Review: Beautifully Orchestrated EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSIE for 10th Anniversary of Sterling's Upstairs

On Sunday July 31 Michael Sterling celebrated 10 years of his cabaret supper club now called Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal with a mega-delightful show headlining the music of his mentor Rosemary Clooney called Everything's Coming Up Rosie. On the bill were two exuberantly talented singers Kerry O'Malley and Mary Callanan. Backed by virtuoso musical director Richard Allen at the piano and his superb trio of musicians that included Ed Smith on drums and Randy Landas on bass, the two gals sent out glorious vibes in the 90-minute set.

They opened with a rousing "Everything's Coming Up Roses" from Gypsy which had engendered the evening's title.
The show was divided into two parts. O'Malley dominated the first, essaying songs from Rosie's early career, like "Come On a My House", "Nice and Easy" and "Hey There". This last song was a genuine treat for all of us, as O'Malley dueted with Clooney onscreen. Clooney is seated looking at herself in a mirror, reflecting. O'Malley watched her idol and added amusing rejoinders or sang after certain lyrics. (photo below) This glimpse of Clooney allowed us to take in and cherish her memorable qualities. She just had to open her mouth and the lyrics came pouring forth, as naturally as if she were singing the grocery list. Unfettered, nothing forced...this was the beauty of Rosie Clooney's vocal style.

Fiery redhead O'Malley has quite a range as actress/singer as well and had a wonderful time too with "Sweet Kentucky Ham", that for Rosie was the quintessential road song, the Gershwins' "A Foggy Day" and "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me" from White Christmas. Rosie, of course, sang it in the film; O'Malley had performed it on Broadway in the stage version of the classic hit.

The second half of the evening was a salute to Clooney's last

concert in Hawaii in 2001 and brought back the grande, belty-voiced Callanan. Add a huge amount of warmth to Mama Morton from Chicago, and there you have her: the deliciously droll Mary Callanan. Mary told a cute little anecdote about Rosie and how she loved to include her family in her onstage banter. When Nick Clooney was on hand one time, she talked about her brother ... and her nephew George, adding with humor "If you are lucky enough to see him, give him a big hug from me". Callanan's vocal highlights included: "Just in Time" "Ol Man River" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me". She is a knockout cabaret singer and pulls you right in from the get.go. There was nothing like her opener, as she put Hawaiian Leis around each of the musicians' necks, saying "These guys haven't been laid in years".

O'Malley returned and the two gals dueted with "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" and "I'm Checkin' Out Goombye". Their encore was a fervent "Old Friends". O'Malley and Callanan are distinct personalities and have their very own unique vocal deliveries but blended together just beautifully capturing the power and glory of Clooney's musical talent.

This wonderfully orchestrated evening owes an extra special thanks to Michael Sterling, who introduced the concert by talking about his fondness for his mentor Rosemary Clooney. He met her when he was a young boy and she, he claims, taught him everything he knows about the music business. He told her he would have a club of his own one day, and it has been his dream to honor her all these years. Thank you, Michael, for bringing us the artistry of Miss Clooney and for keeping it alive for future generations to appreciate and admire. Thanks also to Bruce Kimmel for his directorial assistance with this program and to James Grey and Mister Dan from Casita del Campo, Silver Lake for creating the right ambiance/decor for the club, which included a finely displayed set piece of the New York skyline behind the trio of musicians.

(above production photo credit: Karen Staitman)