Mabel Mercer News

It was a happy time at Cafe Centro last night. Danny Bacher brought his Jazz, Vocals, and Comedy to the Cabaret and joined forces with the Michael Masci trio. