Benefit Comedy Show Coming To Iconic Local Restaurant

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The new owners of an iconic New Rochelle restaurant have a vision — to breathe new life into popular Dudley’s Parkview Restaurant and marina, a mainstay in the community since 1920.

Dudley's Parkview, located at 94 Hudson Park Rd., was sold earlier this year; the popular spot was has even served as the setting for “City on a Hill,” a Showtime series starring Kevin Bacon.

The goal is to infuse Dudley's with new ideas and plans, including a Toys for Tots fundraiser comedy benefit show slated to take place on Thursday at 8 p.m. The show features headliner Richie Byrne, along with Melissa Diaz, and is hosted by Buddy Harris.

Doors open at 7 p.m.; the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance with an unwrapped toy, or $15 at the door with an unwrapped toy. Without a toy, tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. In addition, TK's Toy Box is matching both money and toys raised at the event for Toys for Tots.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Looking ahead, the Southwell brothers, who now own the restaurant, are energized and filled with new ideas for Dudley’s. While the restaurant has long offered rock bands and heavy metal music, the goal is to branch out and start presenting a wide range of live entertainment, including R&B, Motown, jazz, and reggae, as well as events such as karaoke nights.

And they believe comedy will be a good addition to the lineup.

When Michael Southwell saw Richie Byrne doing warmup at the "Dr. Oz Show," he knew he'd found his headliner. “A friend of mine invited me to ‘The Dr. Oz Show’ about five years ago,” he said. “I was blown away by his comedy. This was when I was really just involved in the restaurant business but for some reason I said, ‘I think I’m going to see this guy again.’ He was just hilarious. Fast forward to this summer when we started talking about doing comedy. I said, ‘I think I have somebody.’”

But it was a dream that almost didn’t come to fruition — all because of a Facebook faux pas.

“I didn’t have a contact number so sent I him a message on Facebook, but he never answered,” Southwell said. “I left it alone for a little while, then later, I did an in-depth search and found his manager, Joel Richardson, owner and founder of Soul Joel productions. “I called him and said I would love to get Richie to come and do comedy.”

When they all met up at Dudley’s this past summer, they shared a good laugh over Byrne’s Facebook snafu. “I said, ‘You’re here now, that’s what matters,’” Southwell said. “He’s a phenomenal comic. To have Richie Byrne as our headliner is an absolute dream come true for me.”

Byrne, who has been entertaining audiences at “The Dr. Oz Show” for more than a decade, sports A-list credits including Dangerfield's, Caroline’s on Broadway, the Gotham Comedy Club, Carnegie Hall, and Radio City Music Hall in New York City and nationwide. Comedy TV credits include Comedy Central, VH1, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show", "Good Day New York" and "Gotham Live" on AXS-TV; he’s also done warm up for “The Rachael Ray Show", "The Chew", the “Miss America Pageant" and more.

Byrne has appeared on “Sex and the City,” “The Sopranos,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and "Conviction," as well as the feature film "Good-bye Baby"; he also created a popular variety series, "The Richie Byrne Show."

And now, Byrne is excited to bring his talents to New Rochelle. “Being pursued so hard by Michael and having no idea how hard he was pursuing me, because I stink at Facebook" — he laughed — "but then, getting to meet them and see what they are trying to make happen in the New Rochelle community . . . I couldn’t help but want to be a part of it.”

And, he said, benefiting Toys for Tots at Christmastime made the show even more meaningful.

Of Dudley’s, Byrne said: “I’m excited about the ideas that they are bringing to the restaurant and excited to work with them to make comedy part of their vision. I love the energy that they’re bringing to New Rochelle and I’m happy to be involved in some small way.”

Richardson agreed. When Southwell reached out, he said, "it was a no brainer. My business model over the past 12 years has been to bring comedy local. We bring a strong lineup of comedians you would see in New York City, without having to leave your neighborhood."

In particular, Richardson said, Southwell had seen Byrne at ‘The Dr. Oz Show’, and wanted to bring him onboard.

"So not only is Richie going to headline the first show, but we hope to turn this into a comedy series, 'Richie Byrne and Friends,' every month," Richardson said.

Because the first comedy show was slated for December, Richardson suggested they involve a charity; of the 200 shows he produces every year, 50 percent benefit a charity, he said. "The owners at Dudley’s work very closely with Toys for Tots, so we decided to pick that organization," he said.

Toys for Tots, Southwell agreed, is a charity close to the hearts of all involved with Dudley's, and a perfect fit for the evening.