Date: Jun 05, 2007

HOFSTRA ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS LAINIE KAZAN IN CONCERT

June 9 and 10, 2007 at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY … Lainie Kazan, a proud Hofstra University alumna, brings her one-woman musical show to the John Cranford Adams Playhouse on Saturday, June 9, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 10, at 2 p.m. for two fabulous shows backed by an all-star musical trio.  

Tickets are priced at $28; $25 senior citizen (over 65) and $15 matriculated non-Hofstra students with ID. Members of the Hofstra community (faculty, staff and students) may pay $10 for up to two tickets upon presentation of a current HofstraCard.

For tickets and more information call the Hofstra Box Office at (516) 463-6644, Monday through Friday, between 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. For additional information visit www.hofstra.edu/HofstraEntertainment.

Tickets may also be purchased online by visiting http://www.hofstra.edu/Community/hofent/hofent_tickets.html

*** About Lainie:

Lainie Kazan has come a long way since she was Barbra Streisand’s Broadway understudy in “Funny Girl,” followed by nightclub stints and guest appearances on virtually every top variety and talk show in network  television, including an unparalleled 26 appearances on "The Dean Martin  Show." She even hosted her own variety special for NBC and opened the popular "Lainie's Room" and "Lainie's Room East" at the Los Angeles and New York Playboy Clubs.

After seeing her perform, fellow Hofstra alum Francis Ford Coppola offered her a plum role in "One From The Heart." The rest, as they say, is history.  In 1983,  Lainie received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Richard Benjamin's "My Favorite Year," starring Peter O'Toole. Other films include "Lust in the Dust" with Tab Hunter and Divine, "Delta  Force" with Chuck Norris, "Beaches" with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey and "Harry and the Hendersons" directed by Steven Spielberg.  Additional credits include the Disney film "The Cemetery Club," "29th  Street" with Danny Aiello, "The Associate" with Whoopi Goldberg,  "Love is All There Is" with Renee Taylor, Angelina Jolie and Paul Sorvino; "The Big Hit" with Mark Wahlberg, Disney's "The Crew" with Burt Reynolds, Richard Dreyfuss and Jennifer Tilly; "What's Cooking" with Mercedes Ruehl, Julianna Margulies, Kyra Sedgwick and Alfre Woodard; and "Gigli" with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.

Lainie has received critical acclaim for her role in the blockbuster comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which has grossed over $600 million worldwide and won the People's Choice Award.  Lainie reprised that role in CBS television series, "My Big Fat Greek Life."  She recently appeared in "The Engagement Ring" on TNT starring Patricia Heaton, Vincent Spano, and Tony Lo Bianco as well as "Whiskey School," an independent feature starring Olympia Dukakis, Mary Stuart Masterson and Gary Swanson.  She received an Emmy Award nomination for "St.  Elsewhere" and a Cable ACE Award nomination for "The Paper Chase."  Additionally she guest starred on "Will and Grace" as Aunt Honey; has been featured on "Beverly Hills 90210;" was seen as Aunt Freida on "The Nanny;" and as Dottie, Kirstie Alley's mom, on "Veronica's Closet."  She also starred as Doris Bernstein in an episode of "Touched By An Angel" and co-starred with Virginia Madsen in the LIFETIME original movie "Tempted."  

Lainie, however, has never forgotten her roots as a live performer. She reprised her role in the Broadway musical version of "My Favorite Year," which won her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress, and has also starred on Broadway in "The Government Inspector" with Tony Randall, and recently starred in the award winning drama "The Exonerated." Some of her  recent nightclub credits include sold out engagements in Los Angeles at the  Cinegrill and The Catalina Bar and Grill, in NYC at The  Regency, Las Vegas and Atlantic City at the Atlantic City Hilton, Harrah's Casino and Resort and Trumps Castle and the hallowed  stages of New York's Rainbow and Stars, Tavern on the Green and  the famed Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel. Throughout the years, Lainie has also performed many symphonic concerts. She has sung with such symphonies as The Boston Pops, The Palm Beach Pops and The Cleveland Symphony to name just a few, and has sung at Performing Arts  Centers throughout the United States. She has toured Europe and the Orient to sold-out houses and captivated audiences wherever she goes.

She received the "Woman of the Year" award from B'Nai Brith and has graced the stage for many AIDS  benefits, telethons and non-profit organizations throughout the United States. Lainie was also named the reigning 1997 "Queen of Brooklyn"  at a ceremony by Brooklyn Borough President, Howard Golden. She serves on the  Board for the Young Musicians Foundation, AIDS Project LA and B'nai Brith to  name just a few. In 1990 she was presented "The Israeli Peace Award."  Lainie's album, "Body and Soul" is a collection of graceful, feline sentiment that smolders with what Rex Reed called "more talent in her little finger than most singers have in their dreams." Lainie's  newest CD, "Lainie Kazan - In The Groove," was produced by Lainie, David  Benoit and Clark Germain. Lainie's daughter, Jennifer Bena, sings on the album and award-winning pianist David Benoit also performs on the CD.