Hi Friends.

Happy Saturday. I was going to send this a few weeks ago, but decided to chill out on my back porch and make zines and collages instead of writing it. So, after a rather sleepless night of this issue hanging over my head, I decided today was the day!

When last I wrote, I was doing Boom! with Ann at 54 Below (thanks to everyone who watched our livestream!) and was about to go to London to do my Stephen Schwartz show. I had a marvelous week of shows at Crazy Coqs. So many fun people came, including Lesley Nicol, Mrs. Patmore from Downton Abbey!

Worth the Wait

Speaking of Downton Abbey, the highlight of the trip was going to Highclere Castle with our dear friends B. and Laura. Dan and I are HUGE Downton Abbey fans, and B. and Laura had planned to take us last year for our 40^th anniversary, but we had to cancel our trip. So finally getting to go a year later was extra special.

We met at Paddington Station, took the train to Newbury, and then a 15-minute car ride to the castle. Having seen the series and movie a million times, the first view of the castle was breathtaking. We had a wonderful champagne picnic, walked around the gardens and toured the inside.

I’m trying something new (inspired by Erik Winkowski (via ) Here is a little audio recording I made of me playing and singing a bit of the Downton Abbey theme if you’d like to listen while you scroll through the photos. NOTE: The farthest I got in piano lessons was John Thompson Book 1, so I just played the left hand.

Take the Trip

I was home a few days and then left for a 22-hour trip to Chicago for the 50^th anniversary of Marriott’s Great America theme park in Gurnee, IL.

Being a Great America Singer was my first professional job.

I auditioned when I was 15 years old, a junior in high school, (still wearing braces!) and even though the minimum age was 16, I was hired for the show Holiday. I was the youngest one in the cast–it was mostly students in college. We did 5 shows a day, 6 days a week in a 1600-seat theatre with a 20-piece live orchestra. It was incredible training for Broadway. Singing and dancing, challenging harmonies…

But more importantly, I made lifelong friends.

I went on to do three seasons at Great America, 1977-79 (two in Gurnee, and one at the Santa Clara, CA park).

What’s amazing is 49 years later, while I can’t remember what I had for dinner last night, I still remember the lyrics and the choreography!

It wouldn’t be an issue of Between Flights without a song. This is a doozy. Here’s me singing “I Cain’t Say No/Honey Bun” in 1978. The video quality is horrible, but you can hear what I sounded like at 17, and get an idea of what the show was like.

Back to the reunion. It was a blast, and so special. I’ve stayed in touch with many of my castmates, some very closely, but there were people I hadn’t seen in 49 years!

And some of us were even in each other’s weddings!

The next morning I wrote in my journal:

I’m so happy I went to the reunion. My takeaways–we were a special, kind and interesting group of people. And this experience, that happened when we were so young, was formative, a highlight of our lives 50 years later- half a century. We reminisced for hours, asked each other–did this really happen? Yes, it did. Was happy to know my memories of this time were real.

Another thing I loved was coming here, not for work, but to see my friends, for fun.

Lesson learned: take the trip. Connect.

Where in the World is Liz?

I’m off for the next few weeks, except for my Mets anthem on Tuesday, and an outdoor concert in Hawley, PA on Friday. It’s nice to have a little time off before the craziness of fall starts. I joined Suleika Jaouad’s month-long At-home Artist Residency and I’m enjoying making art just for fun.

As for fall gigs, I’m doing my first Comic Con in Atlanta over Labor Day, the Oscar Hammerstein Gala in Bucks County, PA, my Stephen Schwartz show in St Louis, plus soon to be announced concerts in Findlay, OH, Boston, New Mexico, Houston, and more.

And…maybe it’s much too early in the game, but what are you doing New Year’s Eve? I’m singing at 54 Below! I’ll be doing the 7pm show. (So I’ll be home in my PJs for midnight.) Tickets are on sale now, and I’m sure we will livestream the show.

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

That’s all for this issue of Between Flights. Need to get ready and catch a train. Ann and Kari are in town and we’re meeting them for dinner!

Have a great weekend and the rest of your August.

xoxo Liz

I've seen some of the authors I read on Substack put a banner of their newest book at the bottom of their newsletter, so I thought I'd try that for my new album, too. Click HERE to purchase the CD or digital album. Or, if you prefer to stream your music, you can download the free digital booklet with Stephen Schwartz's liner notes HERE.

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Hi Friends.

I just finished reading ’s new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. One of the things he talks about is how helpful time constraints can be to inhibit overthinking (hello!) and inspire creativity.

Now, I usually spend a good 8 hour day assembling and polishing my shitty drafts for each newsletter. But today I’m going to experiment and write this one in ONE hour!

Why the rush? Because I have a train to catch and I wanted to send a reminder that Ann and I are livestreaming our show on Saturday night!

You can buy livestream tickets here.

Opening Night

Last night was our opening night and so many fun people came, including Broadway Diva Royalty: Megan Hilty, Alice Ripley and Lindsay Mendez.

I surprised Ann by inviting the brilliant Randy Rainbow to the show. Ann is obsessed with him and calls him her “comic crush who keeps her sane.” Before our encore, we announced who was in the audience–first the three Broadway divas, and then Randy. Thank you, Kari for capturing the moment! (If you can't play it you can see it here.

I wrote about getting ready to do Boom! again after 15 years in the January issue of Between Flights. In case you missed it, you can read it here.

54 Below does such great livestreams. I edited a few clips from when we did Boom! in January.

First, here’s a clip of us singing the Beatles’ “Come Together.” I DARE you to try and memorize these lyrics. We will be rehearsing this song every night before we go on stage!

And here is us singing “The Way We Were.” I sing this song in my movie music show Screen Gems, but it takes on a whole new meaning singing this with Ann, after 80 minutes of singing and reminiscing about our lives back in the 60s and ‘70s.

More Sister Fun

Last month Ann and I sang on the Playbill Cruise from Bulgaria to Budapest. This was my sixth Playbill Cruise, but our first time doing one together and we had a ball.

Afterwards, Ann, Kari, Dan and I stayed in Budapest for a few extra days. We rarely get couples time together, so it was very special. Although it was SO INCREDIBLY HOT we didn’t really get to see much of Budapest, or any of the stops on the cruise. Ah well. An excuse to go back someday. In the winter, perhaps.

I took very few photos on the trip, instead I decided to take photos of ANN taking photos. Which was actually hilariously fun.

In February, Ann and I are going to do our first Seth Rudetsky cruise together! It’s going to be such fun: concerts, masterclasses and a chance to sing with us. If you’re interested, you can get more information here.

Where in the World Is Liz?

After we finish our NYC run of Boom! I’m off to London for a week to do my Stephen Schwartz show at Crazy Coqs. I always love singing in London, but in addition to my shows we are taking a trip to Highclere Castle with our dear friends B. and Laura. Dan and I are HUGE Downton Abbey fans, and this trip was actually supposed to happen on our 40th anniversary trip last October, which got cancelled. Can’t wait!

Here are a few more summer dates: lots of gigs in the fall including my first Comic Con, Stephen Schwartz shows in St. Louis, and many more soon to be announced.

July 15-18 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway) 20% off with code BWW20

July 18 LIVESTREAM Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

July 24-26 LONDON The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Aug 18 FLUSHING, NY National Anthem Mets vs Padres

Aug 21 HAWLEY, PA Liz Callaway: Broadway and Beyond

Note: My August 13 Franklin, TN show is now moved to Feb 11.

Click here for my full schedule

That’s it for this abbreviated newsletter. I imagine there are typos aplenty, inconsistent line breaks, and I hope the links work, but at least I achieved my goal in creating this under an hour!

UPDATE: Actually, that’s not true. I’m finishing this up on the train! Meeting Ann to rehearse before show #2. Wheeee!

Enjoy the rest of your July. Hope to see you at Boom! either in-person, or from your homes.

Love to you all.

xoxo Liz

PS When I get back from London, I’m going to go to the 50th Anniversary of Marriott’s Great America theme park in Gurnee, IL. (My first professional job when I was in high school!) I’m pretty sure my Great America days will be the subject of my next issue of Between Flights.

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Hi Friends.

I couldn’t NOT write to you after the extraordinary events of the last 10 days.

I sent out my last issue of Between Flights on June 3, right before leaving the house to watch Game 1 of the Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals with Dan and Nicholas.

Well, they did it! The Knicks are NBA Champions for the first time since 1973!

We took Nicholas to his first game when he was, I think, 6 years old? That night, the Knicks lost in overtime. Nicholas was inconsolable. As he sat there crying, an older guy leaned over and said: “get used to it, kid.”

They say you’re only as happy as your child is…well, I am so happy today.

Here’s what Nicholas had to say about this moment.

“Where Everybody Knows Your Name…”

Dan, Nicholas and I watched Games 1, 4 and 5 together at District Local. It’s Nicholas’s “Cheers.” The day he found his apartment in Chelsea, he happened upon it, and sat at the bar and ordered lunch. He told the bartender he had just gotten an apartment nearby. She welcomed him like he'd been coming in for years—and he has been ever since. It's that kind of place.

It was the perfect spot to watch the games. Packed, loud and festive. When the Knicks somehow came back and won game 4 after trailing by 29 points (OG!), everyone went crazy. Including me.

I kept thinking of the first line of “The Wizard and I”: “Did that really just happen?”

In this 5-second clip you may or may not be able to play, the woman you hear screaming a high B is me! (Yes, I checked the pitch on my piano.)

When we got home that night, or rather, morning, Nicholas sent us this text:

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

I found the 8:30pm start of the games excruciating. You felt in limbo all day, waiting for the game to start. On Saturday morning, I had the bright idea of how to kill some of the time before game 5, and I treated myself to a ticket to the 5:00pm show of Every Brilliant Thing starring fellow Knicks fan Mariska Hargitay. I love the show, having done it myself in 2019 at TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, AR.

I’m so glad I went. She was incredible.

Mariska feels the same way about the Knicks as I do. In fact, in this article she said that she took 4 minutes off the show in order to make it to MSG in time for game 4. Which is something I would totally do!

Game 5

We fell behind early, like in all the other games, but Nicholas said: “We know how to do this.” And he was right. His favorite player, Jalen Brunson, put the team on his shoulder, scoring 45 points in one of the greatest performances in NBA playoff history. Make that, New York sports history. We wept when the game was over. An unforgettable moment for me and my boys.

12 Hours Later…

Yesterday I was scheduled to sing God Bless America at the 7th inning stretch at the Mets vs Atlanta game. I was supposed to do an 11:30am soundcheck, but when I realized Saturday night was game 5, I asked if I could skip it. Thank goodness they said yes. We got home at 2:15am and of course I couldn’t sleep. Dan and I got to the game after it started, and it was so hot, we actually only watched part of an inning and retreated to the air-conditioned green room.

During the 6th inning, I made this VERY polished video for you so you could see behind the scenes of me practicing God Bless America. If this video doesn’t open, you can watch it here.

I’m happy to say that the song went well. And the Mets won 8-1! It’s been a dismal start to the season, but I’m a cockeyed optimist—perhaps the Mets will be inspired by the Knicks and have a comeback for the ages.

That’s it for this rather impromptu issue of Between Flights. (I actually decided to write it on my way to the Mets game!)

Thanks for reading. And thanks to everyone who sent emails and messages about the Knicks.

I leave you with this great song by Cole Porter, “I Happen To Like New York.” It seemed appropriate.

