Tony Winner Billy Porter Performs This Weekend at Feinstein's at the Nikko

By: Jan. 30, 2015
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are honored to welcome Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer, composer, actor, playwright and director Billy Porter to Feinstein's at the Nikko for three performances only - tonight, January 30 (8 p.m.); Saturday, January 31 (7 p.m.) and Sunday, February 1 (7 p.m.). Porter will perform songs from his new critically acclaimed album, "Billy's Back on Broadway," as well some of his other favorites! Tickets for Billy Porter range in price from $45-$60 and are available now by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Located within Hotel Nikko (222 Mason Street, San Francisco), Feinstein's at the Nikko presents a wide range of entertainers from stage and screen all within an intimate 140-seat cabaret setting. There is a $20 food and beverage minimum per person inside the showroom which guests can use towards cocktails as well as a variety of small plates crafted exclusively for Feinstein's at the Nikko by Executive Chef Philippe Striffeler, through Restaurant Anzu. Cheese and dessert platters will also be available in the showroom.

Porter currently stars as "Lola" in the smash hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots, for which he won the 2013 Drama Desk and Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical. Other Broadway acting credits include Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Grease (all original cast), Smokey Joe's Café and Dreamgirls (20th Anniversary Broadway Concert and LA Ovation Award). Off Broadway and regional credits include Angels in America (Signature Theater), Romance In Hard Times, The Merchant of Venice, House of Lear and Radiant Baby (The New York Shakespeare Festival), Birdie Blue (Second Stage), Angels in America (Actors Theatre Of Louisville), Going Native (The Long Wharf), Jelly's Last Jam (Alliance), Topdog/Underdog (City Theatre), King Lear (Exit, Pursued By A Bear), Jason Robert Brown's Songs For A New World (original cast), Jesus Christ Superstar, Antigone, A Chorus Line and Chicago. His one-man show, Ghetto Superstar: The Man That I Am, debuted at The Public Theater in NYC in conjunction with City Theatre of Pittsburgh and was nominated for a 2005 GLAAD Media Award. Porter was also named "Pittsburgh's Performer of the Year 2003-2004" by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

As a recording artist, Porter's solo albums include his first CD, "Untitled," on A&M records and his sophomore album, "At the Corner of Broadway + Soul - LIVE," on Sh-K-Boom Records. "Billy's Back on Broadway," Porter's highly anticipated debut on Concord Records, released on April 8, 2014. Featuring ten classics made famous on the Great White Way that focus on inspiration, empowerment and hope, the album's title (and cover art) is a nod to Sammy Davis, Jr.'s recording "Sammy's Back on Broadway." Rock icon Cyndi Lauper also makes a special guest appearance on "Billy's Back on Broadway," dueting with Porter on "Happy Days/Get Happy."

Porter's voice can also be heard on the albums A Very Rosie Christmas, Jim Brickman's Destiny (top ten AC hit), Grease (revival cast album), Adam Guettel's Myths & Hymns, Gershwin and Sondheim Benefit Albums, Hercules (Disney) and Anastasia (Warner Bros.), Liz Callaway - The Story Goes On, Alvin Ailey/Revelations, Broadway Cares Home For The Holidays, Dreamgirls in Concert, HAIR (Actor's Fund Benefit recording), Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas (with The Broadway Inspirational Voices) and The Human Rights Campaign's Love Rocks.

As a director, Porter directed a critically acclaimed recreation of The Wiz and conceived a musical revue entitled Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Music of Stevie Wonder, which starred Chaka Khan and ran at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas in the spring of 2002. Porter conceived and directed Being Alive, a musical celebration that aligns the cannons of Stephen Sondheim and William Shakespeare and combines them with the soulful musical styles of the African-American experience. Being Alive made its world premiere in the summer of 2007 at The Westport Country Playhouse and immediately transferred to The Philadelphia Theatre Company, inaugurating their new Suzanne Roberts Theatre. He directed the new musical Twilight in Manchego for the NYMF in the fall of 2008 and is the NAACP Theatre Award winner for Best Direction of a Musical for his production of Once On This Island at Reprise Theatre Company, where he also conceived and directed a new musical revue calledThe Soul of Richard Rodgers. Other directing credits include Five Guys Named Moe for Casa Manana, Altar Boyz for Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, RENT (Associate Director: Off-Broadway Revival), Wicked Summer Nights Concert Series at The Ford Amphitheater starring Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa and Stephen Schwartz in conjunction with Upright Cabaret where he was Artistic Director for the 2009 Season. Porter made his London directorial debut in the fall of 2009 with Olivier Award Nominee Patina Miller at Live in the Delfont Room. Fall 2014, Primary Stages presented the World Premiere of his play While I Yet Live and in early 2015 he will direct The Colored Museum at the Huntington Theater in Boston.

Porter's film and television credits include Toronto Film Festival feature "The Humbling" (with Al Pacino) and well as Sundance Film Festival features "The Broken Hearts Club" (Sony Pictures) and Intern, Noel (with Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams), "Shake Rattle & Roll" as Little Richard (CBS mini-series), "Another World" (recurring), "Twisted," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "The Big C," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "A Very Rosie Christmas," "The Tonight Show," and multiple appearances on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." His original song "Time" has been featured twice on the mega-hit television series "So You Think You Can Dance" as well as the 2011 Miss America Pageant. Porter's concerts credits include opening act for Rosie O'Donnell and Aretha Franklin, Carnegie Hall, John McDaniel and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, as well as The Buffalo Philharmonic, Peter Nero and The Philly Pops, soloist for President Bill Clinton and various benefits throughout the U.S.

Porter is also a graduate of The Professional Program in Screenwriting at UCLA and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater Carnegie Mellon University's School Of Drama, where he has directed productions of Company and Letters From 'Nam.

All seating at Feinstein's at the Nikko is cabaret style and available on a first-come, first-served basis within the section purchased. Guests who purchase the prix-fixe dinner at Restaurant Anzu will receive a complimentary section upgrade (subject to availability) and get to choose their exact seat locations within the upgraded section.

Guests of Feinstein's at the Nikko can enjoy a variety of food and beverage options before performances. Kanpai Lounge, located in Hotel Nikko's lobby, offers light cuisine, a full bar and specialty cocktails. Restaurant Anzu, Hotel Nikko's intimate restaurant located on the second floor, serves sustainable California cuisine enhanced with Asian flavors. Restaurant Anzu will also offer Feinstein's at the Nikko guests a special three-course prix-fixe dinner ($45 per person) prior to all performances. Reservations can be made by calling (415) 394-1100.

For additional information on Billy Porter, visit: www.billyporter.com. For additional information on Feinstein's at the Nikko, visit: www.hotelnikkosf.com/feinsteins. For Hotel Nikko San Francisco room specials, visit www.hotelnikkosf.com. Code: FEIN.

ABOUT MICHAEL FEINSTEIN - The two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated Michael Feinstein is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace. More than simply a performer, Feinstein has received national recognition for his commitment to celebrating America's popular songbook and preserving its legacy for the next generation.

ABOUT THE MICHAEL FEINSTEIN GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK INITIATIVE - Founded in 2007, The Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative is dedicated to increasing the appreciation for the Great American Songbook and preserving it through educational programs, Master Classes, and the annual High School Vocal Academy and Competition, which awards scholarships and prizes to students across the country.



Videos