Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch & Klea Blackhurst Bring Their Swinging Christmas Tradition to the Boston Area

"We are like a less leggy version of the Rockettes," quips MAC Award winning Jim Caruso about his trio act "A Swinging Birdland Christmas" that he performs with the renowned singer/pianist/arranger Billy Stritch and award-winning cabaret performer and actress Klea Blackhurst.

"The fact that we've been doing it for so long, people come year after year, New Yorkers as well as tourists from Montana or The Netherlands. We've become their family tradition. I never thought I'd be part of anything like this." The three have been working for so long together doing this show, they have become like family to one another. Stritch observes, "After 15 years, we have a real shorthand working together."

Nitelife Exchange's Marilyn Lester agreed, asking, "How long does it take for something to become 'an institution' beyond being a tradition? If 14 years suffices, then 'A Swinging Birdland Christmas' at Birdland is most certainly an established Holiday institution, over five days and sold out for each one." Lester goes on to say, "The well-oiled machine that is Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch pack in humor, a touch of solemnity and plenty of cheer into holiday songs and banter. 'A Swinging Birdland Christmas' was just the ticket for laughing all the way and making spirits bright."

The good news is Boston-area audiences don't have to travel to New York to begin making this their tradition, as JM Productions presents Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch and Klea Blackhurst in "A Swinging Christmas" on December 7, at Church of the Presidents, in Quincy, MA.

Caruso, Stritch and Blackhurst are institutions themselves. Caruso made his Broadway debut along with Billy Stritch alongside Liza Minnelli in "Liza At The Palace!" The show won a 2009 Tony Award for Best Special Event, and the recording for the show was nominated for a Grammy. For his nightclub shows, which includes acting as emcee for his own Monday night weekly event, "Cast Party" at Birdland, Caruso has seven MAC Awards (including 2022 Show of the Year), two Backstage Bistro Awards, and nine BroadwayWorld Awards. Stritch and Blackhurst have a similar collection of awards on their mantles.

While Stritch also sings, he is best known as a pianist/arranger who has been musical director for and accompanied some of the finest cabaret and concert performers in the country, including the late Tony Bennett, Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin, Linda Eder, Christine Ebersole, and Paulo Szot. He began his working relationship with Minnelli in 1991, creating vocal arrangements for her show "Liza Stepping Out at Radio City Music Hall," which began their three decade long collaboration, including "Minnelli on Minnelli," and the aforementioned "Liza's At The Palace!"

Blackhurst burst on the cabaret scene over three decades ago with her Ethel Merman tribute show, "Everything The Traffic Will Allow: The Songs and Sass of Ethel Merman," which she continues to perform and tour to broad acclaim. An actress, as well, she has played many of Merman's roles, including Dolly Levi in the Fiftieth Anniversary production of "Hello, Dolly!" at the Goodspeed Opera House, as well as in regional theatre productions of "Anything Goes" and "Call Me Madam." (The role of Dolly Levi was conceived with Merman in mind, but she declined only to join the show for the closing months of its six year run.)

JM Productions producer John McDonald has been fanning the flames of cabaret in Quincy for so many years, bringing New York and national cabaret performers to various venues in Quincy, including his current venue, the beautiful Church of the Presidents in Quincy Center. Over the years, his cabaret series has brought such stars as Liz Callaway, Lillias White, and the twins Will and Anthony Nunziata to local audiences. In addition to "A Swinging Christmas," his current season includes bringing back Callaway this February, Jason Graae in March, Andrea McArdle in May and Telly Leung in June. He is very excited to bring Caruso, Stritch and Blackhurst to his Quincy audience this Christmas. "I've known Jim and Billy for years," recounts McDonald. "When I lived in NYC I would go to 'Cast Party' at Birdland. Jim Caruso is the best emcee in the business. And Billy Stritch is the best accompanist in the business. But they've never played Boston."

While Blackhurst was deep in production for some other project, Edge spoke with Caruso and Stritch about the show, Blackhurst, Christmas and some of the more unusual aspects of their show.