The RRazz Room at the Raven in New Hope is proud to present Jeffrey Johnson in “Edie Beale LIVE at Reno Sweeney” on April 29 at 7:30 p.m.
“Little Edie” Beale, of “Grey Gardens” fame, performed a cabaret act at Reno Sweeney Nightclub in New York City over the New Year’s week of 1978 — and this is that act.
Gerald Duval, Edie’s producer during the time of her appearance at Reno Sweeney, has re-created the essence of those seven magical nights in one 75-minute show, using dialogue, songs, and text from the original shows. “Enjoy, experience, and witness what happened when Edie Beale was LIVE at Reno Sweeney,” say promoters.
The production also includes James Finley as “Gerald,” and Zack Ford as “David,” the pianist. The original was staged at Ganymede Arts in Washington, D.C., and was co-directed by Jeffrey Johnson and Rick Hammerly. The show has also played at Joe’s Pub, the RRazz Room in San Francisco, Show at Barre in Los Angeles, RTP in Richmond, VA, along with the prestigious 54 Below in New York City. Johnson has had the honor of having his Edie performance filmed by Albert Maysles, and that performance is now in the Maysles’ “Grey Garden Archives.”
Tickets for Edie Beale LIVE at Reno Sweeney are $25, and available online, or call (888) 596-1027. The Rrazz Room at the Raven is located at 385 W. Bridge St. in New Hope.
Johnson was artistic director of the LGBT Theatre Company, Ganymede Arts, in Washington, D.C. While there, he conceived and starred in an all-male version of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, staged a punk rock version of The Rocky Horror Show at a D.C. nightclub, produced the East Coast premiere of Lilies, and began the Ganymede Arts Fall Arts Festival ,which included participation of over 100 LGBT Artist from all genres of the arts and featured performances by such icons as Karen Black (where she wrote and debuted her one-woman show), Justin Vivian Bond, Holly Woodlawn, Charles Busch and Julie Halston.
Since closing the LGBT Theatre Company in 2011, Johnson has focused on brushing off his musical background through a character he created during his tenure as artistic director, “Special Agent Galactica.” His galactic assassin appears next in a brand new show, “A Romp Around Uranus,” this summer at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, D.C.
The RRazz Room at the Raven presents world-class artists from many genres of the entertainment spectrum — Broadway, Great American Songbook, Big Band, R&B, Funk, Blues, Traditional, Latin & Smooth Jazz, Rock & Pop, Doo-Wop, Comedy, Theatrical Drag, Performance Art, Las Vegas Spectacles, and more. Patrons are welcome to arrive one hour prior to show time to enjoy the new food and beverage menu, prepared by the Award Winning Raven chef.
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