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo Liz

PS Lest you think we only wear Knicks gear, here is us cleaned up at the Tony Awards last weekend!

PPS And, here’s where you can find me the next few months:

June 21-28 BULGARIA TO BUDAPEST Playbill Cruise

July 5 ELDRED, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

July 15-18 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

July 18 LIVESTREAM Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

July 24-26 LONDON The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Aug 13 NASHVILLE, TN Liz Callaway: Broadway and Beyond

Aug 18 FLUSHING, NY National Anthem Mets vs Padres

Aug 21 HAWLEY, PA Broadway and Beyond

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

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Happy June!

First of all, thanks to everyone who read my Cats issue last month. I was delighted by the response – so many of you wrote to say it was your favorite issue so far.

It’s always a challenge for me to sit down and write my Substack. What should I write about? But once I’m in the act of it, time stops and I experience “flow.” Every single time.

So I’ve been asking myself, what is on my mind? I’ll tell you. The Knicks. And the unforgettable experience I shared with my son, Nicholas.

For those of you who aren’t into sports, I hope you’ll keep reading. This is more than just about basketball. It’s about my childhood, my Dad, my first crush, and community. And there are songs.

Let’s Start at the Very Beginning

When I was 7 years old, my Dad, John Callaway, was transferred to New York from Chicago where he was named Vice President of CBS Radio. We lived in NY for five years — first in Huntington, Long Island for 2 years and then Riverdale for 3 years.

It was during this time that the Mets won the World Series, the Jets won the Super Bowl and the Knicks won the NBA championships TWICE! And even though we moved back to Chicago, I remained a fan of my NY teams.

I was a tomboy. And Daddy’s little girl. While Ann would talk about philosophy and Hemingway with Dad, I would talk sports.

I listened to every Knicks game on the radio in my room. Marv Albert was the announcer, and I loved imitating him. When the games were on TV, my Dad would turn the volume off and challenge 10-year-old me to do the play-by-play.

in 2021, when Marv Albert retired, I tracked down my Dad’s WTTW colleague Joel Weisman and wrote to him. Here’s what I said:

“When I heard the news that Marv Albert was retiring, it made me think of my Dad. And then it made me think of you, who always appreciated my childhood call: ‘downcourt Bradley, back to DeBusschere, back to Bradley, his shot from 20 feet is GOOD…yesss, and it counts!’ It’s amazing the things one remembers.”

Joel wrote back: “They can say what they want, but imitating Marv IS your greatest talent. Just ask Walt Frazier or Earl the Pearl! …He so loved you girls and his only grandson.”

Nicholas had no choice but to be a Knicks, Mets and Jets fan. Sorry, pal! He says he just wants one of his teams to win a championship before he dies. This Knicks team has a shot.

My First Crush

His name was Bill Bradley. Number 24 of the Knicks. I was 8 years old. (24 has been my lucky number ever since.)

For fun, I googled “Liz Callaway and Bill Bradley” and this came up. (AI isn’t all bad!)

Yes, it’s true. I had his poster on my bedroom wall. I was a huge Fifth Dimension fan, and I would sing “Wedding Bell Blues” along with Marilyn McCoo to my Bill Bradley poster. With my hairbrush as my microphone.

Years ago I appeared at a benefit in Florida with Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. and brought my prized album for them to sign. This live album is my favorite Fifth Dimension record—perhaps that’s why I find myself recording live albums…

I recorded “Wedding Bell Blues” on my album of 60’s music, The Beat Goes On. Rather than just link to my recording, I thought it would be fun to sing it today at home. Buckle your seatbelts!

And here’s my recording so you can hear me sing it 100% warmed up and with back up singers (including my pal Jason Graae and his hubby, Glen!)

When I was in high school, my Dad mentioned he was going to interview Bill Bradley at WTTW. I took the day off from school. I got to my Dad’s office, and there was Bill. My Dad introduced me and then said he had forgotten he needed to do something and would be right back. He left me alone with Bill Bradley.

I was speechless. Literally. I didn’t say a word.

Fast forward to 2004. I sang at a benefit where Stephen Schwartz and Bill Bradley were being jointly honored. I sang “Meadowlark,” of course. And this time I didn’t miss my chance. I went up to him after and told him the story of meeting him in high school and being completely speechless.

I left out the part about being madly in love with him when I was a kid.

Best Birthday Present Ever

Dan, Nicholas and I like to give “experiences” for presents—last year I took Nicholas to opening day of the Mets vs the Astros in Houston. This year for my birthday, Nicholas gave me a trip to an away Knicks playoff game. We didn’t know yet who they’d be playing, but his thought was Boston, Detroit, or Cleveland.

“How Do You Feel About Cleveland?”

We never imagined that the Knicks would sweep the first two series, and we found ourselves playing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. I booked a one-way flight for Game 4 on miles, just in case.

On Saturday night, May 23, after we beat the Cavs to go up 3-0, I texted Nicholas: I think we should go to Cleveland. It could possibly be the series clincher. He wasn’t sure. At midnight, really Sunday AM, he said, let’s do it!

In the morning, I texted fellow Knicks fans Marc Shaiman and his husband Lou that we were going to Cleveland. Thirty minutes later they booked the same flight, the same hotel, and four tickets.

We got to Cleveland Sunday night and Nicholas and I headed to the Ritz-Carlton bar. The place was filled with Knicks fans who’d had exactly the same idea. Within twenty minutes we saw Karl-Anthony Towns walk through the lobby—and then Walt Frazier leaving the restaurant. Clyde!

The next day, walking around downtown Cleveland, everywhere we looked we saw Knicks fans. Sensing something historic might happen, families had gotten in their cars and drove 8 hours, people had grabbed flights, and thousands of us had converged on Cleveland. It was so cool talking to strangers, connecting over something we all loved. “Go Knicks!” we’d say as we passed people in blue and orange.

On our way back to the hotel, Nicholas and I got into an elevator—and just as the doors were closing, I spotted Mikal Bridges (one of the Villanova Knicks). I stopped the doors. He got in. It was the three of us.

I said: You’re awesome.

Nicholas: Congrats on everything! This is totally random, but my cousin Claire played volleyball at Nova when you guys were there and she and her now husband were in Phoenix the same time you were. They speak the world of you.

Mikal: Yeah, Claire Crutchfield. She’s great.

Me: This trip is my birthday present from my son. Go get ’em.

We watched him walk out to the team bus while fans screamed. Nicholas and I looked at each other. Did that really just happen?

The Knicks won decisively. The arena erupted. We were going to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years!

I love this Knicks team. They play with tremendous heart and teamwork. They remind me of my beloved Knicks teams of my childhood. Tonight is the first game of the Finals, vs San Antonio, and we are underdogs. Dan and I will be watching with Nicholas at his favorite sports bar in Chelsea.

The last time we won the NBA Championship was 1973. Who knows what will happen this time, but what a journey, what a ride

My Knicks Fashion Statement

When I sang at the Broadway Celebrates Earth Day concert in Times Square, it was cold and a monsoon and my jeans got soaked. I had a few hours before joining Nicholas to watch Game 1 vs Atlanta and stopped into Rag & Bone to window shop. I spotted a pair of jeans in Knicks (and Mets) colors. I couldn’t resist—I’m wearing them as I type this.

And then NY Magazine did a piece on Knicks merch and I found this t-shirt—a riff on the Cats logo, but for KAT. Karl-Anthony Towns. I couldn’t resist this either. They only had XL left, so Dan’s getting it. Maybe.

Where in the World Is Liz?

Happily, I’m home the next few weeks, so can watch every finals game. But then I have some great summer gigs coming up, including my first solo show in Nashville. I leave on June 19th for the Playbill Cruise with my sister. June 19 would be Game 7. If that happens, I pray LOT Polish Airlines has good WiFi.

June 14 FLUSHING, NY God Bless America Mets vs Braves

June 21-28 BULGARIA TO BUDAPEST Playbill Cruise

July 5 ELDRED, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

July 15-18 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

July 18 LIVESTREAM Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

July 24-26 LONDON The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Aug 13 NASHVILLE, TN Liz Callaway: Broadway and Beyond

Aug 18 FLUSHING, NY National Anthem Mets vs Padres

Aug 21 HAWLEY, PA Broadway and Beyond

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

A Final Song For You

On Sunday, Dan and I are going to the Tonys—one of the perks of his being on the nominating committee. This year my favorite show I saw was Ragtime, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Joshua Henry, who is breathtaking in it. I wrote about singing with him in Pasadena in last August’s issue.

Ragtime has a song that feels especially right for this moment—“Back to Before.” I’m going to be singing it on the Playbill Cruise. I recorded it live on The Essential Liz Callaway album, and found the original video of that performance.

That’s it for this issue of Between Flights. Thanks for reading.

GO KNICKS! 🏀

xoxo Liz

PS I recently had the great pleasure of being on the Follow Your Dream podcast with Robert Miller. I think you might enjoy our conversation.

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Hi Friends,

Happy May! It’s been a crazy few weeks. Dan is on the Tony nominating committee, so I’ve been seeing a lot of shows with him, including the new revival of Cats. Which got me thinking: in two and a half years of writing Between Flights, I’ve never written about my own experience doing Cats on Broadway.

So... welcome to The CATS Issue.

It’s a doozy, so I thought it would be fun to record it in case you’d like to listen. (see above)

I played Grizabella on and off for five years, from 1992 to 1998. It started as a three-month replacement job when Laurie Beechman took a break to get married, and then turned into something much longer and a truly wonderful chapter of my life.

A confession: I wasn’t a huge fan of the show when I first saw it. I loved the dancing (especially The Jellicle Ball) and I loved “Memory,” but I kind of didn’t get it. So when my agent called to say they wanted me to audition, I was a little hesitant. Then he told me what Laurie was making. I said I’d LOVE to audition. 😊

But here’s the thing: I fell in love with the show the moment I started doing it. And playing Grizabella—getting to sing one of the greatest theater songs written in the last half century, eight times a week, was an extraordinary gift.

I actually auditioned for the original Broadway production back in 1982. I got a callback and sang for the director Trevor Nunn, but I was way too young for the part. I hadn’t lived enough. In the meantime, I started singing “Memory” as a singing waitress. So the song and I go way back.

My first performance was surreal. This was my first time replacing someone in a show. When you replace someone in a long-running show, you’re the only person who’s nervous. And boy, was I nervous.

One of my favorite things about doing Cats was the opening number. When I was a little girl I wanted to be a dancer, but, alas, I’m what you’d call a “singer who moves.” Not a dancer. However, in Cats I got to be in the opening as another cat entirely, whom I named Mahoovna. I worked very hard on my dancing so as not to embarrass myself. When my friends came to the show and couldn’t pick me out in the opening number, that was the biggest compliment I could get.

At the beginning of my run, it took me about an hour to get into full Grizabella makeup each night. Then one Sunday I got stuck in traffic and arrived at the theatre fifteen minutes before curtain. Turns out I could do my makeup in ten minutes—and it actually looked better when I wasn’t trying to be so precise!

I always felt a little guilty at the end of the show. Our incredible dancers had been out there for two and a half hours giving everything they had, and then I’d waltz out, sing one song, and get the most applause. Didn’t seem right.

As much as I loved doing the show, I also loved the cast, crew and orchestra. We had a ball on and off stage. And many of us are still close. I met Ron Tierno, my drummer on many of my shows and albums, doing Cats!

