. I believe that as artists, as celebrities, we need to be role models. We have a voice, and it can be a powerful force to help people feel better, to be better, and to remind them about who we are—of our shared humanity.”

Music and connecting with people have been constants in Francis’ life. She was raised in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn by her uncle, a preacher. By age four, she was singing in church, and this early immersion in gospel connected her heart and soul to the power of song—that authenticity and passion remain at the core of her art. Over the summers, she went around the country with her uncle, driving from church to church for revivals, where she’d sing for large crowds. “Looking back,” Francis says, “I see that’s how I got used to performing in front of an audience. I’ve always felt truly comfortable onstage, much more so than in a studio.”

The immediate feedback of live performance energized her, and her love for it translated into lead roles in school musicals and, when she was 16, membership in the R&B/hip-hop girl group Ex-Girlfriend. The first of the quartet’s two albums, the 1991 Billboard Top 40 R&B title X Marks The Spot, was the debut release on Forceful Records, the Warner Bros. imprint launched by Brooklyn hip-hop icons Full Force. Their first single, “Why Can’t You Come Home,” was a #5 R&B hit. The group toured internationally and went on to release It’s A Woman Thang in 1994 before parting ways.

Francis’ next triumph was starring in the West End production of Mama, I Want to Sing opposite the legendary Chaka Khan. During her run on the London stage, Prince came to see the show, and invited her to perform with him at an after-hours club where he was holding court. Every night for a month, between the hours of 1-7AM, she would do a number with him and his band. “I didn’t know that many songs,” says Francis, “because my background was in gospel. But he urged me to listen to Miles Davis, to Rufus—to lots of classic music. The whole experience was like being outside my body—was this really happening to me?”

Back in the States, Francis had the opportunity to sing with gospel greats CeCe Winans and Shirley Caesar—two of her lifelong inspirations—in a production of Born To Sing at Madison Square Garden. It was another dream come true, as well as a major turning point for Francis. Stellar notices for her performance drew a call from an old friend who was the casting director for the Broadway smash Smokey Joe’s Café. “He said, ‘I think you’re ready,’” remembers Francis.

She joined the cast as an understudy in 1995, and later stepped into the lead role when B.J. Crosby left the show. “To this day,” says Francis, “she’s one of the most amazing sopranos I’ve ever heard. A lot of people just couldn’t sing those same notes. No one could fill her shoes, but I was honored to have the chance to carry on her tradition—I was also scared to death.” Francis went on to make her own memorable mark as a celebrated cast member in what eventually became the longest-running musical revue on Broadway. Her credits on the Great White Way also include parts in Street Corner Symphony and the hit musical Footloose, in which she originated the lead role of Rusty.

Francis left Broadway in 2001 to move to Los Angeles and explore a career in acting. Her credits include roles in the network television series Third Watch, Fastlane, Yes, Dear and Strong Medicine. “I love every aspect of the entertainment industry, being an artist is the most amazing thing ever. But my first passion is singing, and I realized that what I really needed to do was make a record.”

In her first go-round as a recording artist with her girl group, Francis didn’t see herself as a solo artist. “I didn’t think I could be like Beyonce and go off on my own,” she says. “I was young and green and I wasn’t ready.” Years of theatrical success gave her the confidence to shine—“If you hold on and keep believing—every day—that your time is going to come, it will. My time is here.”

2 New Guests

So I've confirmed two more guests for the Holiday Concerts 2009.

Both are dare I say...stellar for their own reasons.

One for the first Saturday night and the second for my Monday night show.

We'll be announcing them very, very soon.

Come on down, over or up to Bill's 90 and have a great evening of fun, food and music.

For those of you who were there last year...we've got another audience interactive section...with props!

Click Here

Thanksgiving and Burbank

As we move into the Thanksgiving Day festivities I wanted to send a note out to everyone to say...THANKS.

The response to the Holiday Concert 2009 has been fantastic and I'm really looking forward to it.

I also don't want all of you West Coasters to forget about the show in Burbank at The Colony Theatre.

It's going to be a load of fun and a little different than the NY show.

LA TICKETS

I've been in the studio with Peter Wolf recording a new single which will be available by in about a week or so...(just in time for Christmas).

Here's a photo of the main board console in Peter's studio.

We've finished the main orchestration, have laid down rough vocals and this week we're going to finish up all the little details.

The arrangement Peter has created is out of this world. I'm really excited about it.

And here's the view from just outside the Studio. Horrible huh? :)

That light blue line on the horizon is the Pacific Ocean. What a site to see.

Puts me in the "Mele Kalikimaka Mood."

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and I'll see you at the shows!

First Guest

Our first amazing Opening Night guest is

Meredith Patterson.

You Broadway Folk will remember her from White Christmas and you TV folk will know her from many shows including...ALL MY CHILDREN.

Meredith Patterson currently plays Francesca on ABC’s long-running hit series All My Children. Meredith is featured in the 2009 Sony Classics Documentary Every Little Step. Broadway: Originated the role of Judy Haynesin Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Peggy Sawyer in 42nd ST Revival (August 2001-2002/Lincoln Center Archives), Singing Apple in The Green Bird (Dir: Julie Taymor).

Theater: Kit Baker in Face The Music (City Center Encore’s), Polly Browne in The Boy Friend (Dir. Julie Andrews), Yvette Gerard in the world premiere of Gershwin’s An American in Paris (Alley Theatre), Louise Maske in Steve Martin’s The Underpants (Dir. John Rando: Geffen Theatre), Young Phyllis in Papermill’s Follies (with Ann Miller).

