HOLLYWOOD—Last Wednesday and Thursday, host Jim Caruso and musical director Billy Stritch oversaw another Hollywood edition of “Cast Party,” the wildly successful open mic night, which tours the country celebrating local talent. The event, made up of impromptu musical performances, has been running every Monday at Birdland in New York City for the past eight years.

LA Weekly recently called the showbiz bash a veritable Whose Who-tenanny, and it’s no wonder. Just some of the drop-ins included Carol Channing, Sally Kellerman, Megan Hilty, Dave Koz, Sam Harris, Jason Graae, Jim Brickman, Barry Williams, James Barbour, Laurence O’Keefe, Jeff Marx, Barrett Foa, Deborah S. Craig, Rita McKenzie, Cortes Alexander, Ilene Graff, Todd Buonopane, Miss Coco Peru, The Dueling Fiddlers and Melissa Manchester with her daughter Hannah DeRemer as well as Kate Linder, who incorporated a touch of magic to her performance in honor of the Magic Castle. The sold-out Magic Castle crowd was entertained into the wee hours of the morning.

A highlight in an evening of show-stoppers took place when Broadway icon Carol Channing stormed the stage, chatted with Caruso and Stritch about the importance of arts education and the fact that most of her imitators have 5 o’clock shadows, then launched into “Before The Parade Passes By” from “Hello Dolly!”

Jim Caruso’s “Cast Party” will return to The Magic Castle in Hollywood on December 8 and 9, and continues every Monday night at Birdland in New York City.

Photographs Courtesy: Brian Putnam Photography