The Luckiest Working Mom in Show Business

I practically raised Nicholas backstage at the Winter Garden. I had maybe twelve minutes of stage time, and my wonderful agent, Steven Unger, negotiated that I could bring him to work with me—something not many Broadway moms get to do. My dresser Sue would watch him when I was onstage. My *dressing room had a bathtub, which came in handy. When I wasn’t on the floor playing Thomas the Tank Engine trains with him, I was sometimes giving him a bath. Nicholas celebrated several birthdays at the theatre, and we always had a special cake made for the occasion.

Nicholas became obsessed with the show and invented his own character: Tamcandle. He even wrote his own solo line: “You can't see sticks in the snow.” Thursday was our day off, and every Thursday he would say 'Mommy, let's play Cats!' We'd put on the cast album and act out the opening number. Over and over.

Perhaps this was payback in advance for making him a Jets fan...

“How did you do it for five years?”

People ask me this all the time. I say “I have a really nice house.” Which is a joke. But not really.

The truth is, the producers were incredibly generous. Not only could I bring Nicholas to work, but they gave me time off to do other projects—two weeks to do Sibling Revelry at Rainbow and Stars, a week here and there to record songs for Anastasia in Los Angeles or The Swan Princess in Salt Lake City. This was only possible because it was a long-running show, and I had an excellent understudy. I was very lucky.

As for the house—Cats is literally why I own one. There's a New York Times piece from 1996 where I talked about this. When Dan and I were house hunting, a mortgage broker expressed some doubt about our financial stability after I listed my occupation as "actress." He perked right up, though, when I explained I was in the now-and-forever production of Cats. "This was very impressive to a mortgage broker," I told the reporter.

It’s a Scandal, It’s an Outrage… (wrong show, appropriate lyric)

On May 23, 1996 I was at Grand Central Station, ready to take the train home. I had a little time, so I checked my answering machine. I knew something was up when it rewound for a long time. Then came a series of messages: “Dan, I just saw the NY Post, are you OK?” “Oh my God, I just saw the NY Post.” “Dan, are you there? I can’t believe the NY Post article…” And so on.

I immediately went to a newsstand and picked up a copy of the Post. And there was this headline:

I couldn’t believe it. I called Dan, who was at a college graduation in Pennsylvania with his parents, and read him the headline and the article. He later told me his mother’s reaction: “You’ve always wanted to be in the newspaper — but this isn’t good, is it?”

The truth behind the Cats commercial.

The production company had reached out asking if Nicholas could be an extra in a commercial they were filming before a Wednesday matinee. Dan and I talked it over and said sure. Dan brought Nicholas to the theatre early. Our drummer Ron Tierno also brought his son Max, a playmate of Nicholas’s. Nicholas loved Ken Prymus, who played Old Deuteronomy, and went off with him—so Dan ended up looking after Max.

Dan was holding Max when a camera person came up and, much to his surprise, started interviewing him on camera. He asked how many times Dan had seen the show. Dan said 9 times. He asked why. Dan said, 'Because my wife plays Grizabella.'

They edited that part out.

Dan was a good sport about it, but I was furious—partly because the reporter got the facts wrong. He wrote that Dan was holding Nicholas. He wasn’t. He was holding Max. Ken Prymus was with Nicholas. If you’re going to throw my husband under the bus, at least get your facts straight, buddy.

After the brouhaha, the NY Post did something almost unheard of: they changed the headline in the late edition from “The Great White Fake” to “The Great White Lie.”

”

The Cats commercial ran for a long time, and much to Dan’s amusement, he got recognized constantly. Once he was dropping off dry cleaning and the owner held up a twofer for Crazy For You and asked, “Is this a good show?” Dan said, “I guess so. Why?” The owner said, “Cause you would know.”

Because you can find everything on YouTube, here is that famous Cats commercial. If you watch closely, you can spot Nicholas giving Ken Prymus a kiss.

This story has a happy ending: both Nicholas and Max received residuals from the commercial for years. It helped pay for their college educations!

But wait, there’s more!

I had some very cool press opportunities during my Cats years, including singing Memory at the halftime show of the NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden and on The David Letterman Show. My Mom recorded the Letterman appearance on her VCR, and this issue gave me an excuse to digitize it!

Perhaps most exciting was doing a photo shoot and interview for People magazine with Betty Buckley. I have this framed.

More recently, I was included in this Playbill piece featuring nine Grizabellas talking about singing “Memory.” Good company to be in.

I still sing Memory in my concerts. I sang it throughout my 30s on Broadway, but it’s one of those songs that deepens with age—the older you are, the more you can bring to it. Back in 1982, I was too young for the role—I hadn’t lived enough. Having just turned 65, that’s not a problem now.

I’ve recorded Memory on two of my albums: The Essential Liz Callaway, an acoustic version with Alex Rybeck on piano, and Passage of Time, where Alex made a beautiful arrangement pairing it with “The Perfect Year” from Sunset Boulevard.

And speaking of Alex—some great news: after three weeks in the hospital and three weeks in rehab, he’s finally home! He won’t be joining me for my Stephen Schwartz concerts in San Francisco this weekend, but we’ll be reunited for other gigs this summer.

Where in the World Is Liz?

I'll be racking up frequent flyer miles the next few months! Here's where you'll find me, with more dates to be announced.

May 8-9 SAN FRANCISCO, CA The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

May 11 WASHINGTON DC Library of Congress Burt Bacharach concert

May 17 NEW YORK, NY Drama Desk Awards

June 21-28 BULGARIA TO BUDAPEST Playbill Cruise

July 5 ELDRED, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

July 15-18 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

July 24-26 LONDON The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Aug 18 FLUSHING, NY National Anthem Mets vs Padres

Aug 21 HAWLEY, PA Broadway and Beyond

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

I almost forgot—over the years I've had the joy of performing Memory all around the world. But nothing will ever top a private event in Vancouver, where I first met Johnny Mathis—and even got to sing a duet of “Chances Are” with him. I’ve written about my friendship with him here and here, but in more recent news: I sent him my new CD, and last week got an email with this photo. I’m definitely framing this, too!

That’s all for this issue of Between Flights.

Have a wonderful week. And go Knicks!

xoxo Liz

*Fun fact: my dressing room at the Winter Garden Theatre was Barbra Streisand's when she did Funny Girl. Well, half of it.

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Hi Friends.

*Greetings from my back porch, where it’s actually warm enough to sit outside. I’m on day four of the aftermath of having a tooth extracted. The last month has been... a lot. But I’m grateful for all of it.

About Alex

On Friday, March 6th, I got a text from my beloved musical director, Alex Rybeck. He told me he was in the ICU after complications from outpatient surgery to remove a kidney stone. The first week was scary, but I’m relieved to say Alex is doing much better. He was in the hospital for three weeks total and is now in a wonderful rehab center—one that has two pianos. He’ll hopefully be home in a week or two, and then, fingers crossed, will be strong enough to play for me in San Francisco May 8-9 for our album release shows.

After about a week of Alex being in the hospital, I realized I needed to find subs for my Cincinnati and 54 Below shows. Phil Reno and Larry Yurman, mutual friends of Alex’s and mine, saved the day. Phil played the Cincy and The Wizard and I shows, and Larry played my Sondheim show. It was no small feat learning these shows.

But wait, there’s more—Jeff Harner went to Alex’s apartment and found the music, my musicians Ritt and Ron got the bass and drum charts in order, and my friend Richard Rockage (while working on three Broadway shows about to open) put our eight-minute Stephen Schwartz Hits Medley into Finale to make it easier for Phil to play. I can't tell you how touched I was (and am) by all that everyone did for Alex and for me.

There was a lot to do—I made Dropbox folders with charts and MP3s, dropped off piano books to Larry and Phil, and scheduled rehearsals. The week of the shows was a whirlwind. On Monday, March 16th, I went to Larry’s apartment and ran through the entire Sondheim show for two hours. Then I walked two blocks to Phil’s apartment and rehearsed The Wizard and I for two hours. Then I went home and had some wine. The next day was the band rehearsal. Wednesday was opening night. In other words, wheeee!

It was Phil’s first time playing the show—and Stephen Schwartz was in the audience. No pressure! Phil was amazing, as were Ron and Ritt. And speaking of Stephen, it was a thrill to get to sing “Fearless” with him.

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Thanks to 54 Below for capturing this unforgettable moment of Stephen playing “Fearless” for me opening night.

Thursday was a day off. I spent it in my pajamas filling CD orders and getting ready for the album release. Then on Friday at midnight, the album came out. Nicholas was the first to congratulate me.

After two more performances of The Wizard and I Friday and Saturday night, it was time to switch gears—to Sondheim. On Sunday, I met Larry and the guys at 54 Below at 3:00pm to rehearse To Steve With Love. Larry had never run through that show with Ron and Ritt before. It was surreal, to say the least, to turn the page so quickly. But it went splendidly, and Larry did a beautiful job.

About That Tooth (and a Recipe From My Mom)

And if that wasn’t enough—while all of this was going on, I developed a toothache and a fever. I went to my dentist, who told me to see an oral surgeon and put me on antibiotics. The surgeon told me I had a very infected number 14 tooth and needed it extracted, but I had to find a date when I didn’t have to sing or fly for one to two weeks afterward. I originally chose last Thursday, but then I realized that was the Mets’ opening day, so I had it done this past Friday. Priorities!

After the surgery, I was told to only eat soft foods—smoothies, yogurt, cottage cheese—but what I really wanted was my mom. I had a flashback to her macaroni and cheese, the kind she used to make for me and Ann. I found the recipe in a cookbook she made for me back in the ‘80s.

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It’s so special to see Mom’s handwriting, and to feel loved and taken care of by her. What a treasure.

Mom’s been on my mind a lot lately. When I did my Cincy shows on March 14, I encored with “The Story Goes On.” At my second show, as the intro started, I realized that the next day was Mom’s birthday. I didn’t mean to say it out loud, but I told the audience. Singing that song that night, and sharing that moment with them, was pretty special.

The Album Is Out!

I'm thrilled that The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz is finally out in the world. The response has been wonderful. Here's a lovely review.

And while “Fearless” didn’t make a Spotify playlist, I’m happy to announce it made ASCAP’s New Music Friday playlist. Never did I dream I’d be in the same playlist as Paul McCartney! Listen on Spotify

Thank you to everyone who has already bought or streamed the album—your support means the world to me. If you haven’t yet, you can buy the CD—autographed if you like—or the digital album directly on my website shop or on Amazon. You can also stream and download on all digital platforms.

My designer Robbie Rozelle made a special PDF of the 12-page booklet so you can read Stephen Schwartz’s liner notes, as well as mine, even if you don’t have the CD.

Digital Booklet The Wizard And I

3.85MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Where in the World Is Liz?

I’m going to be close to home for much of April—Dan’s final year on the Tony Nominating Committee means lots of Broadway shows to see. But coming up:

• Singing at the Metropolis Gala in Arlington Heights, IL

• The Wizard and I album release shows in San Francisco and London

• A very cool Burt Bacharach event at the Library of Congress in D.C.

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

My Favorite Day of the Year

April 1st is my favorite day of the year—because of my sister Ann’s Facebook posts. I’m not sure what I love more: reading them, or imagining her in hysterics as she writes them. I dug through my Facebook archives and here’s one of my favorites, from 2023:

“Where there was nothing, let there be something. Something made by me.”

I’ll leave you with the video I made for my very first issue of Between Flights, back on September 16, 2023. Never did I dream that two and a half years later, I’d make a Stephen Schwartz album—and that this song would be my opening number!

