songs, shows & details

Here you will find some of the songs, set lists and themed shows that I do in my act. If your looking for talent to book for a show or event, this will show you what I can do! If you are indeed looking for performers and performances, please use my "Contact Me" page for bookings or just to get on my mailing list!

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Girls Like Us

Girls Like Us postcard front

Laura Freeman, Beckie Menzie , and Marianne Murphy-Orland salute singer/songwriters Carol King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon in Girls Like Us. Menzie’s arrangements enrich the trio. They are complex and vibrant, while not diminishing the emotions underlying a song.  This is demonstrated well in Simon’s “That’s the Way I Always Heard It Should Be.”  Girls represents artistic breakthroughs for both Freeman and Murphy- Orland.   Murphy-Orland-- typically comfortable in a limited alto range allowed her upper register to soar not only bringing vocal shimmer, but enabling  broader interpretive chops.  We hear this well in Carole King’s “Natural Woman.”  Freeman has toured with excellent salutes of Doris Day and Julie Andrews. So, “Fierce” and “Freeman” were an unlikely pairing.  However, in Carly Simon’s “You Belong to Me” Freeman pulls out the stops building to possessiveness and desperation in powerful ways. Dialogue explored challenging relationships with men as a common thread shared among the songwriters.  Speaking of powerful, Beckie Menzie delivers in Simon’s “Let the River Run.” Written for Working Girl it is a salute to powerful women. Girls Like Us honors six of them. In audience terms, they’ve got a friend.

Girls Like Us



The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Wonderful Time

It’s never too early to get into the holiday spirit. Join Chicago cabaret favorites Laura Freeman, Beckie Menzie and Marianne Murphy-Orland as they sing favorite holiday tunes and spread cheer! Laugh at the stresses of the season and bask in the joy of the holiday traditions with favorites like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Oh Holy Night” and “Merry Christmas, Darling.”

Most Wonderful Time of the Year Demo

Not in the holiday mood?

Then check out the ladies in: MISSCAST!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB-E6xgRvRQ

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It's My Party Front

JOIN LAURA FREEMAN AS SHE CELEBRATES THE LADIES OF THE 60’S: LESLIE GORE, MARY WELLS, THE SUPREMES AND MORE. MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS,  IN 1964 AND CONNIE FRANCIS, THE TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE 50’S…THOSE ARE THE BOOKENDS. 

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MUSIC FROM THE 1960’S, MOST PEOPLE THINK OF BOB DYLAN, THE BEATLES AND JIMMY HENDRICKS, BUT THAT IS REALLY JUST PART OF THE STORY! THAT SMALL WINDOW OF ABOUT 8 YEARS CHANGED MUSIC FOREVER WITH THE BIRTH OF A GENRE MOST HISTORIANS DON’T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE; THE BIRTH OF BUBBLE GUM POP. SUDDENLY THE AIR WAVES WERE JUMPING WITH THE SOUND OF WOMEN…NO, GIRLS; TEENAGE GIRLS AND THEIR TEENAGE PROBLEMS. JOIN LAURA FREEMAN AS SHE CELEBRATES THE SOUNDS OF THE VANDELLAS, THE MARVELETTES, THE SUPREMES, THE RONETTES, DIONNE, DUSTY, LESLIE, MARY AND MORE!

This one features the Dixie Cups and Darlene Love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecFAXxARz4Y

 

Heatwave!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emw7Vw5IWic


Two of my favorite Burt Bacharach tunes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQcSO90XZW0

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The Hills are Alive, with the Sound of Julie, chronicles the life of Julie Andrews, from her beginnings in Vaudeville to her vocal struggles of today. Both her autobiography Home, as well as a fan’s biography of her, were used to create wonderful stories about her life and career. Hits include: The Sound of Music, I Could Have Danced All Night, Le Jazz Hot, and A Spoonful of Sugar.

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If you're a fan of Julie Andrews, you should definitely check out Laura Freeman's musical celebration of the "loverly" lady.

See clips from the show:

Le Jazz Hot

The Sound Of Music

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Laura honors veterans with a concert full of World War II music including uplifting songs such as "Accentuate the Positive," sentimental favorites like "I'll be Seeing You" and patriotic anthems like "God Bless America." She puts the songs together with stories that highlight how music played a big part in keeping morale up for both soldiers and those on the home front.

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Sentimental Journey…the music of Doris Day!

Having recorded over 600 songs, Day is known for such hits as Sentimental Journey, Secret Love and Everybody Loves a Lover. Doris was not just a pretty voice and a pratfall. She represents the spirit of us all, at various times in history. She was the voice of the returning service men from World War II. She was the voice of the early women’s lib movement, representing single career woman everywhere. She was also the voice of a grieving gay community, at the height of the AIDS crisis. Her rendition of My Buddy, sung for her friend Rock Hudson, was used to say goodbye to sons, brothers and lovers in the early 80’s.

Won’t you join me in celebrating this amazing lady?

With Musical Director Beckie Menzie

See clips from the show:

Sentimental Journey

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The JUDY GARLAND Duets

Two of Chicago's premiere cabaret vocalists, Rob Dorn and Laura Freeman perform in “The Judy Garland Duets.” Join this musical tour-de-force as they pay tribute to one of the top entertainers of the twentieth century and her famous duets with such luminaries as Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, the one and only Mickey Rooney and many others. Not only is this a retrospective of Garland's career, but of classic, nostalgic Hollywood.

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Songs include “A Couple of Swells,” “For Me and My Gal,” “I've Got Rhythm” as well as rarely performed songs Judy dueted with Fanny Brice, Frank Sinatra, Deanna Durbin, Vic Damone and Mel Torme.

Download an info sheet here.

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So In Love...with Broadway!

Valentine Card 1

Chicago favorites Laura Freeman & Bradford Newquist

with pianist William Underwood

 bring together a glittering mosaic of the world's favorite American music.

The line-up features some of the best known composers and showstoppers

from past and current musicals.  Whether it's the beauty of Rodgers & Hammerstein,

the wit of Cole Porter, or the tenderness of Jerry Herman,

this show captures the full spirit of the American musical.

See clips from the show:

As Time Goes By

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This Joint Is Jumpin’…Music from the Speakeasy

Chicago Cabaret veterans Laura Freeman & Jeffrey Roscoe have brought their flair for wonderful wit and musical mimicry to legendary locales such as Davenport's, Maxims, Gentry, Park West, The Drake's Coq d'Or and 3160.

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Now, with "This Joint Is Jumpin’”, they pay tribute to that classic institution of early 20th century Chicago (shhhhh!) – The Speakeasy. Honky Tonk, Swing and Ragtime are a few musical styles represented in this fabulous era in history. Period costumes included.

"This Joint Is Jumpin'" features vocalist Freeman and vocalist/pianist Roscoe, along with multi-instrumentalist virtuoso Michael Favreau on flute, sax, and clarinet in a rollicking evening of rowdy song showcasing the music of Fats Wallers, Sophie Tucker, the Gershwins and much more from a time when Bouncers really bounced, and the Password was king. 

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