The Cabaret Chronicles: Darren Williams, Cast Party & MAC Generations Showcase!

Happy Saturday!  Well, September seems to be galloping along at a pretty good clip - guess time really does fly when you're having fun!  And boy, did I have fun this week, starting with Darren Williams in Not The Boy Next Door - The Peter Allen Songbook, which I saw on Sunday evening.  Blessed with a smooth yet powerful voice, Williams motored his way through the Peter Allen songbook with polish, poise, and charm to spare...and some rockin' leather pants!  He also had a fab band backing him up (John DiPinto on piano, Bobby Sher on drums, and Ray Kilday on bass), which just added to the excitement that was already pulsing through the Metropolitan Room!  Interspersed among the hit songs were biographical stories about Allen and his (all-too-short) life and career.  The audience was enthralled from the get-go, with many people mouthing along with their favorite songs like "Continental American and "When I Get My Name In Lights."  For a medley of two of Allan's biggest hits, "Don't Cry Out Loud" and "I Honestly Love You," Williams sat at the piano and accompanied himself, which provided a nice, introspective contrast to the rest of the show.  One of my favorite moments of the night was the encore, "I Go To Rio," for which Williams pulled out a pair of sequin-covered maracas, which were made by the woman who used to make all of Peter Allen's maracas - turns out she had come to the show the week before and was so impressed that she gave Williams a pair of his own!  I had a truly enjoyable time at the show - it was a great way to spend a Sunday evening and kick off the coming week! 

Monday evening, it was another great Cast Party.  I got there a little late, so I just missed the 25-member Norwegian choir that evidently brought the house down!  It was all anyone could talk about when I got there, so I'm truly sorry to have missed it!  I did, however, still manage to take in a great amount of talent, including the fabulous Hilary Kole (who had just arrived home from Japan!), Kristen Sergeant, Eric Millegan, Oakley Boycott, sax player Mitch Marcus, and Pat Caruso (mother of Jim!), who played a beautiful Gershwin medley on the piano!  Host Jim Caruso was witty and entertaining as always, and the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Billy Stritch on piano and Steve Doyle on bass) was outstanding!  Yet another terrific night at Birdland!

Thursday evening found me at The Duplex for the MAC Generations Showcase, which was a celebration of the diversity of the MAC members, with regards to age and amount of experience in the cabaret world.  Hosted by Lennie Watts, with musical direction by Ricky Ritzel, the evening featured a wide array of talent, including Jennifer Sheehan, Angela Shultz, Shana Farr, Jim Speake, Ejaye Tracey, and Diana Templeton.  It was a terrific way to hear a bunch of talented people in one shot!    And for me, it was a wonderful exposure to singers that I haven't heard a lot of before (but I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for them now!).  In fact, the only one of the singers that I'd seen in a full-length show was Jim Speake!  Lennie Watts did a terrific job of hosting and it seemed like everyone there had a blast! 

Where I'm going this week...  

Sunday, September 20^th:  Tony DeSare at Bemelmans Bar.  Yes, I've been there to see him before.  Yes, I'll be going again, and there's a good reason why: Not only is Tony DeSare one of the most talented performers on the scene right now, but Bemelmans Bar just provides the perfect NYC atmosphere - sophisticated, classy, and a great old-school vibe.  Great music + great atmosphere = FABULOUS night!

 Monday, September 21^st:  Cast Party at Birdland.  Hosted by Jim Caruso, this fantastic open mic runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. but make sure you get there early to sign up if you want to sing!  This week, Jim will be out of town, performing with Liza in Vegas, so talented producer Scott Siegel will be subbing as host! 

Wednesday, September 23^rd: Nicolas King at The Metropolitan Room.  The young and talented Mr. King had 3 Broadway shows under his belt by the age of 12, and I've had the pleasure of hearing him a few times at the aforementioned Cast Party, where he's always brought the house down.  I can't wait to see him in a full show! 

Pictured: Darren Williams

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