About the Program

Premiere Date: October 31, 2014 

Five-time Grammy Award and two-time Emmy Award nominee Michael Feinstein returns to PBS with a constellation of guest stars in the premiere of Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room.

Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room takes place in the newly restored New York restaurant and nightclub, high atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza — a legendary landmark that opened October 2014. The all-star broadcast, directed by Annette Jolles and produced by Jonathan Burkhart and executive producer Lance Schultz, features performances by Tony Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Christine Ebersole; singer, actor and songwriter Cheyenne Jackson; “American Idol” sensation Jessica Sanchez; dynamic tap duo the Manzari Brothers and Oscar-nominated actress June Squibb, along with a swinging 17-piece band under lead by John Oddo. The stage show was produced, directed and written by Marc Cherry, creator of the hit television shows “Desperate Housewives” and “Devious Maids.”

The Rainbow Room first opened in October 1934 and was renowned for its stellar entertainment — a combination of dancers and singers, with live music ranging from Latin to jazz, to swing and big bands, to pop and rock acts. To celebrate that history, Feinstein conceived a tribute to the heyday of nightclubs, adding that the intimate settings of most nightclubs traditionally fostered development of special material and musical selections perfectly suited to the smaller crowds.