That’s it for this issue of Between Flights. As always, thanks for reading.

Wishing you all a wonderful week.

xoxo Liz

* When I started writing this issue, I was on my back porch and the sun was out. But it always takes me much longer to finish. Now it’s after 10:00pm, the Mets just lost to the Cardinals, and I’m going to re-heat some of Mom’s mac and cheese.

Hi everyone,

I wasn’t planning to send a newsletter today, but my flight to Cincinnati is late. Shocker. And then I got an email from 54 Below last night about a two-day flash sale for tickets to my album release shows next week—so I thought, why not say a quick hi?

The CDs arrived, at laaaaaaaaast!

It’s seven days until release day, and I couldn’t be more excited. I want to thank all of you who pre-ordered my CD. It was honestly a little overwhelming, and I’m so grateful. Many of you should be receiving your CDs today or tomorrow. And if you haven't ordered yet, you can still grab one here.

I’ve been trying to document the whole process, and I even made a little video of opening the first box.

The first thing I did after making that video was prep the CDs to ship to Amazon. Each CD needs a special label printed and placed over the bar code — and it takes a while to get them into Amazon's warehouse. Fingers crossed they'll be there by release day.

It's way more fun fulfilling pre-order CDs and autographing them for you, my devoted friends and fans. I ordered 400 bubble mailers, bought special oil paint markers for signing, and I would be absolutely lost without my Dymo label maker.

About That Hat…

You may remember in my last issue I mentioned wearing my “record producer hat” and that I was tempted to order myself an actual hat that says that. Well, a week later, my friend Kara Cutruzzula sent me exactly that hat, with a lovely note. I am obsessed with it. I wear it while I’m doing CD orders. I wear it to the post office and the UPS store. It just makes me feel like a record producer, and I love it. Kara, many, many thanks.

Meanwhile, on Spotify…

One of the tools available to independent artists is Spotify for Artists, which among other things allows you to submit a song for possible playlist consideration. I submitted 'Fearless,' the song Stephen wrote for me, and I have no idea if it'll be chosen. It's unlikely, but a girl can dream…

If you use Spotify, I’d love it if you pre-saved the album. It helps Spotify know there’s interest—and there’s a fun countdown showing the hours and seconds until the album drops. If you pre-save, it’ll arrive on your Spotify at midnight on March 20th.

Pre-save The Wizard and I on Spotify

For My Friends in the New York Area

If you'd like to come to my album release concerts next week, 54 Below is running a two-day flash sale today and tomorrow only—35% off tickets with the code CALLAWAY35.

Buy tickets here

I’m thrilled to share that Stephen Schwartz himself will be joining me on opening night, March 18th—he’s going to play “Fearless” for me again, which was such a thrill when we did it together for the first time at NJPAC a couple of weeks ago. Here’s a little clip. (Thanks to my friend Lauren for naughtily capturing this moment from her seat.)

Singing “Fearless” at NJPAC with Stephen Schwartz (clip)

Not one, but TWO Livestreams Next Week

I’m so grateful that 54 Below livestreams their shows—they do a beautiful job, and I hope you’ll join me from your homes for one or both of these evenings.

On March 20th, the album release date, I’m live-streaming The Wizard and I at 7pm ET. On Sunday the 22nd, I’m doing my Sondheim show To Steve With Love on what would have been his 96th birthday, and I’ll be live-streaming that one as well.

It’s a bit daunting to be working on both shows at the same time. Hopefully I will not confuse my Stephens!

Livestream tickets — The Wizard and I, March 20

Livestream tickets — To Steve With Love, March 22

That’s it for this issue of Between Flights—I need to go finish packing!

Thank you, as always, for your support. It means the world to me.

Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll be back next Friday!

xoxo Liz

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Happy Friday!

I have some very nice news, and I wanted you, my loyal readers, to hear it from me before I hit social media.

After a truly crazy January of gigs (including one canceled show because of the snowstorm), and a few equally crazy weeks wearing my *record producer hat—finishing the mix, writing liner notes (I had hoped that after publishing 20 issues of Between Flights this would be easier… it wasn’t), making decisions about the CD packaging, getting mechanical licenses, filling out union contracts and paying everyone, submitting the album for digital distribution (which includes typing all 25 track titles correctly!), uploading WAV files, and ordering 2000 CDs to be manufactured…

I’m thrilled (and relieved!) to tell you that the album is finished.

The release date is March 20. And the pre-sale starts today!

You can pre-order CDs (signed if you like) at my website shop. I will start shipping them the week of March 9, so you can be among the first to have it in your hands.

Pre-Order Now

Next up: figuring out ways to get the album out into the world. It’s hard work, but it’s also fun, and incredibly gratifying.

One idea I have is to do a “Behind the Song” series here. Which leads me to my second ever Substack poll:

Where in the World Is Liz?

Tomorrow night I’m performing at NJPAC in New Jersey with Stephen Schwartz—and I cannot wait to sing “Fearless,” the original song Stephen wrote for me, with him at the piano. I’ll try to capture an iPhone video to share with you.

Then next month I’ll be making my Cincinnati solo debut, and the following week brings a full week of Stephens at 54 Below: three album release concerts and a Sondheim birthday show. I’ll be livestreaming both the March 20 and March 22 shows.

February 21 NEWARK, NJ A Wicked Evening With The Wizard (Stephen Schwartz and Friends)

March 14 CINCINNATI, OH Liz Callaway: Broadway and Beyond

March 18, 20, 21 NEW YORK, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz (Album Release Shows)

March 20 LIVESTREAM The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz (Album Release Show)

March 22 NEW YORK, NY To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim on His Birthday

March 22 LIVESTREAM To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim on His Birthday

Also concerts coming up in Boca Raton, FL, San Francisco, and more…

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

I can’t do an issue of Between Flights without including a song.

Here’s Ann and me singing “For Good” last month in Florida. I sing it as a solo on The Wizard and I, but I sure love singing it with my sister.

That’s it for now. Time to get out of my pajamas!

Have a great weekend!

xoxo Liz

*I’m very tempted to order a custom hat with “Record Producer” on it.

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Happy belated New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and that 2026 is off to a great start.

The last few weeks have been absolutely nutty—preparing for upcoming gigs and working on my Stephen Schwartz show—so I haven’t had time to write a proper newsletter. But I did want to touch base today and let you know that my sister Ann and I are livestreaming our show Boom! on Saturday night at 7:00 ET. With all the craziness in the world right now, if you could use a fun diversion, I urge you not to miss it.

TICKETS

Boom! is one of my favorite shows Ann and I have ever done. Tonight is actually opening night—and the 15th anniversary of the show. In case you don’t know Boom!, it’s an evening of songs from the ’60s and ’70s—the soundtrack of our childhood.

It has been no easy feat relearning a show we first did so many years ago. It’s been a huge help having the live album we recorded at Birdland as a reference. Still, relearning a show after all this time has been challenging—especially the song “Come Together.” It is much harder to learn lyrics now than it was 15 years ago—I mean, back then I wasn’t even a member of AARP.

Here’s a little brain-fitness challenge for you: try memorizing the first two verses of “Come Together” and you’ll see what I mean.

Here come ol’ flattop, he come groovin’ up slowly

He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller

He got hair down to his knee

Got to be a joker he just do what he please

Come together right now over me

He wear no shoeshine he got toe-jam football

He got monkey finger he shoot coca-cola

He say “I know you, you know me”

One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Come together right now over me

Where in the World Is Liz?

After our NYC run of Boom! ends, I fly to California on Sunday for three shows next week in Palm Springs, Florida, and Ohio. In other words, wheeee!

Here’s where you’ll find me in the next few months.

Jan 14-17 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Jan 17 LIVESTREAM Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Jan 20 PALM SPRINGS, CA Pops at the Plaza - Liz Callaway’s Broadway & Beyond

Jan 23 AVENTURA, FL Broadway the Calla-way! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Jan 25 FINDLAY, OH An Evening with Liz Callaway

Feb 8 KNOXVILLE, TN To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim

Feb 15 SANTA ROSA, CA Songs from the Screen and Stage (Santa Rosa Symphony)

March 14 CINCINNATI, OH Liz Callaway: Broadway and Beyond

March 18, 19, 21 NEW YOK, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz (Album Release Shows)

March 22 NEW YORK, NY To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim on His Birthday

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

I’ll leave you with something I made to help me keep track of all my to-dos for my various projects.

Once, when I was playing mixed doubles, my doubles partner said to me, “So you’re a singer—you just show up and do the concert, right?” Uh, not quite. This visual might give you a little insight into my life over the last few weeks.

That’s it for this issue. I’ve got to get ready to go into the city for our soundcheck. If you can’t come to Boom! in person, I hope you’ll put on your bell-bottoms and love beads and join us from your homes. Saturday night.

Cheers!

xoxo Liz

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Hi Friends,

Happy Sunday! Greetings from Destin, Florida, where Ann and I did a benefit concert this morning for Sinfonia Gulf Coast. I wasn’t planning on sending out a newsletter today, but since it’s 50 degrees and raining here and there won’t be any beach walks, I decided why not write a little holiday gift guide.

First, a song: I thought you might get a kick out of this six-minute video of my various attempts to film myself singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with Oliver. It’s my family’s favorite holiday song, and I recorded it on both of my Christmas albums. The guitar track is from my Comfort & Joy album, played by the wonderful Peter Calo.

My Holiday Shop Is Open!

Are you looking for holiday gift ideas? I have a little shop on my website with CDs (signed if you like), plus signed Anastasia, Swan Princess, and Hazbin Hotel photos. I also have digital downloads of my albums and singles—in last month’s poll on how you listen to music, I was pleasantly surprised by how many of you still download MP3s.

Below are all the offerings in my shop. Special thanks to Robbie Rozelle who not only does my website, but also designed the artwork for many of these albums. This week he sent me a bunch of cover ideas for my next album, The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz. I’m very excited!

SHOP HERE

The Gift of Live Music

Another idea: give the gift of live music. I have concerts all over the place in 2026, including New York (with Ann), Palm Springs, South Florida, Santa Rosa, Knoxville, and Cincinnati. And just announced—I’m doing a week of shows at 54 Below in March: three Stephen Schwartz album release shows and a special Sondheim birthday concert.

Livestream tickets make great gifts, too. On January 17, Ann and I are livestreaming our show Boom! at 7 pm ET.

CLICK HERE FOR MY SCHEDULE AND TICKETS

The Gift of…Me!

If you’d like to give a personalized video as a gift, I’m on Cameo. I’ve recorded over 500 videos so far, and I really enjoy making these gifts. If this interests you, I’d love to make a video for you, with a special message and a snippet of the song of your choice.

BOOK HERE

I’ll admit that early on I wasn’t sure about doing Cameos, until during the pandemic Nicholas surprised me with one from one of my favorite Mets players, Pete Alonso, for my birthday. I burst into tears when I saw it.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH PETE’S MESSAGE TO ME

That’s it for this impromptu issue of Between Flights.

Dan, Nicholas, and I are going to Tucson for Christmas—it will be our first Christmas there with Ann and Kari since 2021! I’d like to leave you with a little video from that trip: Ann, Nicholas, Dan, and me attempting to sightread the Hallelujah Chorus on Christmas Eve!

Wishing you all a wonderful week and the happiest of holidays.

xoxo Liz

P.S. In case you missed it, last Christmas I did an entire issue about our Callaway family Christmas traditions, including singing the Hallelujah Chorus on Christmas Eve with our mom at the piano. You can read it here.

