Ricky Pope

Joe Posa brought his loving tribute to Joan Rivers to NYC in this September 5 show. It was a night of non-stop laughs for a very good cause., with a portion of proceeds supporting God's Love We Deliver, one of Joan's favorite charities.

Nicolas King knows the American songbook inside and out. His love to these tunes is infectious. His easy singing style belies a prodigious technique and a large emotional range.

Carney's voice itself is a musical instrument, alive with an entire palette of colors. His versatility is bewildering. Both as a vocalist and a guitar player he achieves feats of virtuosity that are a little bit like magic.

Guy Mintus performs with the confident swagger of a rock star.  His love of sharing his art is irresistibly infectious and comes with an always implied “Wait until you hear this.' His inventions are clever, heartfelt, and 100% his own.

MOVIN' RIGHT ALONG showcases four very gifted young people with a love for Henson’s creations. That love is obvious in the show they have created. It is an hour of great fun.

In her show THE WINDMILLS OF MY MIND…FOR DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, Lianne Marie Hobbs draws comparisons between what she calls the “hamsters in her brain” and those that inhabited the similar ones in Dusty Springfield's brain.

I left this show feeling that I had experienced something true and honest from an artist who is largely associated with his dazzling style. This show presents Sam Harris as a remarkable and sensitive artist in addition to being a flawless showman.

Beth Leavel, known best for her comedic talents, proved that she's up there with the best at singing Sondheim at her 54 Below show on 10/25 and 10/26. Ms Leavel is very deft at playing multiple emotions at the same time, which matches the trademark ambivalence of all of Sondheim’s best lyrics.

Moberly is a fine actress who gives us over 20 interesting characters while simply presenting the songs without a lot of folderol. She is working in the tradition of some of the great musical monologists like Charles Aznavour, Liza Minelli, Bernadette Peters, and Julie Wilson.

What would happen if your favorite Disney princess stepped off the screen to talk about the reality of her life, the parts of the story that the animators missed? Hear from the cast of DISENCHANTED's national tour. DISENCHANTED plays 10/11 and 10/12 at Queens Theatre.

Chelsea Table + Stage is quickly becoming the most adventurous cabaret venue in New York. Last week Ann Kittredge celebrated the release of her new album ROMANTIC NOTIONS, a series of songs exploring the many aspects of love and romance, with a concert there. Kittredge is an engaging performer with a wonderful sense of style and elegance.

Graham Nash is as vital as ever. His 10/1 show at Carnegie Hall was filled with enthusiastic fans, and good vibes. Nash and his band created a clarity of sound refreshing in an era of overly processed tunes. Graham’s songs are classic gems that go straight from the artist's heart to the hearts of fans listening to the soundtrack of their lives.

Last week, Amanda McBroom unveiled highlights from her forthcoming album WINTERSONG at Birdland, a collection of mostly new songs on a holiday theme. It feels strangely incongruous on a sultry September evening to be listening to songs about hearth and family, but McBroom painted such vivid songscapes that you left ready for a vigorous sleigh ride

In show business, there are very few sure things. But Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch singing songs by Hoagy Carmichael is about as close as it gets. The September 15th show was perfection.

MELBA MOORE: FROM BROADWAY WITH LOVE had its first performance March 15th at 54 Below. Ms. Moore’s show is a dynamic travelogue through her Broadway career with a few added treasures for good measure. There is one more nearly sold out show tonight at 7 pm; get your tickets while you can.

Rian Keating's stories are very careful observations of what it means to be kind, strong, nurturing, independent, and free. It is a feminist show from a source you wouldn’t immediately expect. He tells stories about teachers, mentors, and family members that are vivid and empowering. We should all be so lucky to have such women in our lives.

As Thomas Wolfe tells us, you can’t go home again. Thankfully, cabaret singer/songwriter Meg Flather has ignored Mr Wolfe’s sage advice.  Over the next few months, she is presenting a series of her most successful cabaret evenings in the Brick Room at Don’t Tell Mama which she has logically entitled “The Brick Room Tour.”

If anyone on the modern scene is equipped to take on Mercury’s imposing legacy, it is singer/songwriter/actor Reeve Carney. He has cords of steel and a range similar to Freddie Mercury’s. Watching him sing is to marvel at what the human voice is capable of.

Unlike the characters she often plays on stage, this view of Stephanie J Block was sentimental, vulnerable, cozy, and very very warm. It was an evening filled with gratitude for the blessings of life that was brimming over with humor, mostly self-deprecating. The amazing thing is the picture of the artist is just as badass as any of her onstage alter egos.