Stephen Sorokoff - Page 17

Music and Art joined forces last night to honor valued members of the Palm Beach community who do so much to make sure the world hears our uniquely American popular music.

Lynn University was host to the 2012 final presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney and tickets were of course very difficult to obtain for the 'entertaining' evening and the wait list was long. For last night's performance by songstress Deborah Silver tickets were also difficult to obtain with a long wait list, however there was no debate about the display of talents by the Florida based entertainer.

The audience at Cafe Centro got a little confused last night and thought New Years Eve was still being celebrated during the Rob & Michael music night at the popular South Florida restaurant/cabaret. In addition to the suave Mr. Russell and pianist/entertainer Masci the Broadway/Cabaret star Avery Sommers and famed Concert and Cabaret artist Anthony Nunziata happened to be in the audience and wound up 'singing for their dinner'

The weekend started with Marilyn Maye and The Kravis Center Pops Orchestra Big Band conducted by Tedd Firth in a memorable concert by one of the most beloved singers of our generation. Marilyn Maye, arguably one of the finest vocalists ever to sing in a night club, concert hall, TV Studio or on a Broadway stage gave The Kravis Center Audience an evening of her artistry that will stay in their musical memory forever.

The love and spirit of many cultures was the perfect theme to start off the New Year, and the famed Internationally acclaimed entertainers Lilian & Maycol provided the perfect harmony to begin 2019 at one of the most famous destinations in the world...Palm Beach.

Billy Stritch recently sailed from his usual NYC docks at The Carlyle and Birdland and was welcomed by hundreds of music connoisseurs on the Shores of Velencia and Frenchman's Creek Beach Club in Florida. The show at Velencia Shores was headlined,'Billy Stritch & Friends' and the super singer friends that Billy brought along were Deborah Silver, Emmanuelle Adda and Josh Young. Jim Caruso, Billy's special good friend and partner in all things musical fun also joined him for the special Florida entertainment event.

The silent auction item at The New York Pops annual gala/concert held at Carnegie Hall and the Mandarin Hotel in April, offered a pianist to play at your private party complete with catering by Trattoria del Arte. The Pops Concert and Gala's proceeds help finance The Pops/Ed Programs. For the third year, the winning bidder got much more than she bargained for. Not only did the advertised pianist (Stephen Sorokoff) appear, but also a slew of New York's must celebrated keyboard artists and entertainers joined the festivities.

Regional theaters are increasingly presenting some of the most significant new plays. Last night one of the most notable of these organizations, Palm Beach Dramaworks was the location of the World Premiere of Lyle Kessler's House on Fire.

To paraphrase Dean Martin's intro....'And now, direct from the Bar' ( and Legends Radio) it's Jill & Rich Switzer! Jill & Rich don't only do it in the morning on 100.3 in the Legends Lounge, they also entertain at night in Cabarets nightclubs and various exclusive venues throughout Palm Beach. They brought some great music and an inside look of what it's like to be a night club performer with their highly entertaining and exciting show titled 'Saloon Songs: From The Rat Pack To Right Now'. Persson Hall at the Kravis Center For The Performing Arts was a swinging place for the past two evenings.

Over the past hundred years the theater community has celebrated some of the most notable events in Broadway's history at the Friars Club.   Last night the Barrington Stage Co. the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, Ma. under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd held their New York City Benefit in the legendary building where so many legends of the theater community have socialized and entertained each other.   John Rando the famed director was celebrated for his extraordinary talent and his contributions to BSC.  John has directed two of the most popular musicals in BSC history, The Pirates of Penzance and On the Town, which transferred to Broadway and received four Tony Award nominations, including Best Director.  At BSC John also directed The Royal Family of Broadway and Guys and Dolls and on Broadway, he won a Tony Award for his direction of Urinetown, The Musical.  

Do you want to have the best birthday party ever? First…. be talented and admired entertainers who have lots of talented friends. Then, have many adoring fans and a large loving family. Next, have Sunny Sessa and Craig Neier create and produce your celebration at the Friars Club. The Friars Club which is the ground zero gathering place for show business folks and one of a kind events (most recent the Billy Crystal Icon Award Gala) hosted Will & Anthony Nunziata's Birthday Bash last night and here is a look inside the celebration.

