Versatile singer, songwriter and pianist Ann Hampton Callaway, acclaimed for her performances in Manhattan nightclubs and on the Broadway stage, will entertain at the Princeton Symphony Orchestra's "A Classic Cabaret" on Saturday, April 17. The gala benefit, held annually as a fund-raiser for the BRAVO! education program and PSO's general operations, will take place at Bedens Brook Country Club, 240 Rolling Hill Road in Skillman, N.J.
The evening will evoke the glamour of a Gatsby-esque celebration with candlelit tables and guests are invited to dress in sequins and satin. In addition to Ms. Callaway's performance, revelers will enjoy cocktails, dinner and the PSO's not-to-be-missed auction of stays at exclusive vacation homes. Among this year's destinations are southern France, Ireland, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Big Sky, Montana. As a bonus, guests may bid on a gourmet dinner prepared by PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov.
The festivities will begin with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner and show.
Ms. Callaway, accompanied by a pianist, will sing numbers to enhance the highbrow nightclub ambiance, including beloved favorites by great American songwriters and sultry, romantic selections.
Proceeds from the event support the PSO's well-regarded BRAVO! program, which introduces live classical music to more than 10,000 schoolchildren each year, and general operations of the PSO.
For information about the benefit, call the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, (609) 497-0020, or e-mail info@princetonsymphony.org. Ticket prices begin at $150 per guest, with various levels of premium sponsorships also available.
This year's Benefit Committee is co-chaired by Ellen Baber, Susie Paneyko, Caren Sturges and Nina Wainwright. Assisting them is a group of dedicated volunteers, including Janet Baxendale, Kathleen Biggins, Melanie Clarke, Liz Fillo, Toby Goodyear, Rachel Gray, Aline Haynes, Peggy Hughes-Fulmer, Lynette Hull, Kate Lindseth, Debbie Lunder, Ansie Monaghan, Lucy Anne Newman, Jacquie Phares, Ellen Pitts, Anne Reeves, Randie Roderick, Ruta Smithson, Martha Vaughn, Ellen Vickers and Nancy Woelk.
About Ann Hampton Callaway
As a champion of the Great American Songbook, Ann Hampton Callaway has made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. Her unique singing style blends jazz and traditional pop, making her a mainstay in concert halls, theaters and jazz clubs, as well as in the recording studio, on television and in film. She is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the Broadway musical "Swing!" and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV show "The Nanny." Ms. Callaway is a Platinum Award winning writer whose songs are featured on five of Barbra Streisand's recent CDs.
The only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter, she has also written songs with Carole King, Rolf Lovland and Barbara Carroll, among others. "For sheer vocal beauty, no contemporary singer matches Ms. Callaway," writes The New York Times.
In live performance, Ms. Callaway is recognized as one of America's most gifted improvisers, taking words and phrases from her audiences and creating songs on the spot. She has been a special guest performer with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, and at many Carnegie Hall tributes. She has sung with more than 25 of the world's top orchestras and big bands, and has performed for President Bill Clinton in Washington, D.C. and at President Mikhail Gorbachev's Youth Peace Summit in Moscow. Ms. Callaway appeared with her sister, Broadway star Liz Callaway, in their award-winning show, "Sibling Revelry," at London's Donmar Warehouse.
In 2009, Ms. Callaway released a powerful collection of love songs, "At Last," on Telarc records. Other recordings include the live "Sibling Revelry," "Blues in the Night," "To Ella with Love," and two popular holiday CDs. She has also been a guest performer on more than 40 CDs. She made her feature film debut in "The Good Shepherd," performing "Come Rain or Come Shine," and recorded "Isn't It Romantic?" and "The Nearness of You" for "Last Holiday," starring Queen Latifah.
Ms. Callaway, who received an unprecedented 14 awards from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, is currently writing songs for the upcoming movie musical "State of Affairs," and continues to devote much of her time to philanthropic causes. A New York resident, she may be found at www.annhamptoncallaway.com.