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Hi Friends,

I hope you’re having a wonderful fall so far.
Speaking of fall…

The Best Laid Plans…

For those of you who read my Where in the World Is Liz? section of Between Flights, you probably noticed that I’ve had in my schedule for several months: Oct. 13–21 — LONDON/SANTORINI: 40th Anniversary Trip.

Well, two nights before we were scheduled to fly to London, Dan, Nicholas, and I went to see the Ragtime revival (must see!). Afterwards, while walking back to our car, Dan tripped on a piece of clear plexiglass inexplicably sticking out of the sidewalk and fell hard on his knee. He got up and was able to drive home, but the next day he couldn’t walk. We went to Urgent Care and found out that in a addition to a very bruised knee, Dan also broke his big toe.

So... we had to cancel our trip.

We were incredibly disappointed, of course—especially about missing a visit to Downton Abbey’s Highclere Castle with friends, but we made the most of our unexpected 10 days at home. We watched cozy British TV series, and I cooked some great dinners, including this amazing baked pasta dish from Smitten Kitchen.

I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a while, and since Dan LOVES butternut squash, I thought it might cheer him up—and it did! I highly recommend you try it. Here’s the recipe: Winter Squash and Spinach Pasta Bake.

I’ve always believed that when things go wrong, they happen for a reason. We’ll take our anniversary trip another time. Just being together was what mattered most. (PS Dan’s doing well now—stairs are still a bit of a challenge, but he’s walking just fine.)

In Happier News…

I’m thrilled to share that I’m moving forward with my Stephen Schwartz album! Like my last four albums, I’ll be producing it myself—so I have a million things to do and decisions to make. And I could use your help.

Which brings me to my first-ever Substack poll! (Hope this works!)

Thanks for your answers—they’ll help me plan, especially when it comes to pressing CDs and estimating digital downloads.

---

I Didn’t See That Coming

In 2024, my agent received an email offering me the role of The Speaker of God in Season 2 of Hazbin Hotel, the hit adult musical comedy series on Prime Video.

I knew Hazbin Hotel was popular, but I had no idea how big it really was. Season 2 started streaming on October 30, with the first two episodes—including mine, featuring my duet “Sera’s Confession” with the wonderful Patina Miller (Pippin, Madam Secretary).

It’s a really cool, very “range-y” song—I don’t think I’ve sung anything that high since I sang “Not Since Nineveh” in Kismet my junior year at New Trier East High School. Watch 16-year-old me sing a bit of Not Since Nineveh.

The Hazbin Hotel Season 2 soundtrack comes out November 19, but “Sera’s Confession” is already up on Spotify—where it’s had more than 6 million streams in 11 days!

No, I definitely did not see that coming.

Listen to “Sera’s Confession” on Spotify

And here’s the official Sing-Along video.

During the recording session, my mouth got a little dry and started making clicks, so the production assistant was sent out to buy me an apple—they said it would help. In all my years of recording, I’d never heard that before…but it worked!

The response to my character and the song has been amazing, and the Hazbin Hotel fans have been so supportive. I’m thrilled to be part of this show.

Where in the World Is Liz?

Lots of fun gigs ahead—first up, my movie music show in Las Vegas on November 12. Dan and I are coming a day early to see The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere (can’t wait!).

Nov 14 LAS VEGAS, NV Screen Gems: Liz Callaway Sings the Movies

Nov 17 NEW YORK, NY Bound for Broadway (hosted by Liz Callaway)

Nov 23 NEW HOPE, PA Liz Callaway: Broadway and Beyond

Dec 6 DESTIN, FL Toast ’n Jam: Broadway Holiday the Calla-way! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Dec 13-14 VANCOUVER, WA Holiday Pops with Liz Callaway

Jan 14-17 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Jan 20 PALM SPRINGS, CA Pops at the Plaza - Liz Callaway’s Broadway & Beyond

Jan 23 AVENTURA, FL Broadway the Calla-way! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Feb 8 KNOXVILLE, TN To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim

Feb 15 SANTA ROSA, CA Songs from the Screen and Stage

March 14 CINCINNATI, OH Liz Callaway: Broadway and Beyond

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

Imagine There’s No Hunger

A friend of mine wrote to me recently to share something close to her heart. She’s on the board of an incredible organization called WhyHunger, founded 50 years ago by singer-songwriter Harry Chapin (“Cat’s in the Cradle”) and DJ Bill Ayres. She said, “Harry believed that nutritious food is a human right, and that in a country with so much abundance, no one should ever go hungry.”

WhyHunger partners with grassroots groups across the country to address the root causes of hunger and ensure access to nutritious food for all.

They’re holding their second Hungerthon Hustle 5K Run/Walk to raise money and awareness—this time at Citi Field (home of my Mets!) on December 2 (Giving Tuesday). The in-person event starts at 8 a.m., but since that’s a little early for this anti-diva, I’ve signed up as a virtual runner—actually, more of a virtual walker.

Won’t you join me?

You can walk or run from anywhere—or make a donation to support the fight against hunger. I’ve set a personal goal of raising $500 for WhyHunger, and every bit helps.

Click here to register to run or walk—or learn more about the Hungerthon Hustle.

Let’s move together for this incredibly important cause!

That’s all for this issue of Between Flights. Thanks so much for reading.

Wishing you a great week, and a very Happy Thanksgiving.

xoxo Liz

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Hello Friends,

I hope you had a nice weekend. Just wanted to say hi and give you a little update on what’s been going on.

It’s no secret what a diehard Mets fan I am. Yesterday, the Mets’ season ended—with a thud. I’m disappointed, but not surprised. Last Saturday I did a concert for Riverside Theatre Works in Boston, and they actually held the curtain for 10 minutes so I could listen to the bottom of the 10th inning of the Mets vs. Nationals game. Thought you might get a kick out of watching this.

Of course, we went on to lose the game in 11 innings. Ironically, my opening number that night was Cockeyed Optimist, which has become my philosophy in both baseball and life. I realized there’s no recording of me singing Cockeyed Optimist, so I found a video of a concert I did in Los Angeles in 2017 and did a quick edit job so you can hear it.

Jeffrey Bellone, who writes the newsletter, shared this today in the aftermath of the Mets’ loss. I love what he wrote—and I couldn’t agree more.

But wait—there’s more!

NPR’s Scott Simon—perhaps the world’s biggest Cubs fan—devoted much of his latest newsletter to my history of singing the National Anthem—a very fun piece!
READ HERE

And that concludes the baseball portion of the newsletter.

A Stephen Schwartz Album Update

Thank you to everyone who came to 54 Below or livestreamed my Stephen Schwartz show earlier this month!

In my last newsletter, I talked about preparing to record my performances of The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz. I’m happy to report that the shows went well, and barring a technical catastrophe, I’m cautiously optimistic we have the makings of a live album!

Having the experience of my making my live Sondheim album is making this one way easier to do, as “ I Know Things Now…”

Here’s a list I jotted down on Friday with some of the things I need to do on my end before I start really listening and choosing takes.

I will keep you posted on this. Hopefully I will know if the album is a go when I send out my next issue of my newsletter.

From the Vault

When I heard the sad news about the passing of Robert Redford, I immediately thought of The Way We Were. During the pandemic, I spent a lot of time digitizing my VHS tapes and posting songs on my YouTube channel. One of the tapes I found was Broadway Up Close & Personal: Marvin Hamlisch at The Kennedy Center from 2009. It was very special getting to sing The Way We Were with the late, great Marvin Hamlisch sitting just a few feet away.

Where in the World Is Liz?

Here is where you will find me in the coming months—soon to be announced: concerts in New Hope, PA; Destin, FL; Palm Springs, CA; and Knoxville, TN.

Oct 6 BOSTON, MA Bound for Boston (hosted by Liz Callaway)

Oct 7 NEW YORK, NY Drama Book Shop— Sondheim Album Event/ Podcast (with special guest, Jim Walton)

Oct 13-21 LONDON/SANTORINI Our 40th Anniversary Trip! (Any suggestions?)

Oct 26 LOS OLIVOS, CA Broadway at the Vineyard with Liz Callaway

Nov 14 LAS VEGAS, NV Screen Gems: Liz Callaway Sings the Movies

Nov 17 NEW YORK, NY Bound for Broadway (hosted by Liz Callaway)

Dec 13-14 VANCOUVER, WA Holiday Pops with Liz Callaway

Jan 14-17 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Jan 23 AVENTURA, FL Broadway the Calla-way! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

Feb 15 SANTA ROSA, CA Songs from the Screen and Stage

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

That’s all for now. Thanks so much for reading.

Wishing you all a great week!

xoxo Liz

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Happy September!

I hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday weekend.

In between watching the US Open, I’ve been hard at work preparing for my Stephen Schwartz concerts this Wednesday and Thursday at 54 Below. As I wrote in my last newsletter, I’m recording both performances and if they turn out well, I will make a live album, like I did with my Sondheim tribute.

What Are You Doing Thursday Night?

We are livestreaming The Wizard and I on Thursday night, September 4^th at 7pm ET. If you can’t come in person this week, I so hope you will cheer me on from your homes. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

In addition to the pressure of recording the shows, Stephen Schwartz himself will be in the audience Wednesday night! I keep reminding myself of what my shero Billie Jean King says: pressure is a privilege.

And right before I walk on stage, I may try this too…

To give myself the best chance to do well despite the inevitable nerves, I’ve been drilling my songs while cooking, in the car, and even with a mic stand and stool to simulate 54 Below.

With a Little Help From My Friends

I learned a lot from making my Sondheim album, so I’m doing a few new things to make this album easier to mix if we make it—like adding back-up singers!

Here’s a rehearsal of Bless the Lord from Godspell with Ethan Carlson and Cole Wachman, and Alex Rybeck on piano. This is the song I sang when I made my Off-Broadway debut in Godspell back in 1980.

Can you tell how excited I am to be singing with back-up singers?

By the way, whenever I practice the last note of Bless the Lord, Oliver goes running from the room. Everyone’s a critic.

That’s all for now. Back to drilling my songs and my patter. And watching tennis. And the Mets.

Wish me luck, and have a great week, my friends!

xoxo Liz

Where in the World Is Liz?

Here’s my schedule as it looks now—more dates will be announced soon.

Sept 3-4 NEW YORK, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Sept 4 LIVESTREAM The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Sept 20 BOSTON, MA Broadway and Beyond

Oct 13-21 EUROPE Our 40th Anniversary Trip!

Oct 26 LOS OLIVOS, CA Broadway at the Vineyard with Liz Callaway

Nov 14 LAS VEGAS, NV Screen Gems: Liz Callaway Sings the Movies

Nov 17 NEW YORK, NY Bound for Broadway (hosted by Liz Callaway)

Dec 13-14 VANCOUVER, WA Holiday Pops with Liz Callaway

Jan 14-17 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

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Hi Friends.

I hope you’ve been having a wonderful summer. After a pretty crazy three months of gigs and travel, I have August off—and I’m loving it. This is the first time I can remember the whole month being free, and I’m enjoying the chance to slow down and recharge.

In the mornings, I’ve been rereading some of my favorite inspiring books—Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic and James Clear’s Atomic Habits. One idea from James Clear jumped out at me: the difference between being in motion and taking action.

