The Singing Anchors
November 24, 2024
2:00PM & 4:00PM
About the Show:
The Singing Anchors, a beloved musical trio, have been captivating audiences across the Capital Region since 2009. Originally formed by esteemed regional news anchors Jerry Gretzinger, Benita Zahn, and Jessica Layton, this dynamic group quickly became a local sensation. Their highly acclaimed Singing Anchors Holiday Show became a cherished tradition, gracing venues from their home base at Fort Salem Theater to the Saratoga Racino, Caffe Lena, Cohoes Music Hall, and libraries across Clifton Park/Halfmoon and Guilderland.
In 2015, Jessica Layton expanded her career by moving to the New York City market, where she now anchors for MSNBC and occasionally substitutes on NBC's Early Today Show. Meanwhile, Jerry Gretzinger and Benita Zahn continued their partnership, co-anchoring at WNYT while touring their hit musical show, Side By Side. After more than three decades in Albany, Benita retired from WNYT in 2021, and Jerry transitioned from his anchor role in 2022 to become the Associate Commissioner for Internal & External Affairs at the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).
From 2009 to 2015, The Singing Anchors performed year-round across the Capital Region, with their sold-out holiday shows becoming a seasonal highlight. Even after Jessica’s move, Jerry and Benita kept the holiday tradition alive, continuing to bring joy to their audiences.
In 2023, Jerry took to the stage with his solo show, Sinatra: The Man, the Myth and the Music, at Universal Preservation Hall, showcasing his versatility as a performer.
Now, in 2024, the trio is thrilled to reunite alongside Jay Kerr on piano for The Singing Anchors’ Reunion Holiday Show, bringing Jessica back into the fold for what promises to be an unforgettable celebration of music, camaraderie, and holiday cheer.
About the Artists:
Benita Zahn brings not only her Emmy-Award winning talent to the stage, but also over four decades of news anchoring (WNYT) and professional acting. A certified health and wellness coach, Benita has recently transitioned her career, making guest appearances in theater, film, and TV, including a recent role in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” on Amazon Prime. A proud member of Actors Equity Association, Benita's diverse theatrical background includes performances with Park Playhouse, Capital Repertory Theater, and various independent films. At Fort Salem Theater, she has appeared in “Agnes of God,” “Steel Magnolias,” “They’re Playing Our Song,” and “Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road.”
Jerry Gretzinger is most widely recognized for the 20 years he spent as a television newscaster in upstate New York anchoring broadcasts for WRGB and WNYT. The Emmy winning journalist has even deeper roots in the performing arts. Jerry has performed in over 200 Broadway-style musicals and cabarets, including Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, Chicago, The Producers, Forever Plaid, Into the Woods, The Secret Garden, Women in My Life, Evita and others. A lifelong fan of Frank Sinatra, he and his wife Erin have been staples of the Capital Region music scene (with occasional performances at Birdland, Don’t Tell Mama, and various cruise ships), performing their Sinatra and rat pack reviews and cabarets under the direction of the legendary Jay Kerr. Jerry and Jay also co-wrote a musical featuring the songs of Frank Sinatra, called “Frank ‘N Stein.”
Jessica Layton sang in radio commercials in her early teens. Her first on stage appearance came as a 4th grader in a high school production of Fiddler On The Roof. It was then she knew she loved performing. She performed in several college productions and gathered forces with Gretzinger, Zahn, and Phil Bayly in a benefit concert a few years ago. Whether performing the national anthem at Syracuse University basketball games for crowds of tens of thousands, or at weddings for a more intimate gathering, her passion has always been singing. She is married to WNYT sportscaster Andrew Catalon. Her wedding helped inspire her to stage her first solo cabaret at the Fort Salem Theater, which included her favorite love songs.
Jay Kerr began his professional musical career at the age of fourteen as a church organist. He held cue cards for televisions's Captain Kangaroo, produced military and USO shows that toured Southeast Asia during the Vietnam conflict, shared the bill with Bette Midler at New York's Continental Baths, wrote children's musicals that played on and off Broadway, taught in a military school, parochial schools, acting schools and universities, and served as the principal of a junior high school.
After years as a vocal instructor working in his own midtown Manhattan studio, he relocated to upstate New York as Artistic Director of Fort Salem Theater, continuing to consult with producers and educators and compose and perform in new projects.
In his new semi-retirement, he works with singers and students in New Jersey's Hunterdon County.