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Emmy Winner Jerry Gretzinger, in collaboration with musical director Jay Kerr, is bringing a brand new show to Bridge Street Theatre, a salute to the timeless hits of Barry Manilow. The timing couldn’t be more poignant: Manilow has embarked upon his retirement tour.
For Gretzinger and Kerr, the show is the culmination of years of conversation and a personal connection to the music and Manilow himself. Jerry is proud to admit that the very first album he ever bought as a teenager was Barry Manilow’s Greatest Hits. Jay’s connection goes back even further: in the early 1970s he was performing at New York City's Continental Baths, shortly before Manilow began accompanying and arranging for Bette Midler.
"Jay has this great story about Barry’s audition for the Baths," Jerry shares. "The result surprised both Jay and Barry, and I’m still shocked every time I hear it."
Alongside these behind-the-scenes glimpses and Jay’s firsthand memories, the evening features many of Barry's biggest hits, including:
- Mandy
- Copacabana
- Can’t Smile Without You
- I Write the Songs
- This One’s for You
- Looks Like We Made It
Joining Jerry and Jay on stage are two vocalists who are also their wives: Erin Gretzinger, who has frequently performed alongside Jerry in regional musicals and cabarets, and Lynne Kerr, who met Jay when she took voice lessons from him in Manhattan.
With a setlist spanning the last five decades, Jerry evokes Manilow musical memories while bringing his own distinct style and sound to these songs. The evening promises the effortless charm of a classic cabaret.