Christine Ebersole & Billy Stritch in Morristown, NJ

Tonight I did the reverse bridge & tunnel out to Morristown, New Jersey, where I was graciously invited by Roxie to see Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch. We started the evening out at the Dublin Pub with a great pub dinner and necessary theatre talk. I had the acclaimed Irish coffee for dessert. That would have been enough to make the trip worth it, but the concert was definitely the cream on top.

The Community Theatre at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts is a beautiful theatre. There are about 1,300 seats and while it seams like it may have been a vaudeville theatre, it started life as a movie house. The set list included songs from the two albums that Christine and Billy have recorded together, last year's Sunday in the New York and the earlier In Your Dreams, as well as some other standards and theatre songs. Notably, Christine sang the most tender and gorgeous version of How Are Things in Glocca Morra? from Finian's Rainbow. They ended the evening with My Funny Valentine, to top off the Valentine's love theme evening.

Christine and Billy did a signing after. Christine told me that she had rehearsal today for Blithe Spirit. Maybe that's why my curtain call shot of her looks so ghostly. Spooky! I also had the pleasure of witnessing Roxie become completely mute when I offered to take her picture with Christine. I said, "Roxie ask her for a picture." The response was quite incoherent so I did the honors with a lovely result.

Thanks for the evening Roxie! I can't wait for another opportunity for a reserve bridge & tunnel! Hint, hint.