LTV Presents 'Courting the Jester: A Musical Salute'

NOTE: This event has been cancelled as of February 5, and will be rescheduled.

LTV Studios and American Songbook Then & Now will present “Courting the Jester: A Musical Salute to Danny Kaye” at LTV on Sunday, February 18, at 3 p.m. The musical was conceived, directed and performed by Bob Spiotto, with musical direction and arrangements by pianist Peter A. Pece.

From Brooklyn to the Borscht Belt to Broadway and beyond, David Daniel Kaminski — better known to millions as Danny Kaye — delighted audiences throughout the world and touched souls with laughter. Actor, director and producer Bob Spiotto pulls out all the stops in this supremely entertaining tribute to one of America’s most beloved and honored entertainers, which includes an overview of Danny Kaye’s fascinating life and career, anecdotes and fascinating stories; and most deliciously, performances of some of Danny’s unforgettable, classic songs: “The Ugly Duckling,” “Ballin’ the Jack,” “Choreography,” “Dinah,” “Molly Malone,” “The Maladjusted Jester,” “Tchaikovsky (and other Russians)” and more.

Robert “Bob” Spiotto has worked in the entertainment industry for over 40 years. He toured the tri-state area for several years, portraying the character of “The King of Pizza,” based on the popular children’s book. Additionally, he has created and appeared in numerous one-man shows exploring the lives of P.T. Barnum, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Primo Levi, Michelangelo and Sholom Aleichem, among others, as well as a dozen other unique theme shows. A trio of his critically acclaimed one-man musical tributes include “That’s Amore: A Tribute to Mr. Hollywood Musical – Harry Warren,” “Shades of Grey: A Musical Tribute to Joel Grey” and “Courting the Jester: A Musical Salute to Danny Kaye,” which was reworked and presented at Lincoln Center. He also created and performed in original musical reviews for President George H. W. Bush, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. In 2011, he received outstanding reviews for his direction of the off-Broadway production, “Harry and Eddie: The Birth of Israel.”

Peter A. Pece holds a Ph.D. in the field of Neuromusicology, focusing on how the brain processes music, memory, and language. He has been involved in education for almost 50 years as a teacher, administrator and a lecturer at Stony Brook University. A professional musician, Peter has served as the Children’s Theater musical director at the Gateway Play house since 1993. He has performed at Lincoln Center in addition to arranging and playing for musical revues created for former President George H.W. Bush and former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. He has been a consultant with the Creative Aging Project at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center for nine years and has worked out of St. Charles Hospital and Southampton Hospital where he accompanied their Therapeutic Chorus for patients who have Parkinson’s Disease.

General admission is $20 in advance and $25 at the door. VIP café table seating will also be available for $50. To purchase ticket, visit bit.ly/3Ho9tMx. For more information, visit ltveh.org. LTV Studios is at 75 Industrial Road in Wainscott.