Television: Meredith guest starred as the hilarious Missy Tiggs on ABC’s Boston Legal (opposite Candice Bergen and Tom Selleck). Film credits include:My Father’s Will (2010), Before the Devil Knows Your Dead (dir. Sidney Lumet), The Princess Diaries II: Royal Engagement (dir. Garry Marshall), Broken Flowers (dir. Jim Jarmusch) and Company Man (Marilyn Monroe). Recordings: White Christmas (Ghostlight), Face The Music (DRG) Papermill’s Follies (TVT), The Green Bird (DRG), MerieNYC (Merie Productions).

Meredith is currently executive producing and performing a jazz album with her father, drummer Bill Patterson, to be released in spring 2010.

Meredith's Website Click Here

Opening night is going to be a special one so:

CLICK HERE for tickets

Tale Broadcast

Here is a link to an exclusive that Broadway.com ran on the upcoming TALE Public Television Broadcast.

TALE Video

It's nice to hear that music again.

And...on a separate note I've gotten another guest confirmation. This one is for the final weekend of the show.

Click HERE for tickets to The Holiday Concert

Phantom Phan of the Month

Wow! Every once in a while something happens to you in life that knocks your socks off! This is one of them.

Last week I was approached by Phantom Las Vegas and asked if I wanted to be the first Phantom Phan of the month. Of course, I couldn't say no!

I want to thank them for approaching me and giving me the honor. What a blessing! So much for trying to hide and being a "shy" writer!

Here is a link to the page of Phantom Phan of the Month.

Cheerfully yours,
The Phantom's Student

PS - Now you know who is behind the mask.

Holiday Guests

So we're lining up the guests...and I gotta tell ya our first one for the December 11th show is going to be great. We'll be announcing (her) very soon. Nice little hint right there...

Let's see...what can I tell you guys to keep you guessing. She's incredibly talented (at triple threat), has appeared on Broadway as well as Film and TV and she's not stranger to Christmas themed shows.

OK that's all I'm going to say right now...

In the mean time, start booking your dinner plans at Bill's 90 and if you haven't gotten your seats for Opening night book them now. We're going to have some great photographers in the house that night as well.

GET TICKETS HERE

And I want to give a shout out to the Broadway Websites for running such great stories about the show early on.

So thanks to TheatreMania, BroadwayWorld, Playbill.com and Broadway.com for the continued support.

Here are the links again.

Broadway.com

Playbill.com

BroadwayWorld

TheatreMania

New Poster for 2009

So here it...our new poster for 2009. I really like it.

We're going to have some great stuff at the shows this year. Great guests who are already lining up. Some old familiar faces and some new "familiar" faces.

And Bill's Nineties....you guys are gonna love it. Warm, inviting and has such a History.

Here's the link for tickets.

TICKETS

Holiday Concerts 2009

IT'S OFFICIAL !
Tickets for the James Barbour Holiday Concerts 2009 are on sale NOW.

We've got a great new venue in New York City. Bill's 90 on East 54th Street. It's an amazing place with a rich history.

Here's one great tie-in...the second owner of the building is the Grandson of Clemmet C. Moore who wrote...."Twas The Night Before Christmas."

Check out www.BillsNYC.com for all the cool stuff.

Constantine Kitsopoulos will be my musical director this year. Constantine and I go way back, he musical directed my two big firsts...the National Tour of The Secret Garden and my Broadway debut in Cyrano The Musical.

There will be rich, ripe and incredibly funny stories in the mix when he and I get going.And we'll have those amazing speical guests from the Broadway community each night just like last year.

Here are some links to stories.

BroadwayWorld
Broadway.com



And...some other great news...we've added an extra show in Los Angeles at The Colony Theatre in Burbank. I'm doing this show with acclaimed singer/songwroter Michelle Wolf. Wait until you hear her Christmas CD. Pretty amazing. Her husband, Peter Wolf, will be our musical director on that one.

Check out his stats! Peter Wolf is a multiple Grammy nominated composer, producer, songwriter and arranger. He was awarded the highest honor for artists from his birth country of Austria, the Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst (Austrian Honor Badge for Science and Art).

So the dates for NY are December 11th through December 19th. Seating begins at 7:30pm Same deal as last year with the $25 minimum. We'll also have a 3pm matinee on Saturday December 19th (two show day).


Click HERE For NYC Tickets

And the Los Angeles concert will be on Monday, December 21st at 7pm. All tickets are $40 and there will be a reception to follow in the lobby of the theatre. Plus, this concert is a fundraiser for The Colony Theatre so your ticket price goes to a great cause.

Click HERE For LA Tickets

Second Edition & Kindle

In the next month or two, I will be publishing on Kindle an expanded version of Lessons From the Phantom of the Opera that will include my most recent posts since publication in May of 2009. Sometime close to May 2010, I will make the second edition available in print form as well that can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers worldwide.

Thank you so much for all of your kind comments regarding my blog and book! Great reviews posted on the Internet and emails keep coming--it warms my heart.

If you haven't tuned into our radio show, check it out! We've had some great guests lately and the shows are archived for listening. Go to All Things Phantom on BlogTalkRadio.

On a side note, my first historical fiction novel was released and ready for sale in the U.S. on Xlibris. By January 2010, it can be purchased worldwide on Amazon. If you're interested in a 19th century romance to warm your heart, please visit my book website for more information at: The Price of Innocence.

Cheerfully yours,
The Phantom's Student