Eda Sorokoff News

Celebrities, lovers, fun seekers, and glamorous sophisticated New Yorkers can be found at The Carlyle's Bememlmans Bar on Sunday nights from 9-12 getting a major dose of great music and wit as Jim Caruso and  Billy Stritch hold court on Bobby Short street. There was a hurricane in Florida but everything was Sunny inside the Carlyle last night and Broadwayworld was there.

It's a world where the norms of the past are being challenged on a daily basis.  We don't have  Walter Cronkite to tell us 'that's the way it is', and respect for elected officials, symbols, and monuments is tried and tested every day. Sometimes I scratch my head wondering why I don't always 'get' the new notes, harmonies, lyrics, or humor anymore.  So for me, walking into The Carlyle, past the photos of JFK, Jackie, and Bobby Short, and then proceeding into Cafe Carlyle to hear the music of Herb Alpert is a welcome respite in melodic heaven.  Herb's trumpet doesn't overwhelm you with his amount of notes or volume, rather he overwhelms you with his melodies and elegant sophisticated improvisation, and of course so many of the tunes on his song list are hits he's made famous.  It gets better….Lani Hall, Herb's wife who started her career as the lead singer of Sergio Medes' legendary group, Brazil 66 is on stage with him to supply vocals.

Stephen Sondheim was in the audience at Barrington Stage Company's production of COMPANY the night before, but last night it was all about Joe Iconis and family appearing on the dark Mainstage for a one night concert as COMPANY rested for the evening.  Mr. Sondheim was  highly enthusiastic for the Julianne Boyd directed COMPANY and spent time with Aaron Tveit and the cast after the show.  It was an historic evening for the BSC community as Stephen Sondheim was generous with his praise for all involved with the production, which is the talk of the Berkshires this season. 

When she was a teenager Julie Budd was introduced to audiences by the likes of Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin, Johnny Carson, Carol Burnett, Danny Thomas, and Liberace, to name just a few.  Julianne Boyd, artistic director of Barrington Stage Company did the honors on the first night of Julie Budd's engagement at Mr. Finn's Cabaret.  The casual summer audience realized this would be a different night as Julie's band under the direction of renowned arranger/producer/pianist Herb Bernstein enter Mr. Finn's attired in tuxedos and Julie looking every bit the glamorous singer she is was wearing a gown.   Julie Budd has enjoyed a legendary career.  Today Julie continues to perform her concerts and one-woman shows, nationally and internationally while adding some of the most prestigious stages to her roster: Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, London Palladium, Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center and many of the finest Las Vegas Showrooms.

Elizabeth Aspenlieder was the best date you could have in the Berkshires last night.  Elizabeth directed and starred in the hilarious and heartbreaking story, Bad Dates presented in the Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Co. 

It was one of the most memorable nights of music ever heard in the Pavilion at the legendary French Woods, the French Woods Symphony Orchestra of 62 camp musicians was augmented by 15 Staff members and 15 members of The New York Pops under the baton of Maestro Steven Reineke, music director and conductor of The New York Pops.

Somewhere In Time, after another century of marvelous concerts at the MAHAIWE I'm sure Great Barrington audiences will be pointing out that the extraordinarily gifted Broadway star Sutton Foster sang here.  But as they gaze at the historic entertainment photos displayed on the walls of it's lower lobby they will only be able to imagine the heavenly sounds of Sutton Foster's voice.  They will not be able to experience how Sutton held an audience spell bound with singing that makes you want to cheer after every selection, except for the fact that you don't want to interrupt the exceptional musical moment. 

Barrington Stage Company (recently voted Best of The Berkshires) set a new record at the opening night of Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY last night. There appeared to be more selfie photos attempted of Aaron Tveit the show's star and cast leaving the stage door of the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage than happen by the ever present throngs in Broadway's Shubert Alley a show. Aaron, who was Bobby in the extraordinary production directed by BSC's founder and artistic director Julianne Boyd, was mobbed by  what seemed like the entire audience asTveit and the cast tried exit the stage door and continue on to the after party at the home of BSC Chair, Minky and Bruno Quinson. 

It was a memorable eventing of music in New York City last night as John Pizzarelli with Daniel Jobim and Special Guest Jessica Molaskey opened at Birdland on 44th street and Michael Feinstein opened on 54th street.

One music legend came to hear another last night.  Clive Davis was in Michael Feinstein's opening night audience as the Ambassador of the Great American Songbook brought the show-stopping songs of Broadway to his second home… Feinstein's/54 Below.  

The man whose name is on the door (and the wall behind the bar) had this directive to the theatre going public in anticipation of a performance by Jeff Blumenkrantz and Anne L. Nathan in Mr. Finn's Cabaret at Barrington Stage Co.

Some of the worlds greatest entertainers have performed on the stage of MAHAIWE in Great Barrington.  Michael Feinstein continued that tradition last night with his performance on it's historic stage.

'THIS' a play by Melissa James Gibson (House of Cards) opened on the St. Germain Stage of Barrington Stage Company last night and had most of the first night audience telling there friends 'don't miss THIS', after leaving the theatre.  Broadwayworld was there for the opening night celebration.  When great ideas, words, and acting are heard in a theatre THIS is what happens. 'THIS' runs thru August 27th.  Already Berkshire theatre lovers are also saying 'don't miss this' about Barrington Stage Companies production of COMPANY starring Aaron Tviet on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage August 10-Sept 2...Opening night is August 13.

The new musical A Legendary Romance opened at Williamstown Theatre Festival last night and Broadwayworld was there.

On Monday Linda Lavin performed her show titled 'My Second Farewell Concert' in New York City at the legendary Birdland. Last night she said a great musical hello to the Hudson Valley at Helsinki Hudson.

It was an evening of hilarity last night at Feinstein's/54 Below as the original cast of Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! celebrated it's 25th Anniversary.  

Linda Lavin returned to the historic Birdland stage last night with a show titled 'My Second Farewell Concert'.  The musicianship and entertainment of her performance will make it very hard for Ms. Lavin in any way have a real 'Farewell Concert'.  More accurately the title should have been one of her prior shows called 'Starting Over.' 

Taking Steps the comedy by Alan Aycbourn opened on Barrington Stage Company's Boyd-Quinson Mainstage last night and Broadwayworld was there for the opening night festivities.

Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and directed by long-time company member Daniela Varon this winner of the 2004 Steinberg New Play Award, New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award runs in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre fromJuly 20 through August 13, 2017.

Recently Barbra Streisand came to the Friars Club for the naming of the Barbra Streisand Room on the 2nd floor of the Monastery.  Last night she visited Mr. Finn's Cabaret at Barrington Stage Co. as one of Christine Pedi's Great Dames in Ms. Pedi's Award-Winning Cabaret Act.