The Cabaret Chronicles: Angela Shultz, Barry Lloyd and More!

Hello and happy weekend!  Evidently, Mother Nature has opted to skip fall here in New York and get straight to winter.  Despite the chill in the air, though, the clubs have been as hot as ever and I was able to catch some great entertainment this week! 

On Sunday afternoon, I headed over to Don't Tell Mama to see Angela Shultz in her show, Kiss Me Like You Mean It.  Having heard Angela sing one or two songs at a time on a number of occasions before, I was really looking forward to this show!  She is graced with a beautiful voice and a nice, easy onstage manner, both of which were showcased very nicely in this show.  With direction by Hector Coris and musical direction by her longtime best friend and collaborator, Brett Kristofferson, Angela wound her way through a varied set list, which included songs from contemporary songwriters such as Jill Sobule, John Bucchino, and songwriting duo Zin a Goldrich & Marcy Heisler, as well as bastions of the Great American Songbook like Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg.  Her easygoing, upbeat personality makes her instantly likeable onstage, and she has a great knack for making songs seem conversational, so that it seems as if she's not putting on a performance, but simply sharing her experiences and feelings with a room full of friends.  She does a great job with all of the material, but my personal favorites were Arlen and Harburg's "I Don't Think I'll End It All Today," which she delivered with perfectly pitched humor; Mr. Kristofferson's poignant "Things That Haunt Me," which speaks of simple, everyday things that "haunt" the singer after the end of a relationship; and Mr. Coris' hilarious spoof of American Idol, "My Moment," with which Ms. Shultz brought the house down!  The show was a terrific way to spend a Sunday afternoon and will be returning to Don't Tell Mama on Sunday, November 22^nd for another 3:30 p.m. matinee. 

On Monday evening, it was off to the Metropolitan Room to catch Bay-Area singer/pianist Barry Lloyd in his show Slumming On Park Avenue: A Celebration of Bobby Short.  Accompanying himself on piano and supported by Saadi Zain on bass and David Silliman on drums, Mr. Lloyd exuded charm and style from the moment he entered the room and continued to enchant the audience throughout the course of the evening as he wound his way through a number of Bobby Short hits, weaving in stories about what each of the songs meant to him.  He discovered Bobby Short at the age of fourteen, when (for reasons he can't recall), he was in a record store looking for an album of Noel Coward songs.  Well, the album he found was of Bobby Short singing Noel Coward, and he instantly became a fan of Mr. Short's!  So, this show was made up of Mr. Lloyd's favorite Bobby Short songs, some of them, of course, being some of Bobby Short's biggest hits; others that were perhaps more obscure, but had more personal meaning.  The beautiful Vernon Duke tune, "Autumn In New York" was beautifully delivered, as was the Noel Coward classic "If Love Were All," which Mr. Lloyd sang with a kind of wistful resignation that really breathed new life into it for me.  From top-to-bottom, it was a classy, enjoyable show that kept the audience bopping, grinning, and eagerly awaiting a return visit from Mr. Lloyd! 

After Mr. Lloyd's show, I grabbed a cab and headed up to Birdland to catch the last half of Cast Party, which was, as always, wonderfully entertaining!  I walked in while the fabulous Marilyn Maye was singing, and was also treated to performances by Ray Jessel, Maureen Taylor, violinist Aaron Weinstein, and more!  Host Jim Caruso did his usual terrific job of keeping things movin' and groovin' and Tedd Firth & Paul Gill (on piano and bass, respectively) provided excellent accompaniment for all! 

Wednesday evening found me at The Iguana on 54^th Street for the appropriately named Wednesday Night At The Iguana. Hosted by Richard Skipper and Dana Lorge, this weekly showcase has really become a hot destination for performers in the city.  Each week features five special guests, each of whom perform a short set, and "surprise" performers, who are mixed in among the special guests and each perform one song.  The special guests this past week were Barbara Gurskey, Andrea Mezinsky-Kolb, Jonathan Long, Martin Vidnovic, and my sister, Kelly Esposito Broelmann!  One of the special surprises for the night was Richard Skipper himself, who wasn't able to be at the first half of the evening, as he was performing elsewhere, but who opened up the second half of the show doing his renowned Carol Channing impersonation - in full Carol Channing dress, hair and makeup!  The audience just adored it, and it was a very fun surprise!  It was a great evening from top to bottom with some truly outstanding performances.  I'm looking forward to going again soon! 

That's all for my showgoing this past week, but be sure to check back next week for a new article! 

Where I'm going this week:  

Sunday, October 18^th: Giving For Gabby at St. Paul's Church in Bullville, NY. 18-month-old Gabriella Aleman is afflicted with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) and is in need of a new, downstairs bedroom in her family's home, in order to assist with her care.  I'm joining forces with my father, Fortune Esposito, and my sister, Kelly Esposito-Broelmann, to put on a benefit concert to raise funds for this worthy cause.  

Monday, October 19^th:  Raissa Katona Bennett at Feinstein's.  Broadway and cabaret veteran Raissa Katona Bennett is making her Feinstein's debut in a new show with direction by Eric Michael Gillett and musical direction by Mark Janas.  Well-known for producing and hosting the successful Concerts at Tudor City Greens, Raissa is also one of the most supportive members of the cabaret community, and it's always terrific to see her in a solo show!  Show begins at 8:30 p.m. 

Cast Party at Birdland.  Hosted by  Jim Caruso, this fantastic open mic runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. but make sure you get there early to sign up if you want to sing!  

Tuesday, October 20^th:  Liz Callaway at the Metropolitan Room.  One of my absolute favorite singers, Ms. Callaway will be at the Metropolitan Room to celebrate the release of her new CD, Passage of Time, which is being released on the P.S Classics label.  I can't wait to get my copy (or to see the performance)!

Pictured: Angela Shultz

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