(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Theater Q Asbury, New Jersey's LGBTQ+ Theater Company, proudly announces the full cast and creative team for the second production of its inaugural 2024-2025 season and first offering in its cabaret series. "Liberace & Liza, A Tribute: Shore, Why Not?" is a dazzling cabaret of camp, glam, jazz hands, and candelabra, starring David Saffert & Jillian Snow, with arrangements and consulting by Bo Ayers, Liberace’s musical director of 13 years. Performances take place April 4-6, 2025. For one night only, on Saturday, April 5th, the show will feature a special guest appearance by RuPaul's Drag Race star Thorgy Thor.

“Shore, Why Not?” is the Asbury Park edition of the widely acclaimed Liberace & Liza, A Tribute, a show that has toured North America, celebrating two icons who—despite never performing together—are brought to life in a wildly entertaining mashup. David Saffert’s dazzling piano skills and Jillian Snow’s powerhouse vocals breathe new life into classics like Cabaret, New York, New York, Over the Rainbow, and The Man That Got Away, with surprise covers of Lady Gaga and Britney Spears.

David Saffert, a classically trained pianist from Wisconsin, has an extensive background in sketch comedy, improv, and solo piano concerts. Jillian Snow, a singer and comedian, started her career in New York at venues like Gotham Comedy Club, The Laugh Factory, and COMMIX NYC. Reflecting on their collaboration, David shared, “This show has been a highlight of our careers. We’ve played everywhere from 54 Below in NYC to Portland Center Stage.”

For the Theater Q production, Jillian teases, “We may have tailored the show to Asbury Park and the Jersey Shore a bit. Expect a few Bruce sightings and a sprinkling of ‘fuhgeddaboudit-isms’—as only Liza and Liberace could do!”

Performance take place Friday, April 4 at 8:00pm; Saturday, April 5 at 3:00 & 8:00pm (evening show with guest star Thorgy Thor); and Sunday, April 6 at 3:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. All performances will take place at The House of Independents, 572 Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The venue is conveniently located two blocks from the NJ Transit Train Station, with metered street parking available.

A Meet & Greet event will be held on Saturday, April 5 at 6:30pm, where audience members can meet the stars and take selfies on stage around the grand piano. Cocktails, soft drinks, and small bites will be available for purchase in the lobby/lounge.

A Night of Spectacle with Thorgy Thor - On Saturday, April 5, the self-proclaimed “Queen of Classical Music” Thorgy Thor joins Liberace and Liza for a one-night-only guest appearance. Known for her vibrant drag persona and appearances on RuPaul's Drag Race she is also a virtuosic violin, viola, and cello player. Thorgy has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. A graduate of Purchase College’s Conservatory of Music, she is thrilled to musically duel with the “Master of the Crystal Keyboard,” aka Mr. Showmanship himself, Liberace.

Theater Q’s Mission in a Changing Landscape

Theater Q launched its inaugural season with Zanna Don’t – The Reboot!, a musical featuring a non-binary character winning a mayoral election. Reflecting on that production’s timing just before the presidential election, Artistic Director John Pantozzi states, “We were hoping Zanna would prove prescient, and the voters and our community would continue to move forward.” However, LGBTQ+ arts organizations have since faced new challenges: “Grants for underrepresented communities like ours have been stopped, and corporations that support us are being bullied on official government stationery.”

Pantozzi references the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawsuit against the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which challenges new funding restrictions that prevent grants from supporting organizations that “promote gender ideology.” This directly impacts LGBTQ+ theaters like Theater Q. “We need to make our voices heard, support LGBTQ+ businesses and artists, and most importantly—laugh.” He cites the words of Bruce Vilanch: *“The queer community is like the ultimate improv troupe—turning every tragedy into a punchline and every setback into a fabulous comeback.” He hopes audiences will come and support.

Theater Q will end its season in June with TL; DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix, the musical that boldly asks, “Why do strong female characters always gotta die?” Winner of the NJPAC Prudential N2S Community Arts Award, the show will also be part of this year’s North to Shore Festival, with performances at House of Independents on June 19, 27, 28, and 29.