Fringe Theater Key West / Lillian Baxter is Back at The Little Room!

Fringe Theater announces the return of Lillian Baxter to the Little Room Jazz Club, Dec 26-31, in the all new An Evening Lost with Lillian Baxter with John Vessels and Jay Schwandt. Musical theater meets cabaret as these two guys create a spectacular one-woman show! 

“Audiences fell in love with Lillian, when we first introduced her in 2016,” says Fringe Artistic Director Rebecca Tomlinson. “I think it was a combination of her knock-out voice and upbeat approach to life’s little foibles. So we asked John and Jay to bring Lillian back!”  

Just who is Lillian Baxter? 

Lillian is a fictional character created by actor and writer John Vessels. “She was almost huge in the 1960s,” John explains. “Our show lovingly follows Lillian’s long trek into obscurity. The stories are fun and the music is just divine.” In fact, Lillian belts out songs from stage, screen, and even your radio (assuming you’re of a certain age).

“We are Lillian’s biggest fans,” explains Jay Schwandt, the show’s pianist and musical arranger. Jay also plays Corky Weinstopper, Lillian’s third (and favorite) husband. John Vessels is Lillian Baxter, a formidable and true believer in making lemonade from lemons! 

Jay and John both came to theater by way of music.  Jay’s degrees are in music composition, and John’s degree is in opera. When not performing, John teaches voice and acting in Indianapolis and Jay teaches in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Ball State University. 

Critics rave: “John Vessels has a masterful level of vocal control which he pairs with a pitch perfect portrayal of Lillian as a super star that never was.  And Jay Schwandt shines with his impressive piano skills and arrangements.”  

An Evening Lost with Lillian Baxter runs Dec 26-31 at 7pm at the Little Room Jazz Club which is located at 821 Duval Street. Doors will open nightly at 6pm so patrons can enjoy the Little Room’s tasty menu and full bar. The Little Room’s music schedule resumes nightly at 9pm. 

Tickets for An Evening Lost with Lillian Baxter are $35 general admission and $50 reserved seating. A limited number of New Year’s Eve tickets still remain for the closing night show. All tickets are available online at www.fringetheater.org or by calling 305-731-0581. Seating is limited so advanced ticket purchase is encouraged. 

Fringe Theater is Key West’s community-focused theater which offers unique opportunities for people to see and do theater. Fringe is a 501c3 nonprofit with a vibrant and inclusive outreach and education program. For more information about Fringe, contact [email protected].

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