Lennie Watts News

One of the joys of reviewing cabaret is being fortunate enough to discover a remarkable talent. I experienced that feeling this past Saturday night at Don't Tell Mama where Christy Frye debuted her New York cabaret show, Christy Frye: Feels Like the First Time – Things I Learned From the Car Radio. Considering Frye is native of the Washington, D.C. area, and has been commuting weekly to New York for more than two years to study and participate in the New York cabaret scene, one might get the impression that Frye spends a good deal of her time in the car listening to the “oldies but goodies,” thereby supporting the first rule of cabaret performance--make the subject matter organic to the performer. 

Bistro Award winning and MAC Award nominated singer-songwriter Nathan Chang returns to the cabaret scene with a brand new show, NAILING IT! (SONGS AND STORIES OF NAILS AND FAILS) which will premiere at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on June 16th at 7pm. Tickets are $20 ($15 for MAC Members) and can be purchased at www.westbankcafe.com.

This week at 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

'Mama's Next BIG Act!' a 12-week talent competition that mixes styles and genres, is announcing its celebrity judges panel today. Featuring a mother lode of entertainers, critics and notable personalities, the jury pool is also reflective of the contest's diversity, pitting -- in direct competition -- solo, duo and group acts in music, magic, drag, burlesque and variety.

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 tonight, May 9, 2015 and Thursday, May 14, 2015, both shows at 7pm.

Legendary Theatre District nightspot Don't Tell Mama is announcing the first annual 'Mama's Next BIG Act!' a bigger than average, 12-week competition that mixes styles and genres. Beginning Tuesday June 9 at 9:30pm, and running for 12 consecutive weeks every Tuesday through August 25, 'Mama's Next BIG Act!' will break new water in the competitions field by attracting acts in multiple categories and then pitting the top votegetters in head-to-head competition during the contest's final weeks.

Legendary theatre district cabaret nightspot Don't Tell Mama--which has been a launch pad for countless future stars in cabaret and theater since it inaugurated its cabaret in November 1982--has announced it will present the first annual Mama's Next BIG Act! a 12-week competition for entertainers that mixes styles and genres. Beginning Tuesday June 9 at 9:30 pm, and running for 12 consecutive weeks every Tuesday through August 25, Mama's Next BIG Act! will attract acts in multiple categories and then pit the top votegetters in head-to-head competition during the contest's final weeks. Voted by the audience and a cavalcade of celebrity judges, the contest will invite solo, duo, and group acts in the following categories: music, magic, drag, burlesque, and variety. (All acts may use the contest's resident music director, or provide their own accompaniment.)

Help Is On The Way Today will hold its annual fundraising Gala on Sunday, May 17th, at Metropolitan Room.  

Help Is On The Way Today will hold its annual fundraising Gala on Sunday, May 17th, at Metropolitan Room.  Help Is On The Way Today is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2005 by MAC AWARD winning producer, Joseph Macchia, to assist children and youth living with HIV and AIDS. The full lineup of incredible talent has been confirmed. Solo performers include:

Hot off her 2015 MAC Award win The Sexy Sass Coloratura is laughing  like Adele from ' Die Fledermaus,' 'its so funny ha ha ha,' and it will be funny and glorious when she recreates that famous aria and many more in her critically acclaimed show LEGIT (A Classical Cabaret) Directed by Lina Koutrakos, with Music Direction by Mark Janas with Special Guest Operatic Tenor Christopher Yoon and multi-Award winning songstress Celia Berk.

Four recent shows at Don't Tell Mama featured performers either making their debuts on the New York cabaret scene (Evelyn Sullivan and Erin McCracken) or who returned this spring in hopeful anticipation of sharing their artistic vision with audiences (Rob Sutton and Eve Eaton). They no doubt experienced the usual anxiety, trials and tribulations before ultimately taking the stage. And they've come out on the other side relatively unscathed. 

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

This May and June, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street.

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.

'Big, bold and beautiful' vocalist and U.S. Navy Veteran, Kim Sutton, brings her show, 'Anchors Away,' back to New York for Fleet Week. Sutton uses her experiences in the military of the 1980s as the platform for an ebullient and touching look at Navy life for a teenage girl of limited means who made the choice for service as a route to education and adventure.

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.

LOVE LETTERS FROM JERSEY, a one-Jersey-girl celebration of vocal artists from the Garden State by Jody Mullen, opens at Don't Tell Mama on April 25 at 4 PM with a second showing on May 2 at 7 PM.

From the Oscars to the Tonys, the Grammys to Emmys, awards ceremonies are always a hit-or-miss situation. Either the event is absolutely excellent or ends with spectators saying, 'Well, they'll do a better job with it next year.' The 2015 MAC Awards, presented by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, and held once again this year at BB King's on West 42nd Street, absolutely fell into the former category. It was a splendid affair (albeit it's usual 3-plus hours) that was expertly directed by MAC President Lennie Watts.

At a ceremony held Thursday night in New York, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2015 MAC Awards. The show was hosted by Karen Mason, with musical direction by Barry Levitt, and was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the evening below!

At a ceremony held last night in New York, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2015 MAC Awards. The show was hosted by Karen Mason, with musical direction by Barry Levitt, and was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts.