Patti LuPone, Sutton Foster, Audra McDonald Will Heat Up The Big Easy

The Big Easy is about to become an even bigger draw for theater lovers.

Five award-winning leading ladies – Patti LuPone (Evita), Sutton Foster (Anything Goes), Megan Mullally (Young Frankenstein), Audra McDonald (The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess), and Betty Buckley (Sunset Boulevard) – will head to the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts’ Lupin Hall as part of Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway Concert Series next year. While each of the performers is in New Orleans for their appearances, they will also be giving master classes for the NOCCA Institute’s high school-aged musical theater students.

LuPone, the two-time Tony winner who is currently starring opposite Debra Winger on Broadway in The Anarchist, will offer concerts on January 7 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm; Foster, another two-time Tony winner and the star of the ABC series Bunheads, will appear at 7:30pm on March 2; Mullally, a two-time Emmy winner for her portrayal of Karen Walker on NBC’s Will and Grace, will be offering concerts at the center on April 6 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm; McDonald, a five-time Tony Award winner, is slated to perform on May 18 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm; while Buckley, who won the Tony for her portrayal of Grizabella in Cats, will perform on June 1 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Rudetsky will accompany the performers on piano.

Rudetsky is well known as the afternoon Broadway host on Sirius-XM Satellite Radio. He served as artistic director and music director for the first five Actors Fund Fall Concerts, including Hair and Dreamgirls, and recently hosted Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ 24th annual Gypsy of the Year competition. He is also a three-time Emmy nominee for his work as a writer on The Rosie O’Donnell Show.

For tickets and information, visit www.broadwaynola.com.