“When you’re in motion, you’re planning and strategizing and learning. Those are all good things, but they don’t produce a result. Action, on the other hand, delivers an outcome. If I search for a better diet plan and read a few books on the topic, that’s motion. If I eat a healthy meal, that’s action.” —James Clear

I am the Queen of Motion:

• If I write down 20 ideas for my next Substack post—that’s motion.

• If I actually sit down, write the damn thing, and hit publish—that’s action.
  

• If I spend months brainstorming ideas for my next recording project, making lists of songs, playing with album concepts, and spending hours learning AI tools to transcribe hundreds of song suggestions from Facebook—that’s motion.

• If I book a recording studio—that’s action.
  

Sooo… I’m going into the studio at the end of the month with my longtime pianist and musical director, Alex Rybeck, just to play. There are a lot of songs and arrangements we’ve performed over the years but never recorded. I want to capture some of those, along with a few new ones. Perhaps they will become an album. Or a single or two.

And I can’t get my Lullabies for Grown-Ups idea out of my head. It started after the last election, and I’ve been telling people about it ever since—but haven’t taken any real steps. Maybe we’ll record a few lullabies, too.

But wait, there’s more!

I’ve also been thinking about recording my show The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz for a live album. I hadn’t planned to, but after listening to the livestream from May, I thought—hey, that actually sounds pretty good.

Just like so many people encouraged me to record my Sondheim tribute, many of you have suggested I do the same for my Stephen Schwartz show.

So on September 3 and 4, I’m returning to 54 Below for two performances, and we’ll record it live. If it turns out well, I’ll make an album. (Worth a try!)

I’d love to have you in the audience. If you’re not in NYC, we’re livestreaming the Thursday, September 4 show—I hope you’ll join me from your homes. Details here.

This is one of my favorite songs to sing in this show—“Out There” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. When Dan and I were in Paris last month, we visited Notre Dame Cathedral and I couldn’t resist singing a few lines.

The 100-Day Project

At the beginning of 2025, I had the idea to do a 100-Day Project. Maybe something music-related—100 days of songs, 100 days of TikTok videos… you get the idea. Then, during my last trip to London, I found a book called The Perfect 100 Day Project. It felt like a sign!

I made lists, read half the book, and did a few prompts… and then, well…

Fast forward to this summer. In my May issue of Between Flights, I told you how Ann and I had started a daily morning Sister Project—reading The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice For An Inspired Life, a beautiful book of essays and journaling prompts by Suleika Jaouad. We began on April 22 and finished July 31.

Turns out, I’d been doing a 100-Day Project without even realizing it! It didn’t hit me until Day 97, when I wrote Suleika a note to tell her about our Sister Project.

How cool is this? Suleika mentioned my note in her newsletter, , and even included a photo of my journal—made my day!

When You’ve Got Friends Like Mine

One of the highlights of my summer happened backstage at a concert with Maestro Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena Pops. Joshua Henry and I were the guest singers.

Joshua and I have sung together a few times, but we hadn’t seen each other in ages—and this was the first time we really got to hang out. Since the concert was outdoors, we had trailers for dressing rooms. During a break, we went into Joshua’s trailer and jammed a bit together. (Something I never do!)

He didn’t have his guitar, which he usually travels with, so we just sang a cappella. He’s brilliant at creating harmonies on the spot, and it was such a joy to make music with him.

I wish I’d thought to record more of our improvs, but here’s a voice memo of us singing Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence,” reading the lyrics off my phone.

If you can’t play it, you can listen on YouTube.

Joshua is about to start rehearsals for the Broadway revival of Ragtime. He’ll be playing Coalhouse Walker—and I cannot wait to see it. He’s such a wonderful, inspiring human being. I highly recommend following him on Instagram.

Food, Glorious Food

I’ve been cooking a lot this summer—here are some of my warm-weather favorites.

Zucchini Carpaccio with Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Basil

I don’t know where this recipe came from—all I know is I’m making it this weekend! Layer super-thin slices of yellow and green squash, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and chopped basil. Drizzle with good olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and…yum.

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho

When Dan and I moved to Boston in 1987 for my TV show Ready to Go, he got a job at a Cambridge restaurant called East Coast Grill. The chef was Chris Schlesinger—he and John “Doc” Willoughby wrote a fantastic cookbook: The Thrill of the Grill. I love gazpacho but this takes it to the next level. No grill? Roasting works too—that’s what I usually do.

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho

2.75KB ∙ PDF file

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More Summer Favorites:

Baby Wedge Salad with Avocado and Pickled Red Onions

From Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen. Just an excellent salad. Makes a lot—so if you’re cooking for two, maybe cut it in half. Although I love that Deb notes: SERVINGS: This is not for me to decide.

Halloumi with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, and Basil

Melissa Clark strikes again. I love halloumi, and this is a perfect summer dish. A New York Times reader suggested soaking the halloumi in hot water for 10 minutes before cooking—then blotting it dry. Game changer! It’s less salty and doesn’t turn rubbery when it cools.

Linguine with Tomatoes, Basil, and Brie

From The Silver Palate Cookbook—though I now make it from memory. It’s a great no-cook sauce: the heat from the pasta melts the cheese. You can sub mozzarella or burrata, and I use way less oil and pasta than the recipe calls for. The key is super-ripe tomatoes.

Do you have any favorite summer recipes? I always love trying new recipes, so please send them my way!

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Where in the World Is Liz?

Here’s where you’ll find after my August holiday. (More dates to come…)

Sept 3-4 NEW YORK, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Sept 4 LIVESTREAM The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

Sept 20 BOSTON, MA Broadway and Beyond

Oct 13-21 EUROPE Our 40th Anniversary Trip!

Oct 26 LOS OLIVOS, CA Broadway at the Vineyard with Liz Callaway

Nov 14 LAS VEGAS, NV Screen Gems: Liz Callaway Sings the Movies

Nov 17 NEW YORK, NY Bound for Broadway (hosted by Liz Callaway)

Dec 13-14 VANCOUVER, WA Holiday Pops with Liz Callaway

Jan 14-17 NEW YORK, NY Boom! (with Ann Hampton Callaway)

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

That’s it for this issue of Between Flights. As always, thank you for reading.

Wishing you and yours a joyful rest of the summer.

xoxo Liz

P.S. If you’ve got ideas—songs I should try, topics you’d like me to write about, or behind-the-scenes stories you’d like me to share—I welcome your suggestions. As you know, deciding what to write about (or which songs to sing) can be a bit of a “challenge” for me. 😀

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Hello Friends,

Greetings from 30,000 feet above... somewhere. I’m on my way to Los Angeles and gave myself this flight as a deadline to write about last weekend—a homecoming I’ll never forget.

I actually wrote a “shitty first draft” to send out last week in advance of my trip to Chicago, but decided to bless and release it—and spend that time enjoying being back in my hometown.
And what a weekend it was.

It Wasn’t a Gig—It Was an Event

A little background on how this came to be: I had been wanting to bring this show to Chicago for quite some time. I’ve done it so many places—including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, The Kennedy Center, London, and Madrid—but somehow never in my hometown.

I knew my friend Seth Rudetsky had been performing in Chicago, so I asked if he had any venue suggestions. He told me to get in touch with Brian Maschka, who had produced his recent concerts at the Studebaker Theater. I called Brian, we had a great talk—and he said he’d be happy to produce my return to Chicago.

The Studebaker is a gorgeous 600-seat theater. I’d been thinking more like a 200-seater—could we really fill a place that big? Brian thought we could. So I bet on myself.
Doing this show in that historic theater turned what was a gig into an event. Thank you, Brian!

What made it extra-special is that my sister Ann flew out from Tucson for the concert! She hadn’t seen me do a solo show in person since she and Kari moved to Tucson seven years ago. I can’t tell you how much it meant to have them both there, cheering me on.

I was struggling to put into words what Saturday night meant to me, and then I read the Facebook post Ann wrote on her flight home. I asked if I could share it here, and she said yes.

Isn’t that beautiful? It made me weepy. As Ann said, it was so special to have so many friends and family in attendance. It actually felt like my wedding, almost 40 years ago!

At the end of my concert, I gave a shout-out to my friends from New Trier East High School and my pals from Marriott’s Great America theme park in Gurnee, IL—my first professional job—when I was 16 and still wearing braces. One of my solos back then? “Send in the Clowns!”

It was wonderful to have Dad’s friends and colleagues from WTTW at the show. He’s been on my mind so much lately—and being in Chicago on Father’s Day weekend made me miss him even more.

And I’m so grateful Nicholas could come to Chicago to sing “Move On” with me. When the song finished, he blew a kiss to his beloved Grandpoppy in heaven.

A Song for My Dad

Dad loved to sing, and his go-to song was “Embraceable You.”
This is for you, Dad.

I had a lot of press opportunities for this show—a testament to how beloved Dad is in this city—and it gave me the chance to talk about him more than I ever have before. Here’s an excerpt from an interview I did with Marc Vitale for WTTW. You can read the full interview here.

I also had the chance to do two TV interviews—something that doesn’t usually happen for a one-night concert! One on ABC-7 and includes some great clips, and the other was live on WGN, where I sang “Our Time” on two hours of sleep!

The one thing I didn’t get to do on this trip (which would have made it perfect) was sing at a Cubs game. My dad loved his Cubbies and always supported my love of the Mets. It was his dream to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley.
When he finally got the chance, in 2008, halfway through the game the skies opened—and the game was rained out.
Someday, I’ll finish what he wasn’t able to do. Mark my words.

Where in the World Is Liz?

I’m in Pasadena now, and so happy to be working with Michael Feinstein and Joshua Henry again at Saturday’s Pops concert. I have some very fun gigs coming up—including concerts in Lisbon! (I’ve never been, so any recommendations are welcome.)

Here’s where you’ll find me the next few months:

June 21 ARCADIA, CA Pasadena Pops with Maestro Michael Feinstein and Joshua Henry

June 26 FLUSHING, NY National Anthem New York Mets vs Atlanta Braves

June 28- July 3 TECATE, MEXICO Rancho La Puerta

July 10-12 LISBON, PORTUGAL Broadway in the Park, 2025 with Santino Fontana and Seth Rudetsky

July 19 WAINSCOTT, NY Broadway & Beyond

Sept 3-4 NEW YORK, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

That’s it for this issue of Between Flights.

I’m grateful I can share these experiences with you. Thank you for reading!

xoxo, Liz

P.S. Thanks for the kind words and thoughtful responses to my last newsletter about seeing Johnny Mathis’s final live performance. I was very touched by how many of you shared your personal experiences with me. In case you missed that issue, you can read it here.

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Hello Friends,

I wasn’t planning on writing another newsletter so soon, but I just had to share my thoughts about what I witnessed last night.

In my January issue of Between Flights, I told you about my history with Johnny Mathis — what a fan I was, and what a special experience it was getting to sing with him.

Last night was Johnny’s final live performance. On March 27, his team announced that he was ending his concert tour early “because of age and memory loss.” Johnny is 89 and will turn 90 this September. His final concert was scheduled for Sunday, May 18 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, NJ. As soon as I heard the news, I checked my schedule and was thrilled to know I would be free, after closing my 54 Below run the night before.

I wrote to Amy, Johnny’s PR director, to see if she could help me purchase seats for Dan and me. She told me that, actually, I was already on her list of people to contact, and she had set aside three comps in case Nicholas could come, too. I was very touched.

