Eda Sorokoff News

Some Radio and TV Stations may be refusing to play Frank Loesser's Academy Award-winning song, but Deana Martin and Steven Maglio sang it last night at the Friars Club to a jam packed room of gloriously festive and politically incorrect Friars. They joined the ranks of celebrities who have recorded the tune such as, Idina Menzel & Michael Buble', Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan, Margret Whiting & Johnny Mercer and the composer Frank Lesser and his wife Lynn Garland.

Most performers have a career/performance arc. Oftentimes fans compare early Sinatra crooning to the Chairman of the Board's later rugged vocal swagger. As the years ascend it's not unusual for vocalists to descend a key on the melodic scale. Marilyn Maye connoisseurs marvel at her early recordings but are also completely captivated by the current version of the super singer.

The RRAZZ ROOM audience got a Christmas gift last night, a voice and musician sent from heaven. Maureen McGovern, with her glorious tone, phrasing and dynamics filled the RRazz Room with a performance that was musical perfection. Actually, the same accolades go to her pianist for the evening, the legendary Mike Renzi. His pianistic tone, phrasing, dynamics, and harmonics are equalled by few. Maureen McGovern's voice “gets you” on all levels, she has a compelling Alto, a haunting Mid Range, and a Soprano that possesses the virtuosity to handle her excellent improvisational ability. This was the 45th Anniversary of Maureen's theme song “ The Morning After” which won the Oscar for Best Song of the year 1973 and yes, Jill & Rich Switzer of Legends Radio and everyone else present are talking about Maureen McGovern “ The Morning After”

Dave Koz's music and multitalented friends lit up the Kravis Center For The Performing Arts last night on all levels. It was a spectacular presentation of swinging holiday music and multi media lighting effects that had the West Palm Beach audience dazzled during the entire concert. The friends who joined Dave for this tour were, Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester, Michael Lington and special guest Chris Walker. Broadwayworld was there…check out the photos below.

Want to see a show where every note and word and performer is genius?  Want to see a show that makes you leap out of your seat many times during the performance?   It's playing at Feinstein's/54 Below for a very limited run….Broadway The Callaway! staring Liz Callaway & Ann Hampton Callaway…November 26, 27, & 30

The audience that crowded into the Grand Salon at La Goulue had the best bargain in NYC last night. Their eyes, ears, and taste buds spent a night in Paris for the cost of a pre-fixe dinner and music charge. Yanna Avis created an evening of authentic French Cabaret that brings you to the glamorous place and time when the likes of Cole Porter and other artistic Americans lived in Paris. You didn't have to speak French to enjoy her show, but it seemed that most everyone in the room did, as they joined in when Yanna sang PADAM, PADAM, PADAM, and popular other Chansons. I don't think most of Yanna Avis's sophisticated and well dressed fans needed this special price for the experience as many of them have seen her perform in Europe as well.

It's been a constant stream of theater and cabaret personalities flocking to see Tom Wopat at the Beach Cafe for the past 5 Wednesdays and his concluding night was no different. Enjoying the final show of the series were Michele Lee, Marilyn Maye, Linda Purl, Stacy Sullivan, Deborah Grace Winer, Jamie deRoy and Ken Fallin among others at the intimate East Side supper club. Tom will be returning to the club for a pre New Years Eve show.

Last night, celebrities, sports icons, family, and friends gathered at the Mariano Rivera Foundation Gala to benefit The New Learning Center For Children in New Rochelle, NY.

The preview of the magnificent things to come happens when Brian Stokes Mitchell sings the first song of his current show at Feinstein's/54 Below. It's the Irving Berlin classic “There's No Business Like Show Business”. I'm sure if Berlin ever heard the Stokes version he would bow down in tribute to the thrilling performance and unique revisit that the Tony Award Winner and consummate artist has brought to his 1954 tune written for Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun. Stokes navigates the innovative Tedd Firth arrangement and makes you feel excited, awestruck, and comfortable as his rich baritone voice effortlessly glides through the constant time signature and key changes. This current show at 54 is titled Brian Stokes Mitchell Plays With Music-Holiday and Stokes brings his acting, musicianship, and charismatic personality to make every tune on his song list a moving experience. The New York Times has dubbed Brian Stokes Mitchell as Broadway's “Last Leading Man” but Stokes is even much more than that. He's Chairman of the Board of The Actors Fund. He has a unique ability to bring people together and that theme is constant throughout his show. His encore at this performance was “What A Wonderful World” and the SRO audience left feeling that way mainly because Brian Stokes Mitchell is in it.

