Emily Bergl, Anita Gillette, Amy Spanger, Holt McCallany and More Set for 54 CELEBRATES JULIE WILSON This May
by BWW News Desk
- Apr 29, 2015
54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents TV stars Emily Bergl, Holt MaCallany, Broadway stars Rita Gardner, Anita Gillette, Amy Spanger, Lee Roy Reams, Raissa Katona Bennett and Cabaret stars Steve Ross, Baby Jane Dexter, Sidney Myer and Mark Nadler in 54 celebrates Julie Wilson on Saturday, May 9, 2015 and Thursday, May 14, 2015, both shows at 7pm.
BWW Review: NATALIE DOUGLAS' Enchanting Dolly Parton Tribute Show Flies High at Birdland
by Billie Roe
- Apr 25, 2015
These days at Birdland, trying to channel Dolly Parton's bigger-than-life-persona is the sultry Natalie Douglas, a seven-time MAC Award, Nightlife, and Backstage Bistro Award winner, who (on April 20) brought her own hip, quick-witted, earth-mother persona--along with her smokin' hot vocals--in a joyful tribute show to the country music icon, Hello Dolly: The Music of Dolly Parton, as part of the Jim Caruso's Broadway at Birdland Series.
BWW Review: MARK McCOMBS Is Dazzlingly Hilarious Playing Multiple Characters In New Show at the Metropolitan Room
by Billie Roe
- Apr 20, 2015
Mark McCombs is one of those madcap Thespians offering one of the best examples of “character work” on the current New York cabaret scene. Having studied and performed with the New York Gotham City Improv Company, it's little wonder McCombs's first solo show, Ten Jumps Ahead of a Fit, earned him a 2002 Bistro Award, while his second show, Bottomfeeders, brought him a Nightlife Award. His most recent show on April 10 at the Metropolitan Room, The Mark McCombs Progr'um, was a hilarious romp into the ridiculous world of five characters that no doubt originated from McCombs' Florida panhandle origins.
BWW Reviews: BOBBIE HOROWITZ's New Series at the Metropolitan Room Celebrates 'Older' Over-Achievers and Accomplished Career-Changers
by Billie Roe
- Apr 15, 2015
Songwriter, performer, producer, and now activist, Bobby Horowitz, has put yet another spin on the series/variety show, with her refreshing take on the subject of 'ageism' in America. Called It's Just a Number (starting with six dates running from April to October at The Metropolitan Room), Horowitz's show theme champions the notion that age truly is just a number. Featuring a different group of cabaret's best performers for each show, the series honors a person who after the age of 50 either began a new career, resumed a career, is attempting to attain knowledge in a new field, or established a new organization with the purpose of helping people.
This past Saturday afternoon, Alice Fisher, who presently serves as Director of Community Outreach in the Office of NYS Senator, Liz Krueger, was the first honoree.
BWW Reviews: For This Cabaret Performer (and Dozens of Others), the First Annual Tribute to New York Piano Bar Legend Jerry Scott is Poignant AND Personal
by Billie Roe
- Apr 14, 2015
It was more than fitting that the New York cabaret community should honor the late Jerry Scott last Saturday night at Parnell's--the last piano bar that Jerry played before he died in April, 2013 at 67. To honor Jerry's memory and his lifetime of achievements, three devoted friends, cabaret reviewer John Hoglund, Allan Armour, and Geri Malino produced The First Annual Jerry Scott Memorial Award Show. This yearly event will not only pay tribute to Jerry's extraordinary talent, but the award will be presented to an exceptional entertainer/performer in the Manhattan Piano Bar/Lounge/Restaurant scene. The first recipient of the aptly named “Bronze Piano” was Bobby Peaco, a well-respected member of the New York cabaret community for more than 20 years.
Carolyn Montgomery-Forant Performs at the Laurie Beechman Tonight
by BWW News Desk
- Mar 13, 2015
The singer, songwriter and recording artist Carolyn Montgomery-Forant continues her recent comeback as she adds new shows to the critically acclaimed run of 'Visible Phoenix' at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd Street, a show which took off in October. The flame-throwing wit's first solo show since returning to the stage in January of last year, 'Visible Phoenix' marches on Fridays, tonight, March 13, and April 10, May 8. All shows are at 7pm.
BWW Reviews: Diversity Reigns in Cabaret Through Sublime Shows From Barbara Malley, Robin Kradles, and Donna Hayes
by Billie Roe
- Mar 12, 2015
When Cole Porter wrote, 'Anything Goes,' he could have easily been referring to New York cabaret circa the 2000-sies. One of the joys of attending and reviewing cabaret shows in the Big Apple these days is that every performing style, show theme, cultural perspective, political point of view, race, gender, and sexual preference is represented on a stage. Some cabaret purists may not agree, but the genre seems to have no boundaries in terms of what is acceptable and what is not. And as long as a show is entertaining, who cares about boundaries and strict definitions of what works in the art form? Here are reviews of three recent shows from Barbara Malley, Robin Kradles, and Donna Hayes that reflect the delicious diversity that is cabaret.
Carolyn Montgomery-Forant to Perform at Laurie Beechman Theater, 3/13
by Tyler Peterson
- Mar 10, 2015
The singer, songwriter and recording artist Carolyn Montgomery-Forant continues her recent comeback as she adds new shows to the critically acclaimed run of "Visible Phoenix" at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd Street, a show which took off in October. The flame-throwing wit's first solo show since returning to the stage in January of last year, "Visible Phoenix" marches on Fridays March 13, April 10, May 8. All shows are at 7pm.
