More than 55 years after her death, the music and persona of Billie Holiday continues to captivate us. The sad tale of the jazz great, who would have been 100 years old this year, has inspired an Oscar-nominated film (Lady Sings the Blues with Diana Ross), a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill starring Audra McDonald) and now it’s Joey Arias who’s keeping the vocalist’s flame alive. The witty, incandescent cabaret singer, performance and drag artist celebrates Holiday’s centennial year with an acclaimed cabaret production he premiered at New York’s Lincoln Center earlier this year that will be performed at L.A.’s innovative Redcat Theatre November 19-22.
For tickets and more information, go here. Watch a clip of Arias running through Holiday’s songbook below.
Highlights from Joey Arias’ Billie Holiday Centennial Concert at Lincoln Center American Songbook from DAX MGMT on Vimeo.
Captain Obvious
I thought I was looking at Lady Gaga.
Kangol
@Captain Obvious: Miss Joey Arias was giving fierceness before Lady Gaga was born.
Miss Arias is a SURVIVOR!
luvit00
Joey Arias has been “channeling” Billie Holiday for 20 years!
Bob LaBlah
Its nice to see she still has a paying audience. Girl is damn near eighty if she is a day but still going strong. Too bad the majority of you missed the days of Wigstock. That was the party of the year as far a summer festivities in NYC went back in the day.