Laurie Beechman News

Broadway Sessions is thrilled to welcome cast members from Tony Award winning musical Avenue Q and more on April 4th.

It's April 1st. Do you know when your Spring is coming? During another longggggg New York winter, the good news is that there were a ton of warming cabaret shows. The bad news is that there were so many, even during this seemingly endless winter our intrepid reviewer Stephen Hanks didn't have enough time to review them all right after the performances. So in what is becoming a seasonal ritual, here he offers yet another compilation of 13 'catch-up' cabaret show reviews.

Singer Ruth Carlin, whose debut album 'Moon Song' will be released at her show of the same name at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on Saturday, April 6 at 8:00 PM, will be Ward Morehouse III's special guest on his TV show Broadway After Dark.

Eva Kantor, 2012 MetroStar Finalist, brings her first solo show 'The Way I Am' to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, now through April 21, 2013, directed by Eric Michael Gillett, with musical direction by Don Rebi and produced by Cookie Stark. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from her performance below!

When Dana Lorge's run as a Variety Show hosted ended at the Iguana Restaurant last July-and after winning two 2012 MAC Awards for 'Best Variety Show' and 'Best Variety Show Host'-who knew she'd be reduced to being a cabaret audience member searching for a new showcase? But a Metropolitan Room Mentch has come to the rescue in the form of Bernie Furshpan (the Met Room's General Partner and Manager), who has provided Dana with a monthly forum for her unique brand of cabaret shtick beginning Friday, April 5 at 7-8:15 pm. While the new show won't be the two-hour plus extravaganza of yore featuring more than a dozen performers, Dana's new 'Variety Show' promises to feature a solid group of experienced and well-known cabaret and musical theater pros. For the April 5 opener, the Lorge Lineup features Richard Skipper, her former Award-winning Co-host from the Iguana days; film and stage actor Jim Brochu (of Zero Mostel One-Man Show fame), singers LaTanya Hall (from the CBS show 'Blue Bloods) and Peggy Herman Klat, Rick Crom (Creator of Newsical the Musical), and Mr. Furshpan, who will show off his stand-up comedy chops. But the real star of the show will always be the hilarious, unpredictable, darling Dana, who will both crack you up with her infectious humor and surprise you with her engaging singing performances.

A host of Broadway stars have gathered to record the music of Jonathan Reid Gealt for an album to benefit Broadway Impact, to be released on April 30, 2013.

Dallas DuBois and her merry band of drag stars -- whose DISTORTED DIZNEE show has developed a cult following -- put a bawdy twist on your favorite show tunes and theater classics in DISTORTED BROADWAY. This Las Vegas-style drag extravaganza stars Holly Dae, Bootsie LeFaris, Pixie Aventura, and Tina Burner. Performances begin tonight, March 29 where it will run in rotating rep with DISTORTED DIZNEE at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Eva Kantor, 2012 MetroStar Finalist, will bring her first solo show 'The Way I Am' to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, tonight, March 29-April 21, 2013, directed by Eric Michael Gillett, with musical direction by Don Rebi and produced by Cookie Stark.

Starring four-time Tony nominated Tovah Feldshuh and others, SHOWSTOPPERS! Spring Awakenings celebrates the talents and achievements of the AEA Scholarship Program students. Joining the Broadway stars on the bill is scholarship success story, Stephen Mitchell Brown, making his Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde this April.

She has opened for Lady Gaga, starred in Rent and sung a duet with Idina Menzel, now Australian Idol sensation Courtney Act premieres her newest solo show in New York. Beginning May 11, the drag star will present COURTNEY ACT: BOYS LIKE ME at The Laurie Beechman Theater.

BEN RIMALOWER: "PATTI ISSUES" - the hit solo play hailed as "ecstatically vivid" by The New York Times and praised for its "wit, feeling and conviction" by Time Out New York - has announced a sixth extension after more rave reviews and a host of awards. The show will now run through June 29 at The Duplex in the West Village. Since "PATTI ISSUES" opened in August, it has become a must-see show on the downtown theater scene, garnering great word-of-mouth from attendees such as Alan Cumming, Michael Kors, Justin Vivian Bond, Tonya Pinkins, Perez Hilton and Ms. LuPone herself ("I was moved," she said. "He's a very talented man and I'm so proud of him.") Included as "Best New York Theater of 2012," The Advocate called the show "smart, poignant and dishy as hell," while it was dubbed "pithy and unforgettable" by The Huffington Post and "a very fierce comedy" by BroadwayWorld.com. "PATTI ISSUES" received a special Bistro Award for solo play in March and just won the MAC Award for "Male Debut." The show will be performed in Berkeley, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles between March 26 and March 30. BEN RIMALOWER: "PATTI ISSUES" is directed by Aaron Mark (Another Medea with Tom Hewitt, Random Unrelated Projects).

PANDORA BOXX, a favorite contestant from RuPaul's Drag Race, will present the New York premiere of her solo comedy. Beginning May 24, the beloved comedienne will present PANDORA BOXX: LICK THIS BOXX! at The Laurie Beechman Theater (inside West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd Street at Ninth Avenue.

"Gravy", described as a one woman tour de force written and directed by Dana Tarantino will run at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in the Westbank Cafe for a limited engagement from April 25 thru 28. Angela C. Vuolo is producer. The cast includes Marianne Ferrari and Chandler Bishop.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs has just announced the winners of the 2013 MAC Awards, which were presented last night at the 27th Annual MAC Awards Show. The awards ceremony was held at B.B. King Blues Club, and the show was directed by Lennie Watts and produced by Julie Miller. Lifetime Achievement awards were presented to Tom Wopat and Penny Fuller. The Board of Directors Award was presented to 54 Below, and a special award was presented in memory of Ruth Kurtzman. The Hanson Award was presented to Elaine St. George. The show was hosted by KT Sullivan, with music direction by Tracy Stark, and stage management by Amy Wolk.

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Bway Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano. This Today, March 21st, Broadway Sessions will celebrate Broadway Best Friends Eric Sciotto and Kirsten Wyatt.

After a successful sold-out show at the Laurie Beechman Theater, playwright/songwriter, David Davila and friends came back to rock Stage 72 at the Triad with more fun songs about love, sex, strippers, and following your dreams. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concert below!

Liz Larsen serenaded Michael Einfeld with 'You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)' from THE HONEYMOON EXPRESS at Broadway Sessions on January 29th, 2013. Watch her sing below!

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Bway Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano. This Thursday, March 21st, Broadway Sessions will celebrate Broadway Best Friends Eric Sciotto and Kirsten Wyatt.

Alexis Field recently appeared as Diwata in the 4th Wall Theatre production of Speech And Debate. She has appeared Off-Broadway in Angelina Ballerina (Union Square Theatre) and Scenes From The Staten Island Ferry (McGinn/Cazale Theatre). Additional credits include Temping The Musical, The Spitfire Grill, and the world premiere adaptation of Tartuffe by Connie Congdon. Alexis has previously appeared at Joe's Pub, Le Poisson Rouge, and the Metropolitan Club.