Bob Spiotto

Some Radio and TV Stations may be refusing to play Frank Loesser's Academy Award-winning song, but Deana Martin and Steven Maglio sang it last night at the Friars Club to a jam packed room of gloriously festive and politically incorrect Friars. They joined the ranks of celebrities who have recorded the tune such as, Idina Menzel & Michael Buble', Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan, Margret Whiting & Johnny Mercer and the composer Frank Lesser and his wife Lynn Garland.

Last night, celebrities, sports icons, family, and friends gathered at the Mariano Rivera Foundation Gala to benefit The New Learning Center For Children in New Rochelle, NY.

The Friars Club remembered a dark time in American history yesterday afternoon with a panel discussion led by Christine Pedi exploring the Hollywood Blacklist and McCarthyism in America.

If these (Friar) walls could talk you would hear music and conversation from show biz legends of the past. Irving Berlin was a Friar who together with Friar George M. Cohan wrote many musical reviews called Friars Frolics to entertain their fellow Friars. Last night the Friars Club presented “An Evening With Irving Berlin” to celebrate the publication of Irving Berlin: New York Genius by bestselling author and Award Winner James Kaplan.

Some of Broadway's leading women producers lunched at the Friars Club today followed by a panel discussion moderated by Friar and Broadway producer Jamie deRoy.  Ms. deRoy who happens to be the 8th woman inducted into the Friars (back in the day), guided the discussion of the distinguished Tony Award Winning group which included Susan Gallin (Other People's Money, Angels in America), Robyn Goodman (Avenue Q, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella), Mara Isaacs (Hadestown, McCarter Theater), Nelle Nugent (Latin History for Morons, For Colored Girls), and Daryl Roth (Kinky Boots, Indecent).

In the theater community Jamie deRoy is a well known Broadway producer but in the Friars community she is also acclaimed as an entertainer. Friar Jamie deRoy furthermore has the distinction of being the 8th woman to become a Friar subsequent to the men's only club changing it's rules in 1988. Jamie deRoy who is usually the earliest to spot an opportunity had to wait behind the likes of Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers Gloria Allred, and Brooke Shields who were also among the first to join the Friars Club.

It can be quite intimidating to perform in the Friars Club. Pre show a performer might be relaxing in the Billy Crystal Room on the main floor or upstairs in the Barbra Streisand Room.

Friends, Fans, and Friars gathered in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room last night as host and theater historian Richard Skipper 'celebrated' Julie Budd. Julie shared songs and stories from a career that saw her appearing in every major venue, on every major Television Show, and with most of the legendary performers of our generation.

Due to critical acclaim and an entirely sold-out summer run the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) has announced a fall extension with a new block of tickets for the American Premiere of the Yiddish language Fiddler on the Roof. Originally announced to play through August 26th, the Yiddish language Fiddler on the Roof that opened on July 15th, will now play through October 25th. The production will continue its run at the Museum of Jewish Heritage with an updated performance schedule that includes Saturday evening performances,

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) today announced that the highly anticipated American premiere of the Yiddish language Fiddler on the Roof, which began preview PERFORMANCES Off Broadway at the Museum of Jewish Heritage last week, will extend its run for an additional week through September 2 due to demand for tickets. The Press Opening takes place Sunday, July 15 and a VIP gala performance on Monday, July 16. Helmed by Academy Award and Tony Award winner Joel Grey, the acclaimed musical is being presented now for an 9-week limited engagement through September 2.

The highly anticipated American premiere of the Yiddish language Fiddler on the Roof, presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) begins preview PERFORMANCE Off Broadway at the Museum of Jewish Heritage today, July 4th, with Press Opening slated for Sunday, July 15 and a VIP gala performance on Monday, July 16. Helmed by Academy Award and Tony Award winner Joel Grey, the acclaimed musical is being presented for an 8-week limited engagement through August 26.

The highly anticipated American premiere of the Yiddish language Fiddler on the Roof, presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) begins preview PERFORMANCE Off Broadway at the Museum of Jewish Heritage on Wednesday, July 4th, with Press Opening slated for Sunday, July 15 and a VIP gala performance on Monday, July 16. Helmed by Academy Award and Tony Award winner Joel Grey, the acclaimed musical is being presented for an 8-week limited engagement through August 26.

In a darkened Frank Sinatra Dining Room an off stage voice using that classic Dean Martin intro ' And Now Direct From The Bar' announced co-hosts Bill Boggs, Bruce Charet and countless actors, singers, celebrities and friends to toast one of the most beloved entertainers in show business…..Deana Martin.

The Friars archives and Wikipedia have finally been corrected. Nineteen Eighty Eight was a watershed year for women. They gained membership to numerous private men's clubs that heretofore were off limits to women. The Friars, being one of the more famous of the bunch had an article heralding the event written by a less than factual reporter for The New York Times. The paper of record, in an early forerunner of fake news only listed the first 7 women and overlooked number 8...Jamie deRoy who was in that initial group, along with Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, Brooke Shields, and other prominent female entertainment figures was not mentioned.

Adrianne Tolsch, the first female House MC at the legendary Catch a Rising Star was remembered at the Friars Club last night and you can only imagine what happens when comics commemorate one of their own in the confines of the Milton Berle Room's husband, former Letterman writer Bill Sheft hosted the evening which featured some of his wife's favorite comics… Maureen Langan, Brian Cichocki, Rose Bennett, Jeff Stison, Cory Kahaney, Patty Rosborough, and Judy Gold.

Humor has always been a major element of the Friars Experience and a new generation of younger comics and audiences are now becoming a part of that history. The club is bringing the brightest young comedians to the place where many jokes and laughs have been heard .The Milton Berle Room of the Friars Club.

With the Statue of Liberty gazing on from the harbor at the Museum of Jewish Heritage at Battery Place Jerry Zaks, 4-Time Tony Award-Winning Director was honored at a fantastic Benefit Concert last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

Friars have socialized and been entertained by every major Broadway and Great American Songbook composer starting with Friar George M. Cohan, who in addition to writing over 50 Broadway shows and 300 songs happened to pen Over There at a table during lunch at the Friars Club. Last night continuing this tradition, and in the same building that Friar Irving Berlin, Sammy Cahn and countless luminaries have performed, musical theatre legends Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire entertained The Friars with a major dose of Maltby & Shire music.

The plaque on the Friars Club building (The Monastery) reads Jerry Lewis. On the main floor it's the The Frank Sinatra Dinning Room. Downstairs we have the Billy Crystal Bar and upstairs are the Milton Berle, Barbra Streisand, Ed Sullivan, and William B. Williams Rooms. Today a very important room often frequented by Friars had a plaque installed.

The Tony Award winner (The Sisters Rosensweig) Madeline Kahn was lovingly remembered on what would have been her 75th Birthday by some of her show business friends at the Friars last night and Broadwayworld was there.