Broadway Opens at Calissa in Water Mill This Summer

If you’ve spent any time on the East End, then you’re no stranger to live music at restaurants, wineries and the like—local singer-songwriter serenading guests as they sip, eat and enjoy. This year, the Calissa restaurant is elevating the concept to a thrillingly high level, with famous Broadway stars gracing the Water Mill stage every week this summer as they warm up for the grand reopening of Broadway this fall.

Presented by Civetta Hospitality partners James Mallios, Kylie Monagan, Tanya Saxena and Michael Van Kamp—and produced by Justin Smith, concertmaster of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen—Broadway Out East is a can’t-miss series of outdoor performances by some of Broadway’s most talented stars. The all-star lineup was designed to feature “people who are in the moment” and to “reflect a wide variety of people,” Mallios notes, adding that the lighting and sound for the series also feature Broadway talent. Each performer will present two shows, one at 5 p.m. and one at 7:30 p.m., on Thursday evenings through September 2, and each 5 p.m. showtime will offer parents discounted tickets for children under 12.

“When Broadway closed, I realized how serious the pandemic was, and Broadway coming back is like a real part of New York coming back, and not just New York City but New York State,” says Mallios. “It’s one of the few things, maybe the only thing, that you can’t find anywhere else. You can find museums and restaurants somewhere else, but there’s truly only one Broadway, maybe in the world.”

Broadway Out East kicks off with American Idol legend and recording artist Clay Aiken on July 15, followed by Grammy Award winner and current Tony Award nominee Elizabeth Stanley from Jagged Little Pill on July 22. Grammy nominee Jessica Vosk of Wicked and Bridges of Madison County fame will sing on July 29, with Tony-nominated Tootsie star Lilli Cooper taking the stage on August 5. After Cooper is Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon from FOX’s “Rent: Live” and NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” on August 12, Broadway’s Tony-nominated power couple Orfeh and Andy Karl of Pretty Woman, Legally Blonde and Saturday Night Fever on August 19 and three-time Tony nominee Joshua Henry from Apple TV’s See and Netflix’s Tick, Tick…Boom! on August 26. The series culminates in a sure-to-be-unforgettable performance by five-time Emmy nominee, star of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Broadway titan Tituss Burgess on September 2.

Tickets start at $75, and 25% of proceeds will benefit different local charities, many of which are arts-based, each night. Guests will also have the option to order dinner from a special event menu, which adds local oysters, premium raw bar items and bubbles from Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart to the already expansive Mediterranean menu.

“I remember going to Mykonos piano bars with friends of mine, with singers singing show tunes, and it’s probably not something everyone thinks of when they go to the Greek islands, but it’s very much a part of my memory,” Mallios adds. “I feel like in Southampton, there’s oftentimes not as robust a music scene as there is elsewhere on Long Island for whatever reason, and we’re excited to offer more to the community.”

With this in mind, the Civetta Hospitality partners also recently announced Calissa Sounds, a collaboration with BCL Entertainment featuring eight weekly performances by some of the biggest names in the music industry. The series launches with Wyclef Jean on Friday, July 16, and continues with Bob Moses Club Set on July 23, Armand Van Helden on July 30, Capital Cities DJ Set on August 6, Questlove on August 13, Rev Run X Ruckus on August 20, DJ Cassidy on August 27. The epic series conclusion comes when St. Lucia and RAC perform their first-ever collaborative DJ set at Calissa on September 3. Performances start at 10 p.m., with bottle service and dinner offered until midnight.

Calissa is located at 1020 Montauk Highway, Water Mill. For tickets to Broadway Out East, reservations for Calissa Sounds and more information, visit calissahamptons.com.