Comstock and Fasano bring a cocktail-party concert to the Hamptons

Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano will perform “A Swell-egant, Elegant Party” at LTV Studios in Wainscott on Aug. 1 as Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea continues its third season. The one-night program, hosted by Laurence Maslon, mixes Broadway and Hollywood standards with cocktails, stories and an intimate cabaret setting.

Why it matters: - Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea is positioning LTV Studios as a destination for intimate live cabaret and Broadway performance on the East End. - The Aug. 1 show combines classic American Songbook material with a cocktail-party format, aiming to turn a concert into an immersive summer event. - The series continues to draw nationally recognized performers, which helps anchor the third season as a cultural draw in Wainscott.

What happened: - Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano will perform “A Swell-egant, Elegant Party” at LTV Studios in Wainscott on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. - Laurence Maslon will host and co-write the evening. - The performance is part of Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea, a live concert series featuring Broadway, cabaret and American Songbook artists. - The event uses an immersive cocktail party-style setting.

The details: - The program centers on songs from Broadway and the Hollywood studio era. - The set list includes work by Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Noël Coward, Jerry Herman and Stephen Sondheim. - Maslon, host and producer of WLIW-FM’s “Broadway to Main Street,” will guide the evening with stories about Broadway’s Golden Age and Hollywood. - Special craft cocktails created by Maslon for the event will be served during the performance. - Comstock and Fasano are a married duo known for a style built on warmth, wit, swing and sensuality. - Their new CD, “Painting the Town,” featuring tenor saxophonist Houston Person, won the 2026 Manhattan Association of Cabarets Award for Major Recording of the Year. - The New Yorker has praised Comstock’s “expert musicianship and joie de vivre.” - The New York Times has called Fasano “a lyrically sensitive interpreter” and described the duo as “smart, funny, and utterly delightful.” - The couple’s concerts span jazz, pop and the American Songbook, along with songs by Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Carole King and Bruce Springsteen. - Comstock and Fasano have won 10 MAC Awards, five New York Bistro Awards and the New York Nightlife Award. - The Mabel Mercer Foundation also gave the duo the Donald F. Smith Award for contributions to cabaret. - Their performances have ranged from Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Birdland Jazz Club to festivals and venues in London and Italy. - Maslon is an NYU arts professor who has taught at Tisch for four decades and also serves in the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. - Maslon’s books include “Hitchcocktails: Lethal Libations Inspired by the Master of Suspense,” “I’ll Drink to That!: Broadway Cocktails” and “Broadway to Main Street: How Show Music Enchanted America.” - Maslon’s PBS credits include “Broadway: The American Musical,” “Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me” and “Richard Rodgers: The Sweetest Sounds.” - The series uses LTV Studios’ black-box setup, café-style seating, strong acoustics and close-up staging to create an intimate audience experience. - LTV is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, and donations are deductible as allowed by IRS regulations. - More information is available at the LTV website.

Between the lines: - The event leans into nostalgia and theater-world glamour, using cocktails and storytelling to make the concert feel like a social gathering as much as a performance. - Maslon’s role adds a curatorial layer that connects the music to Broadway history and the broader culture of show business. - The booking of award-winning cabaret artists suggests the series is targeting audiences that value both musical pedigree and a more personal setting.

What's next: - The 2026 Hamptons Summer Songbook season continues on Aug. 22 with KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler, joined by Stephanie Pope and Christine Pedi, in a program co-sponsored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation. - The season will close on Aug. 29 with Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie. - Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea will keep using LTV Studios for intimate summer performances throughout the season.

The bottom line: - The Aug. 1 concert is designed as a one-night blend of cabaret, Broadway history and cocktail-party ambiance, with two of the genre’s best-known performers at the center.