Billy Stritch and Klea Blackhurst (Photo Credit: Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea)
Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch Flyer (Photo Credit: Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea)
The Wainscott concert continues the series’ third season with an evening of Broadway, cabaret and Great American Songbook favorites
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — On Saturday, July 18th, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch will present “Dreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael” at LTV Studios in Wainscott, marking another installment of the third season for Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea. This live concert series brings top-tier Broadway, cabaret, and American Songbook artists to the East End.
This exclusive single-night event unites two formidable talents in a celebrated tribute to Hoagy Carmichael, among America’s most beloved songwriters. As a composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader, Carmichael shaped the sound of 20th-century American popular music through classics like “Skylark,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Heart and Soul,” and “Stardust.”
“Dreaming of a Song,” conceived as the inaugural artistic partnership between Blackhurst and Stritch, explores Carmichael’s repertoire with refinement, warmth, and theatrical drama. The set list ranges from familiar hits to overlooked treasures, such as “Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief,” “My Resistance Is Low,” and “Walk It Off,” offering each performer opportunities to shine in solos and duets that showcase Carmichael’s musical diversity.
Blackhurst delivers a vibrant Broadway energy to the evening, complemented by Stritch’s smooth vocal style and acclaimed musicianship. Together, they provide what has been called a “remarkably entertaining show with all the Heart and Soul of the legendary composer himself,” while Cabaret Scenes described the duo as “as compatible as caviar and champagne.”
Blackhurst has performed on major stages worldwide, including The London Palladium, Carnegie Hall, The Royal Albert Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Cafe Carlyle, and The Bluebird Cafe. Her stage credits include “Hello, Dolly!” at Goodspeed Musicals and “Gypsy” at Drury Lane in Chicago, with Off-Broadway appearances in “Party Face,” “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” “Bingo,” “Radio Gals,” and “Oil City Symphony.”
Stritch, a pianist and singer who has been a staple of the New York and national nightclub circuit for close to forty years, is most recognized for serving as Liza Minnelli’s musical director for 25 years. He has also held the musical director role for Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin, Melissa Manchester, and Tony Bennett, and leads the band for “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party” at Birdland.
The July 18th performance upholds the ethos of Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea, which combines world-class performers with the cozy black-box atmosphere of LTV Studios, café-style seating, excellent acoustics, and a close concert experience designed for storytelling, connection, and refined summer entertainment.
The 2026 season continues on July 25th with David Alpern hosting Maria Abous and Eric Yves Garcia in a program focused on Lorenz Hart; August 1st features “A Swell-egant, Elegant Party,” hosted by Laurence Maslon and starring Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano; August 22nd brings KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler, joined by Stephanie Pope and Christine Pedi, in a presentation co-sponsored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation; and the season concludes on August 29th with Tony Award-winning “A Chorus Line” star Donna McKechnie.
About Hamptons Summer Songbook By The Sea:
This concert series at LTV Studios in East Hampton delivers world-class cabaret and Broadway talent to the East End. Produced by Donna Rubin and LTV’s Creative Director Josh Gladstone, this distinctive musical event converts LTV’s industrial-chic television studio into an intimate performance space featuring modern lighting, superb acoustics, café-style seating, modular staging, and a magnificent Baby Grand piano. The Songbook series provides a front-row perspective on legendary music, performed by today’s finest artists in an intimate, unforgettable setting. Whether arriving from the beach or seeking an evening of refined song, Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea is your new premier destination for live music in the Hamptons.
LTV is a tax-exempt 501c(3) organization and donations are deductible as defined by IRS regulations.
For more information, please visit: www.ltveh.org
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About Klea Blackhurst:
Klea Blackhurst has graced legendary venues from The London Palladium to Carnegie Hall, The Royal Albert Hall to Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Cafe Carlyle to The Bluebird Cafe. She headlined Goodspeed Musicals’ 50th anniversary production of Hello, Dolly! and directed a critically acclaimed production of Gypsy at Drury Lane in Chicago. She has infused her comedic style into the development of numerous new works, including the world premiere of Hazel directed by Lucie Arnaz, The Nutty Professor directed by Jerry Lewis, Dolly: A True Original Musical, and Elephant Shoes. Her Off-Broadway credits include Party Face opposite Hayley Mills; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; Bingo; Radio Gals; and Oil City Symphony. Additional credits: Ragtime with the Boston Pops, Show Boat with Glimmerglass Opera, Into the Woods with Opera North, and Chicago at Pioneer Theatre Company in her hometown of Salt Lake City. Klea is a distinguished alumna of the University of Utah.
For more information, please visit: www.kleablackhurst.com
About Billy Stritch:
Pianist-singer Billy Stritch has been a fixture on the New York and national nightclub scene for nearly four decades. Most famous for his 25-year tenure as musical director for Liza Minnelli, Billy has also filled that role for Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin, Melissa Manchester, and the legendary Tony Bennett. He was recently named Outstanding Musical Director for the fifth time by Broadway World readers, and his 2022 solo engagement at New York’s Birdland Jazz Club won Vocal Jazz Engagement of the Year. Billy leads the band for “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party” every Monday night at Birdland, and the duo also maintain a long-running Sunday night residency at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel.
Follow Billy on www.billystritch.com and Instagram: @billystritch
Norah Lawlor
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