> THE SIMON STUDIO
> Press Release
> Contact Jude Albert
> 212-841-0204845-485-9829
> rhsstudio@hotmail.com
> www.simonstudio.com
>
> August 14, 2009
>
>
> SIMON STUDIO PRESENTS SINATRA FUNNYMAN TOM DREESEN IN NEW COMEDY "SHINING SHOES AND SINATRA"- SAT., AUG. 29
DIRECTED BY ROGER HENDRICKS SIMON AT THE HISTORIC CHANCE" IN POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.
> THIS SPECIAL EVENING INTRODUCES DINNER THEATRE CABARET TO POUGHKEEPSIE
> A special evening on Saturday, August 29 is designed to bring back live comedy/vaudville theatre to
> the historic Chance on Main St. Poughkeepsie. Award winning producer/director Roger Hendricks Simon (N.Y. Shakespeare Festival, London's Royal Court Theatre and The Simon Studio)
> will direct comedian/actor Tom Dreesen starring in his own play SHINING SHOES AND SINATRA. The evening marks Mr. Simon's and the Hudson-Fulton Quadricentennial Celebration Committee's introduction of dinner theatre/cabaret to Poughkeepsie.
>
> Dreesen's autobiographical play SHINING SHOES uses the songs of Sinatra and poses the question "How does a little boy go from shining shoes in a bar while Frank
> Sinatra is singing on the jukebox and grow up to carry the singer's coffin to his grave? The play recounts
> Dreesen's journey from impoverished childhood in Harvey, Illinois to being a member of
> America's only black and white comedy team - a team that breaks up and leaves him on his own to pay
> dues until he hits the big time - performing on the Johnny Carson Show and with Sammy Davis, Jr. From there to flying in Frank Sinatra's private jet
> for 14 years doing one niters and having his name on the marquees of Las Vegas with the
> Chairman of the Board is what this evening is all about. Rick Kogan of the
> Chicago Tribune wrote, "comedian Tom Dreesen is a masterful storyteller who digs down deep in
> his soul to tell you all the joys and heartaches he had to go through from Harvey
> to Hollywood. A good comedian can make you laugh for an hour and a half. A great comedian can
> make you laugh and cry in that same hour and a half. Be prepared to do just that.....Brilliant...Funny.....Poignant!"
>
> Since leaving his hometown of Harvey, Illinois over 30 years ago to seek fame and fortune in Hollywood Tom Dreesen has made over 500 appearances on national TV
> including 61 appearances on the Tonight Show. He's a favorite guest of David Letterman and has hosted the show during David's absence. For many years a
> regular in all the main showrooms in Las Vegas, he has performed with Sammy Davis, Jr., Liza Minelli, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson and for 14 years
> toured the nation as the opening act for Frank Sinatra. He has lent his talent to over 100 charities and as
> an ex GI and strong supporter of our troops he's performed in military
> bases all over the world including Iraq. In May of 2005 he received the prestigious
> "Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award" for humanitarian service to his country.
>
>
> Director Roger Hendricks Simon has directed and acted for the N.Y. Shakespeare Festival, Yale Rep, London's Royal Court Theatre working with James Earl Jones, John Lithgow, Samuel L. Jackson, James Woods and Tovah Feldshuh among others. He recently produced and directed the POUGHKEEPSIE SHIPYARDS PAGEANT for the Hudson-Fulton Quadcentennial Celebration and is currently the Artistic Director of THE SIMON STUDIO in NYC and Poughkeepsie and the producer/host of SIMON STUDIO PRESENTS on Time Warner Cable.
>
> Nancy Cozean, Committee Chair for the City of Poughkeepsie Quadcentennial Celebration Committee says "Many area residents only think of The Chance as our
> area Rock and Roll mecca, but The Chance has had a rich and diverse history. Many don't realize that The Chance once presented live vaudville and
> theatre to early 20th. century audiences in downtown Poughkeepsie.
Mr. Simon adds: "In these hard times we think there's a local audience more than ready for this kind of
> entertainment, so we're giving it shot. It's time to remember and bring back the good
> life of Main Street and if it works the way I think it will, we have plans to continue
> this kind of thing. The Chance is an important part of our culture and history on Main Street
> and just the right place to do this."
A buffet dinner for $20. will be available at 6:30 pm prior to the show. Drinks and the show follows at 7:30 pm with a Vaudville opener DR. PETER MUIR'S RAZZMATAZZ RAGTIME REVUE. Tickets for the show alone are $20. Further information about SHINING SHOES AND SINATRA call THE SIMON STUDIO: 917-776-9209 or go to www.Poughkeepsiequad.org and/or www.simonstudio.com. For ticket reservations call The Chance Ticket Box Office at 845-471-1966.