If these (Friar) walls could talk you would hear music and conversation from show biz legends of the past. Irving Berlin was a Friar who together with Friar George M. Cohan wrote many musical reviews called Friars Frolics to entertain their fellow Friars. Last night the Friars Club presented “An Evening With Irving Berlin” to celebrate the publication of Irving Berlin: New York Genius by bestselling author and Award Winner James Kaplan.

Great voice, magnetic personality, good looking, anything else?…Yes, he also writes the songs!

Last night in the heart of the Theatre District, Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, hosted its annual New York City Benefit, BSC/NYC to celebrate its 25th Anniversary Season. The annual event raised $110K for Barrington Stage's Julianne Boyd New Works Fund. The one-night only cabaret took place at the The Green Room 42.

I've been tracking this Storm for quite a while now and the intensity and power of her performance keeps escalating to the point where there is literally no category in the music world that describes her adequately. She is a performer who excites you on ever level and presses all your buttons. After Storm Large sweeps through an audience you are part of you'll be talking about her to all your friends and encouraging them to see her to experience the awesome talent and personality of one of the most unique entertainers on the planet. In addition to her own poignant songs she deconstructs and reconstructs Cole Porter like you've never heard before.

John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey started their set with Stephen Sondheim's “The Little Things You Do Together” from COMPANY but their performance is more about the big, intricate and intelligent things they do together musically. In this show (their annual fall engagement at Cafe Carlyle) they celebrate the collaboration of Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince.

Remember that song lyric “with Barons and Earls”……..Sophisticated, well heeled and well dressed New Yorkers came to the most elegant spot in New York City, The Pierre on Fifth Avenue last night as KT Sullivan brought Broadway and Cabaret to the iconic hotel's Two E Lounge. It was truly a royal audience in every way (check out the photos). They came to the 90 year hotel which was home to Elizabeth Taylor, hosted Rex Harrison and wife renewing their vows, and was where Yves St Laurent debuted his first US Collection, to hear arguably one of the finest artists in the world of Cabaret, KT Sullivan.

George Gershwin loved going to nightclubs. One evening when he was “on the town' with his pal Fred Astaire as they were in a club enjoying a group of entertainers George turned to Fred and said…”Where do all these new young talented people come from”?

Don't let Carole J. Bufford perform a concert in Central Park during a dry summer season. She might set the trees on fire. Most cabaret shows have their moments. When Carole is on stage it seems that every moment just leads to another moment of vocal excitement. Last night had many highs during the celebration of Carole's newest album, “Come Together” which features the music of the 60s and 70's. Yes, there were many high notes in this show, however one of the best lowest notes between Palm Beach and New York City happened when Carole asked her friend Sandy Fisher to join her on stage. Sandy, Producer, Legends Radio Host (Legends Ladder), and champion of Cabaret and the Great American Songbook was the party planner for this great night.

Regular folks use business cards, websites, and advertisements to let you know about their services and products. Cabaret artists have by far the most effective and entertaining way of telling you who they are. An autobiographical musical show!

The third night of the Mabel Mercer Foundation's New York Cabaret Convention hosted by Judy Garland expert John Fricke and actor, singer, humorist Klea Blackhurst had many noteworthy performances during it's three hours last night at Rose Theater. However, the most touching and dramatic Judy Garland minute was not musical. It happened when Sidney Myer a New York City Cabaret superstar related a story from his youth. It seems that Sidney survived the stress of the 50's and 60's of being “different” in the all boy New Jersey Prep School he attended (which Sidney recalled was populated by boys who specialized in terrorism) by focusing on his love of music and his worship of Judy Garland. He described to a spellbound Convention audience of being brought to a Judy Garland concert by his parents, he had his sign “ We Love Judy” in hand and with thousands cheering her as she walked down the aisle in a twist of fate he accidentally came face to face with her. Judy shook his hand and he managed to get out a “thank you” even though he had rehearsed a speech for years if this kind of moment ever happened. . There wasn't a dry eye in the house after his story. The evening had many humorous and emotional moments as Emmy Award winning host John Fricke, who is considered the preeminent Judy Garland and Wizard of Oz authority related many stories about Garland. Klea Blackhurst is probably one of the most effective and beloved Convention hosts and she used her wit and music to make it as always one of the most enjoyable of Convention nights.

Day two of the 2019 Mabel Mercer Foundation's 2019 New York Cabaret Convention filled Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center with a lot of Heart and Soul and the music of Frank Loesser last night. The Convention audience was immersed with the music of one of the greatest Broadway songwriters as one by one 23 renowned Cabaret artists performed Frank Loesser hits. The one and only Marilyn Maye brought the evening to a stunning conclusion with her rendition of Joey, Joey and her exciting 3/4 time version of Luck Be A Lady Tonight all arranged and played by the remarkable pianist Tedd Firth.