Dana Lorge News

n this space back in mid-July, BroadwayWorld.com New York cabaret reviewer Stephen Hanks offered up his list of the Best New York Cabaret Performances for the first half of 2013. Now, here is his list of the performers he feels were the best and most exciting in cabaret this year.

Our intrepid cabaret columnist/reviewer Stephen Hanks catches up on some reviews of fall 2013 shows, including Mary Foster Conklin's BroadwayWorld.com Award nominated tribute to Fran Landesman, solo shows from Bernard Dotson, Gary Crawford, and Lauren Glazer, and a duo show from Alison Nusbaum and Jackie Kristel.

Voting is now underway for Cabaret! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

If you're wondering whether or not 2013 was a fantastic year for the cabaret art form in New York, all you have to do is scan the amazing list of nominees for this year's BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards and you'll know it was one of the best ever. So now it's time for all you cabaret performers and fans to vote for the best singers, musicians, songs, and shows of the year. Voting will continue until Sunday night January 5 and the winners will be announced later that week. We hope that all the winners will be able to perform in the Award show on Sunday night February 23 at Joe's Pub.

'Love Makes The World Go 'Round, A Benefit Concert for Zani's Furry Friends' is set for the Laurie Beechman Theatre tonight, November 30, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

A star-studded musical celebration, the 4th Annual Best of Broadway & Cabaret to benefit the Actors' Temple [339 West 47th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenue], the historic theater district landmark that has been a welcoming home to show business Jews, their family, and friends, took place on November 18. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

The Best of Broadway & Cabaret come out in support of the Actors' Temple, (est. 1917) tonight, Monday, November 18, 2013 at 7:00 PM. The Fourth Annual Concert Fundraiser will take place at the Temple, 339 West 47th Street. This musical celebration will benefit the theater district historic landmark which has been struggling to survive in recent years.

Randie Levine-Miller presents 'The Jewish American Songbook, ' a fabulous Broadway Benefit for the historic Actors' Temple, tonight Monday, November 18, 7 PM.

A star-studded musical celebration, the 4th Annual Best of Broadway & Cabaret to benefit the Actors' Temple [339 West 47th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenue], the historic theater district landmark that has been a welcoming home to show business Jews, their family, and friends, will take place Monday, November 18 at 7 P.M.

The Best of Broadway & Cabaret will come out in support of the Actors' Temple, (est. 1917) on Monday, November 18, 2013 at 7:00 PM. The Fourth Annual Concert Fundraiser will take place at the Temple, 339 West 47th Street. This musical celebration will benefit the theater district historic landmark which has been struggling to survive in recent years.

As a 20-year cabaret veteran and 10-time MAC Award nominee (winning three), Sue Matsuki is nothing if not ambitious and a tad pretentious. How else to explain someone with both the chutzpah and the checkbook to stage a run of four shows at the Metropolitan Room (soon to become six) in which each show covers a different musical genre with a totally different set list and employs different directors, musical directors and bands? Just writing that sentence has me clutching my checkbook for deal life.

Randie Levine-Miller presents "The Jewish American Songbook, " a fabulous Broadway Benefit for the historic Actors' Temple, on Monday, November 18, 7 PM.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC last night presented a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake. The evening celebrated the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as 'It Was A Very Good Year,' which was popularized by Frank Sinatra. Drake, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983 also wrote the songs 'I Believe,' 'Good Morning Heartache,' 'Tico-Tico,' 'Perdido,' 'Now I Have Everything,' 'A Room without Windows,' 'AL DI LA,' & 'Quando Quando.' He is also the composer and lyricist of the 1964 Broadway show, What Makes Sammy Run.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC have announced that they will present a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake tonight, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as 'It Was A Very Good Year,' which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.

Sutton Foster may be a Tony-Award winning Broadway Musical Theatre darling, but if her opening-night show this past Wednesday at Café Carlyle (which launched her current three-week run until September 28) is the best she can do, she's far from also being considered a nightclub/cabaret diva.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC have announced that they will present a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake on Tuesday, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as "It Was A Very Good Year," which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.

ScoBar Entertainment will present A TRIBUTE TO ERVIN DRAKE, one night only, Tuesday, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the music & life of legendary American songwriter Ervin Drake, whose works include "I Believe," "Good Morning Heartache," "It Was A Very Good Year," "Tico-Tico," "Perdido," "Now I Have Everything," "A Room without Windows," "AL DI LA," & "Quando Quando," to name a few.

Hosted by Good Day New York's Rosanna Scotto, Top Comediennes performed at The Friars Club in NYC to Benefit Women Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide. The SHOP-SHMOOZE-LAUGH event benefited the fair-trade jewelry initiative of SAME SKY (founder Francine LeFrak), an organization that offers employment to women living with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Last night, August 13th at 8 & 10pm, ScoBar Entertainment presented A TRIBUTE TO Julie Wilson at Iridium NYC. Performers included Eric Comstock, Baby Jane Dexter, Natalie Douglas, Antonio Edwards, Eric Engelhardt, Barbara Fasano, Terese Genecco, Jeff Harnar, Mark Hartman, Tanya Holt, Sue Matsuki , Marissa Mulder, Christine Pedi, Colm Reilly, Julie Reyburn, Ricky Ritzel, KT Sullivan, Stacy Sullivan, Grace Wall, Lennie Watts & Carol Woods. Accompanying the performers was The Barry Levitt Trio, Barry Levitt on piano, Dick Sarpola on bass & Ray Marchica on drums. Check ot photos from the special event below!

Unless the host is particularly warm, funny, and charismatic (think Dana Lorge and her new monthly vehicle at the Metropolitan Room) or the show is a way to champion a good cause (like Joseph Macchia's Cabaret Cares events), for the most part cabaret variety shows are clunky affairs which can be too long, too rambling, give too much time to average talent or not enough of a showcase to outstanding talent. I ran into one of the rare exceptions last month (April 23) in the form of the The Concerts for City Greens' First Annual Gala & 2012 Songwriting Contest Finale, a variety show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre that served as a fund raiser for the launch of a new non-profit called Music and Art for Green which will incorporate Concerts for City Greens within its umbrella.