Fast Chat: Brooke Shields plays Feinstein's

Ten years ago, Brooke Shields starred in "Cabaret" on Broadway. Now, she's come to the cabaret again, only this time it's Feinstein's, where she's making her New York City nightclub debut.

Cabaret chanteuse is just the latest transformation for Shields, who first attracted attention at age 12 playing a prostitute in Louis Malle's 1978 film "Pretty Baby," and two years later, in TV ads, where we learned how nothing comes between Shields and her Calvin Kleins.

Since then, she has become a regular presence in films and television ("Suddenly Susan," "Lipstick Jungle") and on Broadway ("Grease," "Chicago," "Wonderful Town"). Shields, 45, recently chatted by phone with Newsday's Daniel Bubbeo about bringing her nightclub show, which runs through Saturday, to life.

How did this whole engagement at Feinstein's come about?

I've always been flattered every time they've asked me.

So they've asked you before this?

Yes, and I've always found a nice way of turning them down. I've always been someone who's much more comfortable on the Broadway scene where I can hide behind a character. I said yes this time because I was doing the musical "Leap of Faith" in L.A., and thought it would be coming to Broadway in March. . . . My initial intention for coming to Feinstein's was to keep myself in that space of singing and dancing. I thought this would be a perfect scenario.

I'm not going out there to outperform those famous cabaret artists that we all love like Barbara Cook or Andrea Marcovicci. Those are the masters. I respect who they are too much. All I really want to do is bring my life experience.

The show is called "My Life," so is this going to be autobiographical, dealing with your career as well as personal things like your marriages?

I want the songs to tell the stories, but I also wanted those stories to respect the venue. Broadway has really been my experience, and that's why I've been asked. That gave me the credibility to be in this room. The show is going to be a lot of stuff that people didn't know about me, not the tabloid stuff. People have heard all that. This is going to be about the song that was played when I got married, songs that were popular when things were happening in my life - like being on Broadway - or songs that meant something to me as a child. Songs that people are familiar with. I don't want this to be too self-indulgent or too self-aggrandizing. I had no idea when I agreed to do this that I had to put this show together. I had to put on a producer hat.

Has that been the biggest challenge for you?

Yes. Everyone has always told me "Do it this way" then "No, do it that way." It was always "show up and work your -- off". This time I'm trusting myself and being valued enough to be there for the right reason. I'm doing what I want to do, which is really nice after spending my life in an industry where I've always been told what to do.

Do you feel that as you've gotten older, people now take you much more seriously as an actress and a performer?

With life experience and age, you can add on a sense of gravitas and gravity. I think it's helped my having had an education and a great deal of staying power. I've always had the ability to switch things up, whether it's writing a book, performing on Broadway, doing comedy. I refuse to go away. [Laughs.] I'm not going to say the cliche of being taken seriously, but at every stage of my life and career, there have always been those people who appreciate who I am and then those for whom I'm never going to do enough. It's always had that double side to it.

I know you don't want to give away the whole show, but can you tell us a couple of the songs you'll be performing?

Oooh, no, I want there to be some surprises. I've already got enough people with expectations, and wondering what the critics will say. I want to come into this with a clean slate, and hopefully the audience will just enjoy themselves.

WHEN | WHERE Brooke Shields performs at Feinstein's at the Regency Hotel through Feb. 12, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.540 Park Ave.

ADMISSION $71.86-$109.96

INFO 212-339-4095, feinsteinsattheregency.com