Lady Day to close on 05 Jan 2014

The Billie Holiday musical Lady Day, written and directed by Stephen Stahl, and starring three times Grammy Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater as 'Billie Holiday,' as posted early closing notices and will play its final performance on 05 Jan 2014.

The musical opened at the Little Shubert Theatre on 03 Oct 2013, following previews from 19 Sep 2013 and had been selling tickets through to 16 Mar 2014.

The show opened to mixed reviews, the critics unanimously praised Dee Dee Bridgewater's performance: "Bridgewater seduce(d) me into a state of bliss (NY Times); When Holiday is performing, 'Lady Day' works well enough (NYDN); Bridgewater mesmerizingly channels Billie Holiday (Hollywood Reporter)."

The cast also includes David Ayers in the role of 'Robert,' Billie Holiday's Manager, Rafael Poueriet in the role of the 'Assistant Stage manager.'

The show's musicians features Jim Cammack (veteran bass player for jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal), Ken Hitchcock (NY Saxophone Quartet & Manhattan Jazz Orchestra's tenor sax player), Jerome Jennings (performer & drummer for Benny Golson and Sonny Rollins) and Bill Jolly(three-time Emmy Award winning pianist/composer/arranger).

Lady Day made its New York debut having been produced at the Theatre de Boulogne-Billancourt and Theatre du Gymnase Marie Bell in Paris as well as The Donmar Warehouse and The Piccadilly Theatre in London, where it garnered an Olivier "Best Actress in a Musical" Award nomination for Bridgewater.

This original play with music on the life of Billie Holiday, "Lady Day" features a cavalcade of Holiday hit songs and tells the story of how Holiday attempts a final comeback performance.

Told through onstage triumphs and backstage personal trials, the production features over twenty-five standards including: "Don't Explain," "Good Morning Heartache," "A Foggy Day (In London Town)," "Them There Eyes," "Strange Fruit," "My Man," "God Bless the Child," and "Mean to Me."

The creative team features sets by Beowulf Boritt, costumes by Patricia A. Hibbert, lighting by Ryan O'Gara abd sound by Brett Jarvis.

The show is produced off-Broadway by Misty Road Productions.