Deborah Grace Winer was certainly on the right track last night as she hosted her latest creative musical adventure 'New York: Big City Songbook' at the new Birdland Theater. Deborah is well known to New Yorkers for the imaginative and quality presentations she produced for the Lyrics & Lyricists Series at the 92Y, which she led for 9 seasons. It's difficult to construct a show for New Yorkers about New York, we've seen it all…haven't we? but this smart show with vocalists Klea Blackhurst, La Tanya Hall and Nicolas King (real New Yorkers because as Deborah pointed out they come from everywhere) offered a kaleidoscopic vision of life in the city.

Just when you think you've heard all the great Jazz music imaginable over the years at Birdland, the 'Jazz Corner of the World' and Gianni Valenti present someone who raises the bar another notch. Vocalist Veronica Swift who defies gravity with her sensual voice, boundless technique, and creative melodic improvisations is a singer destined for musical super stardom. She also happens to be 24 and is already recognized around the country as one of the top young jazz singers. In the fall of 2015 Veronica won second place at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition. In 2016 she was asked to perform a concert of her own at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in NYC and she was a guest artist with Michael Feinstein at Jazz at Lincoln Center with the Tedd Firth Big Band with Marilyn Maye and Freda Payne. Veronica first appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center was at age 11 when she performed at the 'Woman in Jazz' series at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola.

If you were in The Cutting Room for the Stephen Schwartz Concert for the Benefit of the Orphaned Starfish Foundation it is a night you will probably cherish forever. The music of Stephen Schwartz performed by an incredible array of Broadway and stage talent was one of the most inspiring and remarkable events to be a part of.

Fresh from her Birdland Theater concert on Saturday night when Kristen Chenoweth and Desmond Child 'dropped in' to her show, country music star Victoria Shaw dropped by The Carlyle for the Sunday night Stritch/Caruso musical fun.

It wasn't the Country Music Awards or Grammy Awards at the new Birdland Theater last night but it sure seemed like it. An overflow audience for the Victoria Shaw concert got a surprise as Victoria called up two of her friends who were in the audience……..Desmond Child, and then Kristin Chenoweth each sang a number. Even Jim Caruso who has hosted every famous person on the planet whipped out his cell phone camera for this one.

42nd Street...Crossroads of the world and the place on the planet where some of the most spectacular entertainment events have taken place over the decades was the home to another great performance last night. Will & Anthony Nunziata thrilled the New York City audience with a concert that celebrated the release of their new album Love Always. The event at The Green Room 42 was more like a New Years Eve party, as the multitalented twin brother singer-songwriters had their fans cheering after ever number. 'The Boys' as they are affectionately known to their enthusiasts around the country, used their soulful tenor voices and rich two part harmonies to create an evening of emotional and exciting songs. Will has co-written three original songs on the album and Anthony has co-written seven of the original songs. Their collaborators include Maria Christensen, Jeff Franzel, and Porter Carroll Jr.

Broadway music like it's rarely heard will be performed tonight by The New York Pops Orchestra and Judith Clurman's essential Voices USA in Carnegie Hall.  Here are some photos of this afternoons rehearsal with the New York Theatre Ballet.  From overtures to dream ballets to 11 o'clock numbers Carnegie Hall will resound with the music of Broadway.

When you enter the Friars Club on 55th street the world immediately becomes a better place. The first space you encounter is the Billy Crystal Room where you hear the laughter and the animated conversations as Friars share stories with one another. Last night in only the 8th time in the Club's 114-year history The Icon Award was presented by Robert De Niro to Billy Crystal at the Ziegfeld Ballroom to a capacity filled New York/Hollywood audience. The Icon Award honors individuals whose extraordinary accomplishment raise the standard of entertainment and positively redefines our culture. Billy is following in the footsteps of entertainment icons Douglas Fairbanks, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Martin Scorsese, and Robert De Niro.