Ray Watkins News

After sold-out performances in New York City and her hometown of San Francisco, cabaret singer Carly Ozard will debut her latest show Midler on the Roof at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 25, 2014 at cabaret institution The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street at 7th Avenue in New York City. Tickets are $10 (plus a 2-drink minimum) and advance reservations are highly recommended by contacting (212) 255-5438 or www.theduplex.com.

MAC nominee, Jim Speake brings back his acclaimed show celebrating the music of Broadway composer, Cy Coleman: "I'm A Brass Band, Jim Speake Sings Cy Coleman at the Duplex.' The show is directed by Lennie Watts with musical direction by Steven Ray Watkins, featuring the SRW band.

Mamma Mia's Gerard Salvador makes his solo concert debut at The Duplex in New York City. Gerard Salvador: Straight Up will run for two consecutive Sundays at the famed cabaret hot spot, beginning April 6th and returning April 13th, both at 7PM. In this brand new collision of mainstream pop and musical theatre, with direction by MAC Award winner Amy Wolk and musical direction by Steven Ray Watkins, Salvador will treat audiences to a funny, poignant and personal evening of songs and stories about growing up in Queens, attending the Fame school, and singing ABBA tunes 8 times a week in one of Broadway's biggest hits!

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs is proud to announce the performers and award recipients for the 2nd Annual "MAC presents THEY WRITE THE SONGS," to be held this Sunday, November 17th at 4pm at the Engelman Recital Hall at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (Lexington Avenue at 25th Street).

It turns out that when it came to Tanya Moberly cabaret shows and this reviewer, the third time was the charm. After being blown away by Moberly's powerful voice and stage presence when I first caught her one-song performances at the Sunday Salon Open Mics three years ago, I wasn't crazy about either of her full-blown cabaret shows the past two years (Tanya Moberly Sings Di Franco/Tanya Moberly Sings Jonatha Brooke in 2011 and Tanya Lorraine Moberly Sings Barbra Joan Streisand in 2012—in spite of her receiving MAC and BroadwayWorld.com Best Female Vocalist nominations for the latter). But her new show that opened this past Friday and Saturday nights at Don't Tell Mama, I Love New York Songwriters, pressed many of my cabaret buttons—in a good way. While there were still some minor flaws—owing to a certain stubbornness in her approach to a cabaret show—this eclectic set of original songs written by some of the city's best “unknown” composers was consistently entertaining. In this particular show, Ms. Moberly was Tanya Terrific.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs is proud to announce the 2nd Annual "MAC presents THEY WRITE THE SONGS." The show will be held Sunday, November 17th at 4pm at the Engelman Recital Hall at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (Lexington Avenue at 25th Street).

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), the not-for-profit professional theatre company, which recently completed its inaugural season in Warwick, is pleased to present the Multi Award-winning cabaret performer and OSTC fan favorite, Lennie Watts, in his funny, yet poignant show, Bloody Bloody Lennie Watts for one performance only tonight, August 16 at 7:30pm.

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), the not-for-profit professional theatre company, which recently completed its inaugural season in Warwick, is pleased to present the Multi Award-winning cabaret performer and OSTC fan favorite, Lennie Watts, in his funny, yet poignant show, Bloody Bloody Lennie Watts for one performance only on Friday, August 16 at 7:30pm.

Back on April 1, when he posted his third compilation of delayed cabaret reviews from shows staged during the winter, BroadwayWorld.com's lead New York cabaret reviewer promised Number 4 would come with arrival of summer. Okay, so he missed his self-imposed deadline by a couple of weeks. but here's yet another catch-up column with critiques of a half dozen spring shows performed by Bryan Batt, Dawn Derow, Lynly Forrest, Dennis McNeil, Anastasia Barzee, and Nina Hennessey.

After sold-out performances in New York City and her hometown of San Francisco, critically acclaimed comedic cabaret artist and musical theater singer Carly Ozard brings her smash cabaret show Somebody to Love: My Musical Tribute to Freddie Mercury to New York City's jazz institution Iridium for two performances: 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. tonight, April 16, 2013.

After sold-out performances in New York City and her hometown of San Francisco, critically acclaimed comedic cabaret artist and musical theater singer Carly Ozard brings her smash cabaret show Somebody to Love: My Musical Tribute to Freddie Mercury to New York City's jazz institution Iridium for two performances: 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.

It's April 1st. Do you know when your Spring is coming? During another longggggg New York winter, the good news is that there were a ton of warming cabaret shows. The bad news is that there were so many, even during this seemingly endless winter our intrepid reviewer Stephen Hanks didn't have enough time to review them all right after the performances. So in what is becoming a seasonal ritual, here he offers yet another compilation of 13 'catch-up' cabaret show reviews.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs will present the 27th Annual MAC Awards on Thursday, March 21st, at B.B King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

Jim Speake has scheduled another performance of his acclaimed show, 'Jim Speake Sings Til The Cows Come Home' for tonight, February 23rd 2013 at 5pm at Don't Tell Mama.

Jim Speake has scheduled another performance of his acclaimed show, 'Jim Speake Sings Til The Cows Come Home' for Saturday, February 23rd 2013 at 5pm at Don't Tell Mama.

With a long and prestigious 33-year history that has catered to the likes of Liza Minnelli, Brooke Sheilds and Mandy Patinkin, non-profit vocal academy Singers Forum moves into the 21st Century with an expanded mission, a new look, and exciting new classes.

With a long and prestigious 33-year history that has catered to the likes of Liza Minnelli, Brooke Sheilds and Mandy Patinkin, non-profit vocal academy Singers Forum moves into the 21st Century with an expanded mission, a new look, and exciting new classes.

By the last August, I had fallen so far behind on writing reviews of cabaret shows from the spring and early summer (I guess it's a positive when there are more performers and shows in New York than days in the week) that I decided to play catch up by combining a bunch of critiques into one big column. I hadn't planned on doing that again, but this fall there were so many shows that once again I couldn't keep up. but at least I've beaten my self-imposed deadline New Year's Eve deadline of posting these reviews of 12 shows, all staged between September-December by lovely, attractive women (okay, so one is a gender-bender) of varying talents and levels on the cabaret depth chart, from established stars to MAC and Bistro Award-winners to comeback 'kids' to interesting beginners and occasional performers who are in the game to follow their bliss. Whether their performances were rave-worthy, earning of qualified praise, or not quite up to snuff, they all deserve kudos for taking the plunge.

2012 was indeed a very good year for the art of Cabaret in New York City. Here, BroadwayWorld.com Cabaret Reviewer and Columnist Stephen Hanks offers up his exclusive 'Best New York Cabaret Performers of the Year' for 2012, plus some surprising honorable mentions. Let the debates begin!

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).