BWW Review: Another Take on SHANA FARR's Noel Coward/Cole Porter 'Concept' Show Proves It To Be More Than Award-Worthy
by Billie Roe
- Mar 8, 2015
In a two-reviews-in-one column critiquing shows from last March, my esteemed editor, Stephen Hanks quoted the poet Robert Browning: “A man's reach should exceed his grasp. Or what's a heaven for?” Hanks pointed out that Browning's famous line is about setting goals, striving, and ambition, all of which are commendable desires. But, alas, in this particular review he felt the two singers in question “fell short.” One of those singers was Shana Farr and the show she has been performing throughout the past year, In The Still of the Night: Music of Noel Coward and Cole Porter. So here we are a year later, immersed in the revelry of the 2015 award season celebrating excellence in cabaret, and Farr's uniquely theatrical homage to Coward and Porter has recently won her the 2015 Bistro Award for “Outstanding Concept Show.” In spite of my editor's previous reservations about this show, he was open to hearing another perspective—whether positive or negative—so off to the Laurie Beechman Theatre I ventured on the last day of February to find out for myself whether Shana's show was truly award-worthy. Sorry, oh editor of mine, but you might have missed the boat on this one.
MARK NADLER to Headline Revived Four-Day CabaretFest in Provincetown (MA) Featuring Shows and Master Classes, June 4-7
by Stephen Hanks
- Feb 26, 2015
In 2015, the CabaretFest in Provincetown (MA), one of America's biggest Cabaret events, is returning to its roots. After a one-year layoff, this weekend extravaganza of song that began in 1999 under the guidance of actor and cabaret performer John O'Neil, will be back this June (4-7) bigger and better than ever. Singer and Cape Cod resident Patricia Fitzpatrick and Ambassador Productions has recruited O'Neil to help re-launch the event in its original format-only longer. CabaretFest 2015 Provincetown weekend will be jammed-packed with activities and shows that Fitzpatrick says, 'Promise to be educational, entertaining, and fun, and all will celebrate 'The Art of Cabaret!'
CABARET LIFE NYC: My Second Half of 2014 Cabaret Journey or One Reviewer's Long Procrastination Special as We Bid Farewell to Another Year of Show Hopping
by Stephen Hanks
- Dec 26, 2014
If you've been a regular reader of this particular reviewer's musings, you know that every year there are long stretches of time where I just haven't been able to critique all the shows I've seen that deserve commentary. So I end up playing what they call in sports, 'Catch-up ball,' and post a mash up of belated reviews from past shows. It's kind of like a critic's version of the song 'Six Months Out of Every Year,' from Damn Yankees. Give or take a month or two, that's usually the time period during which I store unpublished reviews in my fevered brain and then unload them all in one seemingly endless column-like this one is going to be. If my cabaret-show reviewing days will be over (as chronicled here), I might as well go out with a bang-and relieve my procrastination guilt during holiday season. Now I can scratch one New Year's resolution off the list.
BWW Reviews: In Entertaining Individual Shows, Anna Marie Sell and Kim Sutton Explore the Military Life Through Music
by Billie Roe
- Dec 17, 2014
The month of December has always been an emotional time of the year, especially for our military families; a period to deeply reflect on family and country. Over the past few months in New York cabaret, a few performers have offered up musical testimony on wars, patriotism, and US military veterans. Recently, two singers fairly new to the cabaret scene--Anna Marie Sell and Kim Sutton--staged shows saluting the brave men and women who serve our country now and in the past.
BWW Reviews: Stacy Sullivan Honors Piano Jazz Legend Marian McPartland With Enchanting and Enlightening Performance at Don't Tell Mama
by Billie Roe
- Nov 30, 2014
Stacy Sullivan tells the audience she became interested in Marian McPartland when she was asked to sing at her memorial in 2013. With her show last Saturday night at Don't Tell Mama, On The Air: Songs for Marian McPartland (which enjoyed a late September run of four shows at the York Theatre), the multi MAC-award winning Sullivan has created a beautifully crafted, biographically-driven show featuring the original music, the history, and the life of a jazz icon, who was best known for hosting Piano Jazz on National Public Radio from 1978-2011. Now Stacy Sullivan has made us all interested in the amazing Marian McPartland.
BWW Reviews: Carolyn Montgomery-Forant Triumphantly Rises Again in Cabaret With Life-Affirming Show VISIBLE PHOENIX at the Beechman
by Billie Roe
- Nov 26, 2014
According to mythology, the 'Phoenix' was a bird of great beauty, said to have lived 1,000 years in the Arabian wilderness. The Phoenix burns itself to ashes on an ancient funeral pyre, only to rise again from those ashes with the renewed exuberance of youth. Its renewed life cycle symbolizes the immortality of the spirit, the rebirth of idealism, the essence of creativity, and the aura of eternal hope. With her new show at the Laurie Beechman, Visible Phoenix (which opened October 17 and returned last Friday night), multi-award winner Carolyn Montgomery-Forant has returned to the cabaret stage (after a 14-year hiatus to raise her son and run a cafe business) as the very personification of that rare beautiful bird.
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