Mabel Mercer News

Eric Michael Gillett and friends will present We Lost It at the Movies, the premiere of a new bi-monthly series, beginning Sunday, February 17 at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42 Street.

Cookie's Corner, an ongoing party celebrating life and new talent, hosted by Cookie Stark, Eric Michael Gillett's newest discovery, will feature special guest star, 2012 Julie Wilson Award Winner Shana Farr.

Cookie's Corner, an ongoing party celebrating life and new talent, hosted by Cookie Stark, Eric Michael Gillett's newest discovery, will feature special guest star, 2012 Julie Wilson Award Winner Shana Farr.

Singer Frank Dain will reprise The Magic of Mathis in December with two performances at Don't Tell Mama tonight, December 8th and 15th at 6pm. This show was recently nominated for a BroadwayWorld.com Award in Best Tribute Show category. The Magic of Mathis brings new interpretations to many favorite songs.

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 tonight, 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).

Singer Frank Dain will reprise The Magic of Mathis in December with two performances at Don't Tell Mama on December 8th and 15th at 6pm. This show was recently nominated for a BroadwayWorld.com Award in Best Tribute Show category. The Magic of Mathis brings new interpretations to many favorite songs.

Feinstein's at Loews Regency will continue its Fall 2012 season with two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy award-nominated entertainer Michael Feinstein. Celebrating the release of his new book The Gershwins and Me and a CD of twelve Gershwin songs, Michael will perform "A Gershwin Holiday."

Feinstein's at Loews Regency will continue its Fall 2012 season with two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy award-nominated entertainer Michael Feinstein. Celebrating the release of his new book The Gershwins and Me and a CD of twelve Gershwin songs, Michael will perform "A Gershwin Holiday."

On November 5, the Theatre at Saint Peters (Home of the York Theatre) Lexington Avenue at 54th Street presented the songs of Larry Kerchner ("Somewhere in Time") sung by some of today's most formidable singers: Hilary Kole, Laurel Masse, Kevin Spirtas, Stacy Sullivan, Jeff Harnar, Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano, Karen Oberlin, Sidney Myer, Raissa Katona Bennett, Jill O'Hara and a host of others. Check out photos from the event below!

Tonight, November 5th at 7 pm, the Theatre at Saint Peters (Home of the York Theatre) Lexington Avenue at 54th Street will resound with the songs of Larry Kerchner ("Somewhere in Time") sung by some of today's most formidable singers: Headliner: Ann Hampton Callaway, Hilary Kole, Laurel Masse, Kevin Spirtas, Stacy Sullivan, Jeff Harnar, Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano, Karen Oberlin, La Tanya Hall, Sidney Myer, Raissa Katona Bennett, Jill O'Hara and a host of others. Musical Director is Tex Arnold. The event is produced by Sandi Durell.

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).

Noted composer/lyricist/arranger and two-time Grammy Award nominee Larry Kerchner will be celebrated on Monday, November 5, 2012, at 7 PM at a special benefit performance of his musical works, titled Hidden Treasures: The Songs of Larry Kerchner, at The York Theatre (at St. Peter's), Lexington Avenue at 54th Street, in New York City. Produced by Sandi Durell, the musical evening will benefit The Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative and The Mabel Mercer Foundation.

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.

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.

This year, the 23rd Cabaret Convention, October 17-19 at Jazz at Lincoln Center/Frederick P. Rose Hall, continued the extraordinary levels of entertainment provided by Smith and his compatriots, as well as provided happy, personal memories of the Mercer/Smith coalescence upon which the Foundation plans to thrive in the future. Check out photos from closing night below!