Brian d’Arcy James, recording artist and award-winning star of stage and screen, left the audience wanting even more at the conclusion of the eighth annual Riverside Theatre Supper Club, An Evening with Brian d’Arcy James, hosted by the Riverside Theatre Friends Committee last Monday evening.
Before his performance, the 270 guests enjoyed cocktails in the Orchid Lobby and dined in the Waxlax Theatre, which had been transformed into the Riverside Theatre Skyline Room, on a scrumptious chicken Marsala supper catered by Elizabeth D. Kennedy & Co.
As guests savored the last of their hazelnut chocolate gelato, James’ infectious personality drew the crowd into the salon-style soirees of a bygone era.
James took the audience on a trip down memory lane, performing a piece he wrote, as well as songs by Sting and Billy Joel and Broadway favorites, including hits from “Titanic,” “Sweet Smell of Success” and “Shrek.”
James’ wife Jennifer Prescott, a Riverside repeat performer, joined him on stage to perform “Hard Knock Life” from “Annie” and an encore performance of “I Love You.”
Also in the audience were his Broadway co-stars Michele Ragusa and Stacey Logan Lewis. Ragusa, who will star in Riverside’s upcoming production of “Mame,” worked with James in “Titanic,” and he performed with Lewis in “Sweet Smell of Success.”
The local connection goes even deeper for James; his uncle, the late Lou Hagopian, was a Riverside board member for many years.
“My uncle was a great supporter of my talents and even mapped out my career when one of my Broadway shows ended sooner than expected,” said James. “He wrote a show for me with classic songs.”
Longtime advocate Nancy Goodes originally created the concept of Riverside’s Supper Club and Allen Cornell, producing artistic director/CEO, pointed out that while she and husband Mel no longer live in the area, it is through their endowment that Supper Club events will live on for many years to come.
Cornell also gave high praise to event chair Rosemary Haverland “for a superb job in creating a glittering evening.”
“We are thrilled to have Brian d’Arcy James in Vero Beach at last,” said Haverland. “I love the theater and have been involved in different cities for years. It is so exciting to see what is happening with theater in Vero Beach.”
The women of the Friends Committee, currently chaired by Emily Sherwood, work tirelessly to raise capital to supplement the theater’s annual operating costs through fundraising events such as the Supper Club.
“Ticket sales only cover 50 percent of the theater’s operation,” explained Oscar Sales, Riverside’s marketing director. “We are very fortunate to have a Friends committee that helps raise funds for the theater to help in that regard. They do three events a year – Fall Luncheon, Supper Club and Benefit Gala, which will be March 6 this year.”
James closed the show by acknowledging the audience for their part in keeping theater alive, saying, “Thank you for not only coming but for supporting Riverside Theatre and for the incredible venue it is. It shows what a tremendous community this is because of your support for live performing arts.”
