Christopher Denny News

This month, Olivier Award nominee and celebrated Broadway favorite Brent Barrett (Chicago; Kiss Me, Kate; Annie Get Your Gun) will debut his new cabaret act 'LIFE IS: THE SONGS OF KANDER & EBB' at New York's famed Metropolitan Room (34 W. 22nd St.).

This coming week, Olivier Award nominee and celebrated Broadway favorite Brent Barrett (Chicago; Kiss Me, Kate; Annie Get Your Gun) will debut his new cabaret act 'LIFE IS: THE SONGS OF KANDER & EBB' at New York's famed Metropolitan Room.

This month, Olivier Award nominee and celebrated Broadway favorite Brent Barrett (Chicago; Kiss Me, Kate; Annie Get Your Gun) will debut his new cabaret act 'LIFE IS: THE SONGS OF KANDER & EBB' at New York's famed Metropolitan Room (34 W. 22nd St.). Scroll down for a sneak peek at Barrett in rehearsal!

Acclaimed cabaret vocalist Stearns Matthews is proud to announce the release of his debut album, SPARK, today, November 1st, 2014.

This November, Olivier Award nominee and celebrated Broadway favorite Brent Barrett (Chicago; Kiss Me, Kate; Annie Get Your Gun) will debut his new cabaret act 'LIFE IS: THE SONGS OF KANDER & EBB' at New York's famed Metropolitan Room (34 W. 22nd St.).

Acclaimed cabaret vocalist Stearns Matthews is proud to announce the release of his debut album, SPARK, on Saturday, November 1st, 2014. After six years of entertaining in cabaret rooms with “a voice as pure as rainwater” (William Westhoven, The Daily Record), Matthews leaps to the next stage of his career: recording. The recording showcases Matthews' musical versatility as well as dynamic range, and features a mix of new arrangements of time-tested standards, musical theater favorites, as well as a never-before-recorded song by John Bucchino, My Alligator and Me.

Kritzerland at The Triad presents 'THE SONGS THAT GOT AWAY! A Potpourri of Kritzerland Favorites' on Sunday, November 16, 2014 at 7:00 PM.

Kritzerland at The Triad presents 'SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIUS! The Songs of The Sherman Brothers' on Saturday, November 15, 2014 to 7:00 PM and 9:00PM.

Stearns Matthews is a three-time MAC Award nominee in three different categories (Best Male Debut, 2009; Best Male Vocalist, 2011; Best Musical Comedy Performer, 2013), has appeared twice at the Mabel Mercer Foundation's Annual Cabaret Convention at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and was the first-ever first runner-up in the Metropolitan Room's MetroStar Talent Challenge in 2008

Stearns Matthews is a three-time MAC Award nominee in three different categories (Best Male Debut, 2009; Best Male Vocalist, 2011; Best Musical Comedy Performer, 2013), has appeared twice at the Mabel Mercer Foundation's Annual Cabaret Convention at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and was the first-ever first runner-up in the Metropolitan Room's MetroStar Talent Challenge in 2008

If you are even a semi-regular reader of this column of reviews, you know that about every three or four months, I post a compilation of observations of shows from the previous quarter of the year. This cabaret critiquing mash up happens for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I admittedly see too many cabaret shows for the amount of time I have to promptly review them (and then, of course, the usual writer's procrastination sets in). So I have to prioritize the timeliness of the reviews based on the prestige of the performer, the length of a show run, the strength (or lack thereof) of the performance, etc. The quality of the shows in these compilations—which can range from a half dozen to a dozen reviews in one shot—are usually a mixed bag of outright raves, qualified positives, and constructive pans (I'm not a fan of the word “negative” in the reviewer lexicon). With that in mind here are a collection of cabaret show reviews going back to the start of a very harsh winter.

2014 sees some new names and some returns to The Crazy Coqs. January starts with the London debut of the sizzling cabaret performer Carole J .Bufford and her show Body and Soul (tonight, January 7 - 11) followed by the popular Broadway star Brent Barrett and his show Night Songs (January 14 -18) and then actress and singer Linda Purl with her show Midnight Caravan: Celebrating the Great Ladies of the Glamorous Nightclub Era of the 40s & 50s (January 21 - 25).

2014 sees some new names and some returns to The Crazy Coqs. January starts with the London debut of the sizzling cabaret performer Carole J .Bufford and her show Body and Soul (January 7 - 11) followed by the popular Broadway star Brent Barrett and his show Night Songs (January 14 -18) and then actress and singer Linda Purl with her show Midnight Caravan: Celebrating the Great Ladies of the Glamorous Nightclub Era of the 40s & 50s (January 21 - 25).

On Monday, September 9, the Broadway at Birdland concert series presented the return of Steven Brinberg as Simply Barbra in 'Mostly Marvin,' with very special guest star, Erik Altemus. Musical director for the event was Christopher Denny. Scroll down for photos from the evening!

On Monday, April 1, Jim Caruso's Broadway at Birdland concert series welcomed the return of Broadway actress and cabaret star Karen Mason with her brand new show, 'Secrets of the Ancient Divas.' Scroll below for photos from the performance!

CAP21 will augment its 20th Anniversary Season with the addition of F#%king Up Everything, the award-winning rock musical comedy opening Off-Broadway.

The CAP21 Theatre Company will kick off its 20th Anniversary Season tonight, February 4th with the opening of Unfinished Business starring Karen Mason (Wonderland, Mamma Mia!).

Karen Mason (Wonderland, Mamma Mia!) and her new show Unfinished Business will kick off The CAP21 Theatre Company's 20th Anniversary Season this Monday (Feb. 4). Following the show, CAP21 and Karen Mason have invited all ticket holders to an Opening Night Post-Show Reception being held at CAP21.

The CAP21 Theatre Company will kick off its 20th Anniversary Season on February 4th with the opening of Unfinished Business starring Karen Mason (Wonderland, Mamma Mia!).