Joel Silberman News

Ann Talman's tribute to her friend and de-facto mother, Elizabeth Taylor, has (finally) arrived on the cabaret stage, hopefully to stay for a while.

Rubicon Theatre Company announces two performances of an intimate concert featuring Golden Globe Award-Winner and Grammy nominee Amanda McBroom, presented as part of the 2018-2019 Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Concert Series. Amanda McBroom, a Rubicon favorite both as a singer and actress, returns to Rubicon with a concert version of her hit play Lady Macbeth Sings the Blues on Saturday June 8 at 8p.m. and Sunday June 9 at 2 p.m.

Writer/vocalist Amanda McBroom is something of a wonder. The artist manages to be both lyrical and plain spoken, urbane and universal, polished and genuine, vulnerable and gutsy. Her sharply etched songs illuminate our hearts and minds like artful x-ray. Performance is intimate. McBroom's current show at Feinstein's/54 Below, Up Close and Personal, treats us to material exhumed in an attempt to apply feng shui to her music studio; some rarely heard, a few with the ink barely dry, and a familiar anthem.

It's not exactly a secret that cabaret has for decades been a world dominated by female entertainers. Sylvia Syms, Julie Wilson, Margaret Whiting, Karen Akers, KT Sullivan, Karen Mason and myriad others have assumed the top notches of the art form. But, perhaps, men might be taking their place among the front lines and a perfect example this past week were the shows from cabaret veterans Kevin Dozier and Frank Torren.

New York cabaret audiences have for years been blessed with extremely entertaining performing marrieds like John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molasky, Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, and Michael Garin and Mardie Millett. But after experiencing the thoroughly enchanting October 8 performance from Amanda McBroom and her husband George Ball at 54 Below (there was a second performance on October 14), it's difficult to imagine a cabaret couple more compelling. In short, the Balls were having a ball and, ultimately, so did their audience.

There may have been 40 cabaret performers strutting their stuff this past week at the 23rd New York Cabaret Convention at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center, but the true star of the three-night extravaganza (October 17-19) was the late Donald Smith, the cabaret impresario and guru to the genre's luminaries, who died this past March at 79. Sponsored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation, which Smith founded in 1985, this year's Convention featured numerous homages to Smith from the performers, many of whom had their career's supported and advanced with the help of the colorful and beloved cabaret producer and promoter. Early in Wednesday's Gala Opening Night show, the 'first lady of the American keyboard' Barbara Carroll called her friend Donald Smith 'the quintessential New Yorker,' and when Mark Nadler closed night one with George and Ira Gershwin's 'Our Love Is Here to Stay,' he said, 'Everybody who cares about the myths of these songs are in this room tonight.' Well, it was clear that anyone who cared about Donald Smith was at the Rose Theater for at least one of the three shows.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and Michael Bush jointly announced today that, after eight years, Mr. Bush is moving on from his position as the artistic director of the O'Neill's Cabaret & Performance Conference due to increased professional obligations directing in New York and regionally. These obligations include the further development of the new musicals STORMY WEATHER, THE PIPER, and his recently acclaimed NYMF production of HIMSELF AND NORA. He will also be a founding partner in a new company, Tritone Productions, which is dedicated to the development of new work.

That great incubator for cabaret and musical theater, The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Cabaret & Performance Conference will present a very special evening in tribute to one of America's greatest and most prolific songwriters. Johnny Mercer, "AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE", A Johnny Mercer Celebration on Friday, August 3 at 8:00 PM at the O'Neill Center's Dina Merrill Theater.

Manhattan Theatre Club presented its annual Winter Benefit, an evening of cocktails and dinner followed by a special one-night-only cabaret-style show last night, January 30, at The Plaza.

Manhattan Theatre Club will present its annual Winter Benefit, an evening of cocktails and dinner followed by a special one-night-only cabaret-style show featuring some of the biggest stars of musical theatre on Monday, January 30, 2012 at The Plaza (58th Street & Fifth Avenue).

Manhattan Theatre Club will present its annual Winter Benefit, an evening of cocktails and dinner followed by a special one-night-only cabaret-style show featuring some of the biggest stars of musical theatre on Monday, January 30, 2012 at The Plaza (58th Street & Fifth Avenue).

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center has announced selections for this summer's Cabaret and Performance Conference, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Bush.

Manhattan Theatre Club will present its annual Winter Benefit, an evening of cocktails and dinner followed by a special one-night-only cabaret-style show featuring some of the biggest stars of musical theatre on Monday, January 24, 2011 at The Plaza (58th Street & Fifth Avenue).

Manhattan Theatre Club will present its annual Winter Benefit, an evening of cocktails and dinner followed by a special one-night-only cabaret-style show featuring some of the biggest stars of musical theatre on Monday, January 24, 2011 at The Plaza (58th Street & Fifth Avenue).

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of THE BEST IS YET TO COME: THE MUSIC OF CY COLEMAN, which began previews July 9 at Rubicon's intimate 200-seat home at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. The show continues Wednesdays through Sundays through August 2, 2009.

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of THE BEST IS YET TO COME: THE MUSIC OF CY COLEMAN, which began previews July 9 at Rubicon's intimate 200-seat home at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. The show continues Wednesdays through Sundays through August 2, 2009.

Rubicon Theatre Company has announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of THE BEST IS YET TO COME: THE MUSIC OF CY COLEMAN, which begins previews July 9 at Rubicon's intimate 200-seat home at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. The show continues Wednesdays through Sundays through August 2, 2009.

The Emelin Theatre, a non-profit performing arts center in Mamaroneck, NY, announced that on Thursday, December 6 at 8PM - for one night only - Emelin's fall 'Theatre in Concert Festival' will culminate with an on-stage gathering of the Festival's entire all-star line up of Broadway luminaries for the Emelin's Broadway Holiday Cabaret.