Linda Lavin: Songs and Confessions of a Former Waitress

Featuring Billy Stritch (piano), Steve Doyle (bass), and John Brown (drums)

Songs and Confessions of a Former Waitress gives audiences a chance to see Linda Lavin up-close and personal as she recalls her roots in the theater (originating Sondheim’s “The Boy From…” in The Mad Show) and her early cabaret trials and tribulations in some less-than-glamorous boites.

Her varied musical choices range from Gershwin to Maltby & Shire; Dave Frishberg to Trisha Yearwood, and the musical relationship with pal Billy Stritch at the piano only adds to the party atmosphere this hostess-with-the-mostess exudes.

Linda Lavin first burst on the New York musical comedy scene with roles in Oh, Kay!, It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman and On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever. She also won kudos for her straight acting roles in Little Murders and Last of the Red Hot Lovers. TV beckoned and she soon became a household name as the star of the sitcom Alice. During the nine seasons it was on the air, Linda nabbed two Golden Globe awards and an Emmy nomination. She even sang “There’s a New Girl in Town” over the opening credits of the show. Following this success, she focused her attentions once again on the stage. She earned renewed respect, in addition to critic’s awards, for her diversified Broadway work in Gypsy, The Sisters Rosensweig, Collected Stories, Broadway Bound (1987 Tony award), Death Defying Acts (Obie award), The Diary of Anne Frank (Tony nomination) and The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (Tony nomination). Most recently, Linda appeared in Carol Burnett’s autobiographical play Hollywood Arms portraying Burnett’s grandmother.