Johnny Mercer News

Shana Farr, who last month won The Mabel Mercer Foundation's 2012 Julie Wilson Award as "a cabaret singer who is a rising star," has just completed her debut CD, titled Shana Farr: Out Of The Shadows , which will be introduced at a CD release party and performance at The Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South, in New York City on Friday, November 30, at 9 PM. Ms. Farr is backed by a trio comprised of Music Director Jon Weber (piano), Adam Fisher (cello) and Dan Levinson (clarinet).

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is proud to announce the launch of From The Sony Vault, an ongoing series of newly curated collections of historic recordings restored and remastered for the digital era. Compiled with both new and seasoned listeners in mind, From The Sony Vault, offers a fresh look on the deep musical roots that continue to nurture popular culture.

Stephen Hawking and his fellow physicists may not have yet figured out the formula for traveling through the time-space continuum, but apparently the Metropolitan Room discovered the secret. Last Friday night (October 26), I walked through the curtain into the main performance space and entered a time tunnel that took me from the 21st century into the 1960s and '70s. Two lovely, rising young stars of cabaret, Lauren Fox and Jennifer Sheehan (photo left), had obviously hurtled though that same time warp because in two separate shows on the same evening, they performed songs that had been written and recorded 15 to 25 years before they were born. In the process they transported this particular Baby Boomer joyously back to his youth and to the days of cultural upheaval, generation gaps, peace, love, war, and some of the best pop/rock music ever written.

The Gorilla Tango Theatre presents a musical this season in November which is a slight twist on the beloved TV show, starring Betty White and Bea Arthur, Golden Girls. MIAMI NICE: A GOLDEN GIRLS MUSICAL performs Wednesdays at 7:30pm, November 7 - December 19, 2012 at Gorilla Tango Theatre.

Georg, the manager of Maraczek's Parfumerie, is carrying on a romance by mail with a woman he's never met. Amalia, a newly-hired clerk at Maraczek's, is similarly romantically involved. And they can't stand each other. Or so it seems. Do they actually have more in common than they suspect? That's at the heart of She Loves Me (book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick), beginning its run (and the 34th Season) at Fort Worth's Stage West tonight, November 1.

On the evening of October 27, 2012, an almost full-capacity house at Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa definitely had two reasons to celebrate: first, that five-time Grammy-nominated singer/composer Michael Feinstein is back in concert in Orange County; and, second, that he's brought with him an awesome, 17-piece big band to perform an enjoyable musical tribute to Frank Sinatra. The one-night-only concert -- part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2012-2013 Cabaret series -- didn't disappoint, bringing the O.C. an entertaining mixture of rousing jazz-swing numbers, heartfelt ballads, and amusingly-delivered historical facts about the legendary icon, with Feinstein serving as both charming lecturer and talented headliner all in the same breath.

The Town Hall's Eighth Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival concludes with The Best of Broadway By The Year on Friday October 26th at 8pm. The festival kicked off with Linda Eder's, Linda Eder, A New Life on Saturday October 13 and continued with Broadway Originals! on Sunday October 21st. The festival is created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel.

Jennifer Sheehan reprises her critically acclaimed '60s show, "I Know a Place," for three nights this month at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street.

Georg, the manager of Maraczek's Parfumerie, is carrying on a romance by mail with a woman he's never met. Amalia, a newly-hired clerk at Maraczek's, is similarly romantically involved. And they can't stand each other. Or so it seems. Do they actually have more in common than they suspect? That's at the heart of She Loves Me (book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick), beginning its run (and the 34th Season) at Fort Worth's Stage West on Thursday, November 1.

The Gardenia will present Broadway, television and film actress and singer, Neile Adams in "Wasn't It Good! Wasn't It Fine!," a musical celebration of her memories and the stages of her life. The 60-minute show will be presented at The Gardenia, 7066 Santa Monica Boulevard (East of La Brea Avenue), West Hollywood, Calif., on Fridays and Saturdays, November 9, 10, 16 and 17, 2012 at 9:00 p.m.

Weddington Street Productions in association with Summerwind Productions proudly presents Christmas My Way - A Sinatra Holiday Bash! starring Luca Ellis, Jason Graae, Heather Lee and Beth Malone; directed by David Grapes with musical direction by Vince di Mura. The holiday celebration will be December 15 - December 31, 2012, at the historic El Portal Theatre Mainstage in the NOHO Arts District, North Hollywood, CA.

PlaidBird Productions and The Laurie Beechman Theatre will pres- ent Jaye Maynard in "Bird Amongst the Blossom-A Tribute to the First Blossom Dearie Songbook" at West Bank Cafe tonight, October 23rd, 2012 at 7pm and Sunday, October 28th, 2012 at 1pm.

New York City Center will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its Tony Award-winning Encores! series on November 12 with a Gala Benefit starring Raul Esparza and Kelli O'Hara, and featuring performers who have starred in Encores! productions over the past two decades.

92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2013 season of Lyrics & Lyricists™. Jason Danieley, Rebecca Luker, Barbara Carroll and James Naughton are among the performers from the worlds of Broadway, jazz and cabaret presenting a panoramic journey through the American Songbook via New York, London, Hollywood, and Stratford-on-Avon. L&L's shows this season explore Shakespeare on Broadway, iconic singer/lyricist Peggy Lee, a fresh take on Jerome Kern, and our look at Vernon Duke's and W. S. Gilbert's influence on Broadway. The season is curated by series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer (also returning as artistic director for one of the shows), and a line-up of guest artistic directors - Rob Fisher (with host Sheldon Harnick), Billy Stritch, David Loud and Mark Lamos.

The Town Hall, New York City's landmark theatre and concert venue (123 West 43rd Street) honors two influential individuals: Dr. Charlotte K Frank, Senior Vice President of McGraw Hill and Chair of the Town Hall Arts and Education Committee, and Marvin Leffler, in recognition of 34 years as President of The Town Hall. They will receive The Town Hall's 'Friend of the Arts' Award tonight, October 21st, 2012.

Jennifer Sheehan reprises her critically acclaimed '60s show, "I Know a Place," for three nights in October at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street.

The Town Hall, New York City's landmark theatre and concert venue (123 West 43rd Street) honors two influential individuals: Dr. Charlotte K Frank, Senior Vice President of McGraw Hill and Chair of the Town Hall Arts and Education Committee, and Marvin Leffler, in recognition of 34 years as President of The Town Hall. They will receive The Town Hall's 'Friend of the Arts' Award on Sunday, October 21st, 2012.