We got to the venue early for a pre-concert reception, and then were ushered into the theatre for a special video presentation. The video included messages from his colleagues and friends including Barbra Streisand, Patti LaBelle, Lionel Richie, Deniece Williams, Barry Manilow, and Clive Davis. And then there was a slide show of photos of Johnny from his seven-decade career. Midway through, I froze—there was a photo of me singing “Chances Are” with Johnny in Vancouver in 2014!

I can’t tell you how surprised and honored I was to have been included. Singing with him at that private event was one of the biggest thrills of my life.

I was nervous for Johnny—what would it be like to know this was your final time singing for people? Would the moment overwhelm him?

Throughout the two-act concert, he’d say, “I hope I get this one right.” And yet, he sang at least 30 songs—with only a couple of missed lyrics. It was extraordinary how decades of music were still there, still alive in him.

It was a thrill to hear Johnny sing with a full orchestra, alongside his longtime musicians, including pianist/conductor Scott Lavender (35 years!), whom I’ve gotten to know over the years. He played so beautifully.

In Act One we were treated to many of his earlier hits including “Chances Are,” “Wonderful! Wonderful!,” “It’s Not for Me to Say,” “Wild Is the Wind,” songs from Kismet, and Dan’s favorite, “Misty.” When it came time for his iconic floating “oooooooooooooooooon my own”, Dan, Nicholas, and I held hands. He ended the act with a medley of Henry Mancini songs, finishing with “Moon River.” Johnny’s rendition of “Moon River” has a big ending, jumping the octave —I held my breath. Could he do it? He did—he nailed it! It was like watching an Olympic gymnast in the final event of their career, stick the landing for a perfect 10!

At intermission, I caught up with Norm Lewis and composer Marc Shaiman, who had both kindly invited me to the concert. Norm, like me, had the great honor of singing a duet with Johnny.

Act Two featured several songs with his wonderful guitarist, Kerry Marx, including a gorgeous version of “You and Me Against the World,” “99 Miles from L.A.,” and “Brazil.” Johnny’s voice seemed to get stronger with every song!

After he finished “Brazil,” he took his bows and left the stage. He came back, and turned to Scott, who reminded him he had one more song to sing. He handed Johnny a folder with a lyric sheet—the only song he used lyrics for.

His final song was “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” by Michel Legrand and Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Tears were streaming down my face as he sang it—his voice was so beautiful, so strong. And it felt like he was singing those gorgeous lyrics to each and every one of us.

It was the perfect ending—of the concert, of his 70+ years of singing for us.

I didn’t take any photos or videos during the concert. I just wanted to experience it. I won’t need them to remind me of this night in the future—I’ll never forget it. Writing this will help, too.

Thanks for reading,

xoxo Liz

P.S. Thank you to everyone who came to 54 Below last week or livestreamed my Stephen Schwartz show on Saturday night. I’m happy to have a few weeks off to recover until my June concerts in Seattle, Chicago, and Pasadena.

Hello Friends,

Happy Spring! My apologies for not sending out a newsletter last month—honestly, I couldn’t think of anything to write about!

I’m currently in the throes of preparing for my upcoming Stephen Schwartz shows at 54 Below. Confession: on Tuesday, I suddenly realized that I was opening at 54 Below next week. For some reason, I thought I had two weeks. YIKES! Does that ever happen to you? I’ve had a number of “Wait—it’s Friday? It feels like Sunday” moments this year—probably because of the unusual number of mid-week gigs I’ve had.

I thought it would be fun to share some rehearsal videos I shot on Thursday. Normally, I rehearse with my musical director, Alex Rybeck, in the city, but this time he took the train up to my house to work on the show with me, Dan (who is directing), and Oliver, who is... supervising.

A little bit about Alex—we met during Merrily We Roll Along. He was an intern in the music department. We started our long collaboration in 1991, when I was doing Miss Saigon and about to begin making my first solo album, Anywhere I Wander: Liz Callaway Sings Frank Loesser. We’ve done so many albums and shows together over the years, including all my sister shows with Ann. He's truly the best.

Alex has a famously dry sense of humor. As you will see, our rehearsals are never dull.

WARDROBE NOTE: The night before this rehearsal, the Knicks miraculously won their second playoff game against the Celtics. Hence, my rehearsal attire.

The first Stephen Schwartz show I ever saw was the national tour of Pippin in Chicago—I saw it three times. Pippin is well represented in my 54 Below show.
Here’s a snippet of one of the songs I’m doing. (Cinematography by Dan) If you can’t view the video, click here.

On the train into the city yesterday, I spontaneously decided to post that video on TikTok. Previously, I only had one video up—my Once Upon a Vote video from last November.
In 24 hours, “Corner of the Sky” already has over 15K views.
Oliver is now a TikTok star! (What have I done?)

Speaking of my sweet boy, here’s one more video from Thursday’s rehearsal. This song from The Magic Show is one of my favorites, and was one of the most requested songs for this show. Oliver likes when I sing “Lion Tamer” around the house. When I practice “Bless the Lord”? Not so much.

I’m livestreaming my show next Saturday, May 17, at 7pm ET. If you can’t come in person, I hope you’ll join me from your home! It’s going to be a very fun show—albeit without the That Girl theme song.
CLICK HERE FOR LIVESTREAM TICKETS

If you can come in person, 54 Below is offering a 20% discount through May 13 with the code WIZARD20. There are also a few subsidized $15 seats available for the Friday, May 16 show, for those for whom the cost to attend is too much right now.
CLICK HERE FOR 54 BELOW TICKETS

Where in the World Is Liz?

In addition to my 54 Below shows, here’s where you’ll find me next month. I’m going to wracking up a lot of frequent flyer miles. May the Newark Airport Gods be with me!

May 14-17 NEW YORK, NY The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

May 17 LIVESTREAM The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz

June 6-8 BAINBRIDGE ISLAND/SEATTLE, WA JazzVox House Concert Series

June 14 CHICAGO, IL To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim (The poster outside the Studebaker Theatre is up!)

June 21 ARCADIA, CA Pasadena Pops with Maestro Michael Feinstein and Joshua Henry

June 26 FLUSHING, NY National Anthem New York Mets vs Atlanta Braves

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

A Fun Sister Project

Last month was my birthday, and when Ann asked what I wanted, I said I’d actually love an Amazon gift card so I could buy a bunch of books. One of the books I really wanted was The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad, whose Substack, I highly recommend.

When the gift card showed up in my inbox (thanks, Ann and Kari!), the first thing I did was pre-order the book, which came out on Tuesday, April 22. It has essays and journaling prompts from 100 writers and artists. I said to Ann, why don’t you order the book too, and we can do it together? She pre-ordered the Kindle version, and we each bought matching notebooks.

We decided that every day we’d do the next prompt, take a photo of our journal when we finished, and text it to each other. When Ann saw that underneath the book jacket was a secret journal cover, she was sad not to have the physical book—so I ordered her a hard copy (with her gift card!) to be delivered the next day. Now, when she’s home, she reads the hardcover, and when she’s on the road, she reads the Kindle version.

I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying this sister project. I’ve never kept a journal before, and the prompts are so interesting—lots of memories are being excavated. And I think it’s great for Ann to have the tactile experience of writing in a journal again.

A Note for Mother Day

And finally, tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Not the easiest day of the year for many—I’m sending much love to those of you for whom tomorrow will be hard.
Last year, I did a special Mother’s Day issue of Between Flights, which included a song with Ann and our mom, and an at-home video of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s gorgeous “The Place Where Lost Things Go” from Mary Poppins Returns.

This year, I’d like to leave you with a video of “The Story Goes On” that I made during the pandemic with seven fellow Broadway moms.

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading this issue of Between Flights.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo Liz

PS I always love hearing from you in the comments. Please let me know if you have anything you’d like me to write about, or sing in future issues. You know I LOVE suggestions!

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Happy Spring!

Today would have been Stephen Sondheim’s 95th birthday. I couldn’t let the day go by without singing something, so I filmed a little birthday song at my desk. Also in this issue of Between Flights, I’m sharing stories from an unforgettable week in London, a very special duet, and a few exciting announcements about what’s coming up.

But first, here’s my song for Steve.

Back from London

I’ve just returned from a magical week performing four sold-out shows at Crazy Coqs in London. I was lucky to be accompanied by the brilliant UK pianist Theo Jamieson, who I adore, onstage and off. Needless to say, my set list featured a healthy dose of Sondheim.

For these shows, I decided to try something new: inviting a different special guest to perform with me each night. I shot for the moon — and was overjoyed by who said “yes”.

Friday Night: Jenna Russell

It was such a treat to sing a duet of “Losing My Mind/Not a Day Goes By” with UK musical theatre royalty, Jenna Russell. I’ve been a huge fan of hers since I saw her do Dot in Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway.
After the show, Jenna said, “We should do a show together.” Boy, would I love that!

Saturday Night: Julian Ovenden

Saturday’s guest was the sublime Julian Ovenden. We first worked together in 2018 on the European symphonic premiere of Sondheim on Sondheim at Royal Festival Hall, but this was the first time we’d ever sung a duet.
It was such a thrill to sing “Move On” with him. And as a massive Downton Abbey fan, I couldn’t help but geek out a little — Julian played Charles Blake, one of Lady Mary’s suitors, for two seasons.

Sunday Afternoon: Billy Porter

Sunday’s guest was the one and only Billy Porter. He’s currently starring in Cabaret in London, and I was overjoyed (and honestly shocked) that he said yes to singing with me on his day off.
Billy and I go way back — we first met during Miss Saigon in 1991. It was his Broadway debut, and I knew even then he was something special. In 1995, we recorded a duet of “Where Is Love?” on my second solo album, The Story Goes On: Liz Callaway On & Off Broadway. Sunday was the first time we ever sang it live — 30 years later!

Here’s our original recording of “Where Is Love?” I’m very fond of this arrangement.

If you don’t use Spotify, here’s the link to listen on YouTube.

Monday Night: Paulo Szot

For the final show, I had the absolute joy of singing “Too Many Mornings” from Follies with Paulo Szot. Paulo is a stunning singer and a wonderful friend.
We first met on Playbill’s Broadway on the Rhône River cruise — I had already fallen in love with his voice when I saw him in South Pacific.

.Paulo had just started rehearsals for Here We Are (Sondheim’s final show) at the National Theatre, so it meant so much that he joined me after a full day of work.

“Too Many Mornings” is the one duet from London that I have a video for: many thanks to Christine Kim for capturing the moment.

For Your Reading Pleasure

A lovely review of my opening night show in London — no, I didn’t write this.

A recent interview I did for one of my favorite Substack newsletters, If you’re a Sondheim fan, I highly recommend you subscribe — lots of interesting interviews and essays.

A Big Announcement

Shortly after Sondheim passed away, I put together a tribute show called To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim. I’ve performed it all over the place, including NYC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, the Kennedy Center, London, Ireland, and Madrid — but somehow, never in my hometown, Chicago.
My 2025 New Year’s resolution was to bring the show to Chicago, and I’m thrilled to announce that it’s finally happening!!!
On Saturday, June 14, I’ll be performing To Steve With Love at the beautiful Studebaker Theatre in downtown Chicago.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 28 — mark your calendars!

And Exciting News About Another Stephen

It's no secret how much I love singing Stephen Schwartz songs. As you may recall, in October 2023 I did a concert of Stephen’s music in Cork, Ireland. I’m very excited to bring The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz to NYC’s 54 Below, May 14–17!
It hasn’t been officially announced yet, but I’ll be livestreaming the show on Saturday, May 17 at 7pm ET.

