The Villa Inn, Restaurant and Spa presents
“They’re Playing My Song”
a fun-loving cabaret

The Villa Inn brings back it’s cabaret series, featuring the popular local performer who blends singing, acting and comedy for a unique, unscripted evening of entertainment.

Starring
Roger Schmelzer

Musical Direction by
Loesje Chandler

A playful evening of song from Broadway and the contemporary cabaret scene. Featuring the music of Marvin Hamlisch, Maltby and Shire, Craig Carnelia, Brian Gari, John Bucchino and more.

Dates:
February 24th
March 24th

317-916-8500
Reservations required
Doors open at 5:30

Bar Seats $10 w/ a 2 drink minimum
Dining Room Seats $18 w/an entree and 1 beverage minimum

ROGER SCHMELZER

Roger Schmelzer brings an abiding admiration for American popular music to cabaret performing. Praised for an easy-going charm and exceptional range that blends a wacky sense of humor with the ability to tenderly caress a ballad, he debuted his newest show, They’re Playing My Songs, at the Indianapolis Liederkranz in September 2005.

His respect for the classic American songbook comes honestly: his parents’ stereo was permanently tuned to the “easy listening” station in town and the record player featured a steady diet of Robert Goulet, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Bobby Darin. Today, Roger’s CD collection includes not only the artists of his youth, but also Michael Feinstein, Peter Cincotti and Michael Buble. Later, he discovered Craig Carnelia and John Bucchino, brilliant composers who create the material that fuels cabaret music today.

Roger starred in several musical revues at the former Raleigh’s Dinner Theater where he conceived and directed the hit show, LifeSongs, featuring the music of New York composer Brian Gari. In July 2004 he performed in HeartSongs: A Romantic Cabaret, with Laura Lockwood, Jerry Hacker and Deb Farmer before a sold-out audience at the Villa Restaurant in July 2004.

A multiple Encore Award nominee, Roger’s musical theater credits range from the Tinman in The Wizard of Oz to Harold Hill in The Music Man. Other shows include Of Thee I Sing, My Fair Lady, 1776, Lil Abner, Rags, Gypsy, Fame, Merrily We Roll Along, The Sound of Music, The Goodbye Girl, She Loves Me, Annie Get Your Gun and Babes in Toyland. Non-musical credits include The Philadelphia Story, Tweedles, Lend Me a Tenor and Sylvia. He will reprise The Philadelphia Story for the Indianapolis Player’s Club in February, 2006.

In 2000 Roger co-starred as the “befuddled everyman” in the motion picture 587: The Great Train Robbery, which can be found mostly in train stores, occasionally in grocery store bargain bins and frequently on eastern European cable TV (how he picked up all those Slavic languages remains a mystery). He has also been a television commercial spokesperson for the Indiana Brick Council and Centex Homes and has done industrial films for Purdue University, Best Access Systems and the Lutheran Church.

Roger is an attorney with two teenage sons.