By Andrew Gans
13 Mar 2009

	Heidi Blickenstaff

Question: I know you had mentioned the possibility of a solo recording. Anything happening with that?
Blickenstaff: I'm talking to a couple of music directors. It's kind of in the first stages. It's something that I've wanted to do for a really, really long time. Kurt Deutsch, who is the king of Ghostlight Records and also married to Sherie Rene Scott, he was talking to me about it. We had a long conversation about it, and he said, "If you do a solo album, you have to have something to say." I love that he said that, because I think so many Broadway singers right now are doing albums, which I think is fantastic. Sutton [Foster]'s album is so lovely. Kelli [O'Hara]'s album is great. There are beautiful albums out there. I think I know what I want to say, but I've been slowly getting it together. I think before Kurt asked me that, I was a little bit like, "Well, I'm gonna do a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and maybe I'll do some new composers and maybe, maybe, maybe," and that [statement] really focused me. I don't want it to be haphazard. I want it to be very meaningful to me and, hopefully, to other people. I am in the process of getting together some material and talking to a couple of music directors that I love. Hopefully we're going to get that going.

Question: Any other projects in the works you can talk about?
Blickenstaff: [title of show] certainly is next, in whatever incarnation that's going to be. Like I said, I think all of us have left the spring open for whatever is next with [title of show]. There have been other things knocking at the door, but I think all of us have made [title of show] and whatever is going to happen with it the next priority. For all of us — and we're all very lucky that this has happened — we know we can split off from each other and go do whatever it is people are asking us to do. That's awesome, and we're really grateful for that, but I don't think we're done yet with [[title of show]]. And before we get too disseminated, I think we're going to focus on it. There is something super-specific that we are writing for that is not a huge thing, it's kind of a smaller thing, but we're still also waiting for all of our schedules to gel so that can actually truly begin to happen. . . . In the meantime, I'm still doing these children's television shows. I've become a voice on "Word World" and "Wonder Pets." That's been totally fun and another skill I've been developing. I love doing that stuff.

Question: How long are you in Mermaid?
Blickenstaff: My last show is April 5, and then the wonderful Faith Prince takes over.

[The Little Mermaid plays the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway at 46th Street; visit DisneyOnBroadway.com for ticket information.]

DIVA TIDBITS

	Kate Shindle

Legally Blonde's Kate Shindle and Grammy Award winner John McDaniel will join forces for a March 23 concert at Birdland. The evening at the famed jazz club is titled Classic; show time is 7 PM. Cabaretgoers can expect to hear Shindle's renditions of "Black Coffee," "See What I Wanna See," "Drown in My Own Tears" and "Slap That Bass," among others. McDaniel is music director. Birdland is located in Manhattan at 315 West 44th Street. There is a $25 cover charge and $10 food-drink minimum. For reservations call (212) 581-3080 or visit www.birdlandjazz.com.

"Grey's Anatomy" star Chandra Wilson will return to Broadway this summer in the Tony-winning Kander and Ebb musical Chicago. Wilson will step into the role of Matron "Mama" Morton June 8 for a four-week engagement. The acclaimed actress will end her limited run at the Ambassador Theatre July 5. Visit www.ChicagoTheMusical.com for more information.

Casting is now complete for the City Center Encores! production of Finian's Rainbow, which will play the famed Manhattan venue March 26-29. Joining the previously announced Jim Norton (Finian), Kate Baldwin (Sharon) and Cheyenne Jackson (Woody) will be Jeremy Bobb (Og), Philip Bosco (Senator Rawkins), Guy Davis (Sonny), Alina Faye (Susan Mahoney), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Billboard), Andy Weems (Sheriff) and William Youmans (Buzz). The ensemble will comprise Tanya Birl, Bree Branker, Meggie Cansler, Bernard Dotson, Leslie Donna Flesner, Lisa Gajda, Tim Hartman, Mary Illes, Tyrick Wiltez Jones, Denis Lambert, Kevin Ligon, Monica L. Patton, Joe Aaron Reid, Devin Richards, Steve Schepis, Rashidra Scott, J.D. Webster and Terri White. The production will be directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle with music direction by Rob Berman. For tickets, priced $25-$95, call (212) 581-1212 or visit www.nycitycenter.org. City Center is located in Manhattan on West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Shoshana Bean, one of Broadway's acclaimed Elphabas in the hit musical Wicked, will join forces with recording artist Lucy Woodward for an upcoming concert at Le Poisson Rouge. Bean and Woodward will play the Manhattan venue April 7 at 10 PM. About her upcoming gig, Bean told me earlier this week, "[Lucy and I] are both soulful, girl-power focused artists, who are totally gonna rock Le Poisson!" Le Poisson Rouge is located at 158 West Bleecker Street, between Thompson and Sullivan. There is a $15 cover charge; for tickets click here. Bean will also perform and autograph copies of her new CD April 15 at 6 PM and the Lincoln Center Barnes and Noble at 1972 Broadway. The event, which is free and open to the public, is part of the American Songbook performance series.

Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.