Where in the World Is Liz?

In addition to the shows above, here’s where you find me in the next few months.

March 25 : NYC /Livestream New Writers at 54 Below: Ethan Carlson (I’m singing one song)

May 3 ROHNERT, CA Fundraiser for Cinnabar Theatre

May 14-17 NYC The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz (Livestream 5/17)

June 6-8 BAINBRIDGE ISLAND/SEATTLE, WA JazzVox House Concert Series

June 14 CHICAGO, IL To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim (LINK WILL BE LIVE ON 3/25)

June 21 ARCADIA, CA Pasadena Pops with Maestro Michael Feinstein and Joshua Henry

June 26 Flushing, NY National Anthem NY Mets vs Atlanta Braves

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

And finally, a little quiz…

I’m a big fan of giving “experiences” as presents. This was Nicholas’s birthday gift — can you guess what we’re doing? (Answer below)

That’s it for this issue of Between Flights. As always, thanks so much for reading.
Have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo Liz

PS I LOVE hearing from you in the comments. Please let me know any ideas or requests for future issues,

PPS The answer to the birthday quiz:
“Minute + Maid + Park” = We’re going to Houston for Opening Day of the 2025 baseball season — Mets vs. Astros on March 27! (I just learned that the stadium is now called Daikin Park— that would’ve been way harder for Nicholas to guess.) LET’S GO METS!

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Hi Friends.

I hope this finds you well. I had a little adventure this week—I slipped on some black ice and landed on my knee. Fortunately, nothing's broken, but I may not be dancing in my concerts this week. 😆

Today is Nicholas’s birthday. Somehow, I am the mother of a 34-year-old! Feeling nostalgic, I thought I’d share a little about his birth—because he truly was a Broadway Baby.

Miss Saigon & Motherhood: A True Story

In 1990, I was in my third season of co-hosting Ready to Go, a daily live children’s TV program in Boston. After a long journey of trying, I was thrilled to learn I was pregnant. Around four months into my pregnancy, my New York agent called with an audition:

"They want to see you for Ellen, the American wife, in Miss Saigon."

At the time, the show was a massive hit in London, and they were gearing up for the Broadway production. I agreed to audition but told my agent:

"Don’t mention that I’m pregnant—they won’t want to see me. Maybe they’ll consider me for a future replacement."

Dan and I hopped in the car and headed to New York. As we got on the Mass Pike, a helicopter landed right by the highway entrance. We looked at each other—"That’s funny…"

The audition was on the stage of the Broadway Theatre. The audience included director Nick Hytner, producer Cameron Mackintosh, writers Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, and Richard Maltby Jr., who had written the English translation of the lyrics and whom I knew from Baby.

I sang Ellen’s part of the duet I Still Believe. When I finished, Richard Maltby walked up to the stage.

"That was really good," he said.

On the drive home, I told Dan, “You know, if I weren’t pregnant, I think I would have gotten that part.”

That night, the phone rang. It was Richard.

"We want you for the show."

"But... I’m pregnant."

"We know. We’ll work around it."

This was September. I was due in early March, and previews were set to begin on March 23. My agent negotiated a two-week maternity leave. Just as I was about to give my notice at Ready to Go, the TV show was canceled. Talk about timing.

A Subway Ride to the Delivery Room

We took a trip to NYC to find an apartment and an OB who would deliver our baby on short notice. The night before our appointment, our car was broken into, and the thief stole my doctor’s records from Boston. Needless to say, I was stressed. But we found a great apartment on Roosevelt Island and a warm, compassionate doctor.

Rehearsals started on Monday, January 28. I was eight months pregnant.

On the morning of Saturday, February 16, I woke up and—surprise—my water had broken.

I called my OB.

"Take a shower, have a nice breakfast, then come in. I’d like to deliver the baby within 24 hours."

Dan turned into Ricky Ricardo—he set off the smoke alarm making toast and accidentally took a shower with his underwear on.

Meanwhile, I called my mom.

Me: “Good morning! What’s the astrological sign for someone born in February?”
Mom: “I think it’s Aquarius.”
Me: (long pause) “Do you want to know why I’m asking?”
Mom: “Sure.”
Me: “Because I’m having this baby in the next 24 hours!”
Mom: (bursts into tears)

For some reason, Dan and I walked ten minutes to the subway, took the Q train into Manhattan, and then hailed a cab to Lenox Hill Hospital.

Why we didn’t just take a taxi from our apartment, I’ll never know.

A Broadway Baby Is Born

At the hospital, I settled in and watched figure skating, waiting for contractions. Nothing happened. My doctor decided to induce labor.

Still nothing.

Finally, she said, “We need to do a C-section.”

I agreed—but with one request:

"Can you deliver the baby before midnight so its birthday is February 16? I have a thing about even numbers."

She smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

At 12:15 AM on February 17, 1991, Nicholas Callaway Foster was born.

So close!

My bladder was accidentally cut during my C-section, so I had to stay in the hospital for eight days. Not ideal, but it actually turned out to be a blessing. My biggest concern about having a baby and opening a Broadway show so soon was whether I’d be able to nurse him. That extra week in the hospital helped me get the hang of it.

A Moment

A few days after Nicholas was born, the nurse placed him in my arms. I nursed him and fell asleep. When I woke up, I felt completely at peace. I remember thinking, This is why I was put on this earth—to be his mom.

The First Days of Miss Saigon (and Motherhood)

After a week at home, my first day back at work was our first day in the theatre.

I brought Nicholas with me every day. My incredible husband took care of him in the dressing room.

My first entrance was for the duet I Still Believe. At the first tech rehearsal, I walked very slowly from my dressing room to behind the stage. My scene took place in a bed set 15 feet in the air. A crew member shined a flashlight and said:

"There’s your ladder."

I laughed—"That’s so cute, they’re playing a joke on me."

I thought there would be a lift.

There wasn’t.

So, just a few weeks after a C-section, I climbed a ladder in the dark to sing my song.

Afterward, Nick Hytner, the director, got on the mic and said:

"For someone who was just cut open, that was marvelous."

A Lost Gem: A Rare Video from Miss Saigon

Last month, while on Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway cruise, a passenger (who also happens to be a reader of this newsletter) asked me if I had any videos of my time in Miss Saigon.

Well… I do!

I have no idea how this ended up in my possession, but here is a not-great-quality, yet very cool, never-before-seen video of me performing I Still Believe on Broadway with Lea Salonga.

Leave a comment

Full Circle

There’s a lot I don’t remember about my time doing Miss Saigon because I was so sleep-deprived, but I will always be grateful for the experience. It was my version of climbing Mount Everest—exciting, exhausting, and so worth it.

I will always be thankful to Dan, who sacrificed so much so I could be a working mom. I was also incredibly lucky to have the support of Cameron Mackintosh and the Miss Saigon team, who let me bring Nicholas to work with me. Not many moms get that opportunity.

.Nicholas took his first steps at the Broadway Theatre and spent hours in the hair room while I was onstage. Years later, he and I found ourselves back there for a special moment—opening night of the 2017 revival of Miss Saigon.

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A Song for You

Thank you for joining me on this trip down memory lane.

I’ll leave you with a video of Nicholas and me singing The Prayer in 2014. With everything happening in the world, I hope this song brings you a moment of peace.

xoxo Liz

Where in the World Is Liz?

Here is where I’ll be performing in the next month.

Feb 19: New Bern, NC (Liz Callaway in Concert)

Feb 22: Quincy, MA (An Evening with Liz Callaway)

Feb 25: Indian Wells, CA (Private event)

March 14-17: London (An Evening with Liz Callaway) SPECIAL GUESTS SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE (An exciting date will be announced next week!)

If you enjoyed this issue of Between Flights, I’d love it if you would share it with your friends.

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How are you doing? My thoughts have been with the residents of Los Angeles — there's been so much loss and uncertainty from the devastating wildfires. Songs like this one take on new meaning.

I fell in love with “99 Miles from L.A.” after hearing Johnny Mathis perform it live on a PBS special. Dan and I have been huge fans of Johnny Mathis for years, so you can imagine how excited we were when I received a call in 2015 asking if I'd like to sing a duet of “Chances Are” with him at a private event in Vancouver. We were starstruck, but Johnny couldn’t have been nicer.

Here’s a little snippet from our first rehearsal. A moment I will never forget. (If you can’t play it, try here.)

Happily, we've stayed in touch through the years and I see Johnny in concert every chance I get. He’s 89 and still going strong! My favorite song to hear him sing in his concerts? “99 Miles from L.A.”.

He inspired me to sing it myself, and it’s on my list of songs I’d like to record someday.

The night the wildfires broke out, I texted and emailed everyone in Los Angeles I could think of, including Johnny’s assistant, Amy. I was so relieved to know that he and his team were safe. My heart breaks for all the people who have lost their homes and the businesses that have closed.

There have been so many stories of loss and heartbreak in the papers and on social media. I wept tears of joy when I came across this post on my friend David’s Facebook page.

This tragedy has also created an outpouring of kindness and generosity. Isn’t it remarkable to watch strangers rally around one another? The Los Angeles Times has a round-up of ways to donate your time, money, or resources for those in need.

Coming Together

It’s been pretty Arctic this month in New York, but I was able to spend a warm and wonderful week in the Caribbean on Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway Cruise. Shortly before we left, Seth asked me if I would take part in the star-studded Concert for America on Inauguration Day to raise money and awareness for several causes, including the Sierra Club and the National Immigration Center.

A few days before the cruise, actor Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) and his wife, Lisa Joyner, contacted Seth and his husband, James Wesley, to see if Concert for America could also raise money for the California Community Foundation, an organization supporting wildfire recovery efforts to aid those most in need.

In a matter of days, what was originally an in-person concert turned into a 5-hour livestream event in both New York and Los Angeles.

So far Concert for America has raised nearly $58K for the California Community Foundation.

If you'd like to contribute, you can Donate here. Jon and Lisa generously are matching every donation up to $100,000!

I had the honor of singing The Story Goes On that night. You can watch it here.

And you can watch the entire 5-hour livestream here. A long-time Stars in the House fan kindly time-coded the performances in the comments!

When You’ve Got Friends Like Mine

Back in September, I shared the exciting news that my dear friend Aaron Lazar, who is living with ALS, had recorded his first solo album—and I had the privilege of singing on it. I’m thrilled to share that Aaron’s album, The Impossible Dream, has been nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album!

The 2025 GRAMMYs are this Sunday, February 2nd, in Los Angeles, and I couldn’t be prouder of Aaron and this incredible achievement. We’ll all be cheering you on, Aaron—congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

Where in the World Is Liz?

February is going to be a busy month with a lot of travel, including a concert just outside Boston, in Quincy, MA. A portion of ticket sales will go to a Quincy native whose family lost their home in the LA fires.

Here’s where you’ll find me over the next few months:

Feb 2: Nashville, TN (Private event)

Feb 19: New Bern, NC (Liz Callaway in Concert)

Feb 22: Quincy, MA (An Evening with Liz Callaway)

Feb 25: Indian Wells, CA (Private event)

March 14-17: London (An Evening with Liz Callaway)

CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL SCHEDULE

That’s it for this edition of Between Flights. I hope the new year is bringing you moments of hope and light wherever you are. For those of you in the Los Angeles area, my love and continued prayers are with you.

xoxo Liz

PS If you enjoyed this issue of Between Flights, I’d love it if you would share it with your friends and family.