Experience Feinstein’s and All That It Has To Offer in 2023

from Zionsville Monthly-December 2022

Win Big for Helping the Humane Society for Boone County this Winter

Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Submitted

Back in January 2021, Carmel Monthly celebrated the long anticipated grand opening of Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael after an unprecedented hiatus throughout the entertainment world as a direct result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Feinstein’s gave us something to look forward to, and to this day, it continues to evolve itself and deliver first-rate entertainment, food and beverages.

Ispoke with Hotel Carmichael’s General Manager Jamie Hopwood and his dedicated team about how they are continuing to grow and diversify the venue’s programming as well as add to the already impressive food and beverage menus, with a renewed commitment to exceptional customer service.

WHAT IS THE FEINSTEIN AT HOTEL CARMICHAEL EXPERIENCE?

Feinstein’s is an upscale entertainment venue developed in partnership with legendary musician Michael Feinstein. This signature cabaret offers a creative and inspiring space to enjoy live music, elevated menus and a refined bar and spirits selection. Modeled after Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York City and in the spirit of the Great American Songbook, this unique cabaret promises an unforgettable experience.

In addition to the intimate main room, Feinstein’s offers a private dining option in a room partitioned off the main room that seats up to 16 people. The wall opens, allowing the private dinner party to watch and enjoy the entertainment. Audience members can order off a brilliant menu that showcases [Vivante’s] Chef Jason Crouch’s talents and features distinctive cocktails from the nightclub’s refined bar and spirits collection while enjoying the show.

EXPANDING ON ITS STRENGTHS

As with any new establishment, there are learning curves that under the right leadership become opportunities for growth. Hopwood, a seasoned general manager, acknowledges that he and his team have learned a great deal since the doors officially opened at Feinstein’s, and they are excited about taking that knowledge and feedback from performers and guests and amplifying the experience this new year.

“From a food and beverage standpoint, we identified that we needed a separate line out of the kitchen, and we couldn’t execute to the level that we wanted coming out of the Vivante line,” Hopwood shared. “So, one of the things we have done is rebuild the entire back banquet line into a Feinstein’s kitchen line, which has allowed us to really elevate the food and beverage experience.”

Hopwood continued, “The evolution continues with us expanding our focus from our national acts to exploring local entertainment fields as well. As the [pandemic] environment allowed, we focused on our partnerships with Actors Theater of Indiana and Don Farrell’s Frank Sinatra shows. And as those evolved, we looked at having [Don’s] Barry Manilow shows as well. Obviously, the draw to the Sinatra name and Don’s execution of these shows has made these shows very popular.”

Hopwood shared that as he and his team continued to explore local talent, they were also looking at what has happening on the national stage in terms of entertainment and what some of the other Feinstein’s clubs were featuring on their stages.

“That’s when we kind of shifted our strategy,” Hopwood said. “We looked at how we could schedule some regular programming during the week while still focusing on the national acts that we bring in on Friday and Saturday nights. We are very much aligned with the Great American Songbook and Broadway talent, and we work with John Iachetti on lining up that entertainment and then we rely on our internal team to focus on new programming that features improv and standup comedy, magicians, burlesque, drag brunches, jazz brunches and cover bands with the goal to attract different clientele through our doors to experience Feinstein’s for the amazing venue that it is. I think it is an important strategy as we see Carmel continue to grow and diversify as a key member of the community.”

INPUT FROM THE FEINSTEIN’S TEAM

I asked the team members what they enjoy most about Feinstein’s and what they wanted to share with the Carmel and greater Indianapolis communities, especially those who have yet to experience a show or event at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael.

In addition to the free parking, Kathy Ray, catering sales manager at Hotel Carmichael, shared, “While I may not have known the name Franc D’Ambrosio at first, I do know The Phantom of the Opera. After the first time I saw [Franc] perform here, I thought he was phenomenal, and he brought tears to my eyes and goosebumps. When he performed here again a few months ago, I had exactly the same feeling. And I feel the same way when [Don] performs Sinatra. He’s got Frank [Sinatra] down! When he tells the historical stories about Frank Sinatra’s life, those eras really relate to the people who come

to the shows. When you go home with a smile on your face and say, ‘I can’t remember the last time I was really moved by someone like that’ … that’s Feinstein’s. It’s a fabulous emotion.”

Director of outlets at Hotel Carmichael Tyler Upshaw added, “If I would say one word [to describe Feinstein’s] it’s ‘Experience.’ My first day here was actually a sold-out show for Five for Fighting, and just being in that room with the energy from the performance, staff and guests, it got me energized as well! My passion for food and beverage has carried over to a passion for the performing arts as they go hand in hand. We’ve got the entertainment on our stage and these great dishes that chef and his team are preparing and the new cocktails menu that we’ve rolled out. We’re making sure that our cocktails are a high quality and higher standard. We’re doing unique infusions and table side activations with smoke and dry ice.”

Lastly, Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael Manager Greg Wisinski shared many exciting happenings that are coming up and some that are under development and will debut in 2023. In addition to local and national performances by popular artists, like Don Farrell, Actors Theater of Indiana, Blair Clark, and many others, Feinstein’s will be developing some additional unique and diverse entertainment lineups. Be sure to visit feinsteinshc.com for more details and to purchase tickets!

“I would like for the community to know that Feinstein’s menu is a chef-inspired menu that rotates every two weeks and stays seasonal,” Wisinski said. “It’s an opportunity for Chef Jason to get in the kitchen and get his creative juices flowing. And when it comes to the venue itself, there’s a lot of opportunities to seeing any type of entertainment in the area, but none of them are in the setting that Feinstein’s offers — the intimacy of the room. Every seat is a great seat, and our dedicated staff are definitely worth mentioning!”

Wisinski is currently working on the Wednesday night programing and some more “regular” programming, such as the Jazz Brunches, Drag Me To Brunch events and many more impressive and diverse shows that are expanding the venue into other markets and communities throughout central Indiana.

“I am working on a ‘Feinstein’s Original’ program that will be a variety show,” Wisinski said. “And I’m working on the ‘Feinstein’s Live’ programming for Wednesday nights. That’s where I see this new variety show [fitting into the schedule], and I’m working with Ball State, Butler and IUPUI’s graduate programs on developing a ‘Stroll through the Decades,’ which will feature seven great storytellers and utilize the performing arts that’s right here in central Indiana. We’ll have some great storytellers come in and tell a really fun and interesting 5-to-7-minute story about the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s and so on until we run out of decades, and then we’ll start back over again.”

There are some exciting things coming for 2023 that are in production so be sure to stay in the loop and follow Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael on Facebook and on Instagram.