Eda Sorokoff News

Last night the show at the Friars Club was all about the food and two legendary kitchens united to create a culinary event that got a four star rating and standing ovation from the audience. The lore, lure and legacy of Le Cirque was celebrated at the club and a classic four course dinner prepared under the direction of Le Cirque chef and CEO/owner Mauro Maccioni.

Last night the show at the Friars Club was all about the food and two legendary kitchens united to create a culinary event that got a four star rating and standing ovation from the audience. The lore, lure and legacy of Le Cirque was celebrated at the club and a classic four course dinner prepared under the direction of Le Cirque chef and CEO/owner Mauro Maccioni.

Hal Prince visited the band, (led by Billy Stritch) and Linda Lavin in the legendary Cafe Carlyle last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

All the glamour and excitement of a Cafe Carlyle opening night happened last night as Billy Stritch seated at the piano announced, (after the bands opening instrumental 'Lady Be Good') 'Ladies and Gentlemen Linda Lavin!'

Most times L&L audiences are kept entertained and educated by some of the most highly knowledgeable and celebrated personalities in the theatre who narrate the presentations. These hosts explore the lives of the brilliant creators of words and music. Having Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award Winner Lynn Ahrens at the podium herself, in Lynn Ahrens: A Lyric Life made this an exceptional, fascinating, and entertaining experience in the renowned series at the 92Y.

He was just like any other audience member (late comer) at the start of a concert searching for his seat. But it was Michael Feinstein walking in from the rear of the hall, microphone in hand and singing with the backing of the Tedd Firth Big Band while locating his place on the stage of The Appel Room.

Even though Sheldon Harnick was playing the violin in his High School's Gilbert & Sullivan productions… 'I could still hear the lyrics', he wrote in his alumni magazine of Northwestern University. Harnick continued, 'At that time I was turned on by the patter songs, so I began to familiarize myself with Gilbert and Sullivan. I was more fascinated by the virtuosity than anything else. Little by little, I also realized what a fine poet Gilbert was and how imaginative he was, even in the slower songs. So he became an enormous influence.'

The Beach Cafe on 70th & 2nd Ave sure felt like one of the intimate Cabaret rooms on the Las Vegas strip last night. Joshua Lance Dixon, this years MAC Award winner for Best Male Vocalist produced all the charisma and excitement of the Rat Pack with his show which tells (in story and song) the history of Frank, Dean, Sammy, Joey, and Peter Lawford.

It was January 25 2011 and Raissa Katona Bennett brought her new show, exploring the music of Jerome Kern to Feinstein's at The Regency Hotel. It got rave reviews from the critics at that time. Amazingly looking and sounding even better, Raissa returned to the cabaret stage last night at The Laurie Beechman Theatre's West Bank Cafe' and Broadwayworld was there. Check out the photos.

Abeer Al-Essa, a John Lloyd Young fan who few in from Kuwait for his engagement at Feinstein's/54 Below said it best, 'He has a voice that just goes right through you'

Singers and Actors from Corinna Sowers Adler's NiCori Studios & Productions talent family can be seen in many venues and various productions in the Tri-State area. Into The Woods, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, James And The Giant Peach, are a few of the recent theatre pieces that have been presented by the organization. Corinna's students have also performed in most New York City Cabaret and Concert Halls.

It was night that will long be remembered by fans (and who isn't) of Marilyn Maye and of American Songbook hero, Dick Robinson. Marilyn is currently celebrating her 90th year with her current engagement at Feinstein's/54 Below and her friend DIck Robinson, creator of Legends Radio and founder of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting is celebrating his 80th.

The composer who had three shows running simultaneously on Broadway was on stage at The Broadway at Birdland concert series last night and of course Broadwayworld was also there for the special evening.

Liz Robertson gave an affectionate musical tribute to her late husband, Alan Jay Lerner, the internationally acclaimed author of My Fair Lady last night in the theatre districts legendary Don't Tell Mama. My Fair Lady of course began it's Broadway run of 2,717 performances in 1956 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on 51st Street. Don't Tell Mama on 46th street will present Liz Robinson's Cabaret show ( which she also performs in London) for three performances.

A quote from William Finn (who was in last night's audience) when he first introduced Regretting Almost Everything to the Barrington Stage Co. audience in Mr. Finn's cabaret last summer...

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.

Joyce Breach may be 'under the radar' to some audiences but to the sophisticated and musically astute Cabaret connoisseurs in the East Side supper club Beach Cafe last night she is always someone to be seen (and heard). It was a magical night of great standards and seldom heard treasures of the American Songbook sung by a consummate artist. With pianist/singer Billy Stritch on the piano bench it was an evening that harked back to the Golden Age of New York City elegant night life.

It's a short walk, but an arduous journey from the Stretcher and Horowitz Foundation's headquarters on 57th street to Carnegie Hall or other concert venues, but Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz make the voyage much easier for talented young musicians.

The West Bank Cafe/Laurie Beechman Theatre became all PLAID last night in a Benefit For Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and the special production proved that PLAID will happily be on our planet FOREVER! The performance continues for two more nights.

It was one of the season's most exciting Off Broadway Opening Night's at The Cherry Lane Theatre last night as Primary Stages in association with Jamie deRoy and Hartford Stage presented writer and performer Sharon Washington in Feeding The Dragon.