Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill

Full-Length Musical, Drama  /  1w, 1m

The time is 1959. The place is a seedy bar in Philadelphia. The audience is about to witness one of Billie Holiday’s last performances, given four months before her death.

Image: 2017 West End Production (Tristram Kenton)

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 1m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14 - 18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 2014 Tony® Award, Best Actress in a Play
    Winner! 2014 Drama Desk Award, Best Actress in a Play
    Winner! 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award, Best Actress in a Musical

Details

Summary
The time is 1959. The place is a seedy bar in Philadelphia. The audience is about to witness one of Billie Holiday’s last performances, given four months before her death. More than a dozen musical numbers are interlaced with salty, often humorous reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of the lady and her music.
History
The world premiere of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill opened at the Westside Theatre, New York City on September 7, 1986.
Cast Attributes
BILLIE HOLIDAY – The great jazz singer in the last year of her life, age 44
JIMMY POWERS – A piano player, any age

Male character plays the piano, plus 2 additional musicians.

  • Time Period 1950s
  • Setting A small bar in south Philadephia. Around midnight in March, 1959.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features No intermission
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“Original and riveting.” – The London Times

“The richest jazz singing in town just now... Evokes all the sordidness of a woman entirely shaped by suffering... Robertson's play is a spare, shrewdly constructed piece.” – The New York Times

“A searing portrait of a woman whose art was triumphant.” – OnStage

“Original and riveting.” – The London Times

Videos

  • Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill - TheaterMania youtube thumbnail

    Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill - TheaterMania

Photos

  • Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill

    Image: 2017 West End Production (Tristram Kenton)

Music

Music Samples

  • Musical Style Jazz
  • Dance Requirements None
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size Small/Combo
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
3 Piano-Conductor
1 Guitar/Harmonica
1 Bass
3 Piano-Conductor

Add-Ons

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Authors

Lanie Robertson

Lanie Robertson’s first plays The Insanity of Mary Girard and Back County Crimes are frequently performed by schools and community theatres. His play about Billie Holiday, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, was produced on Broadway and in London’s West End with Audra McDonal ...

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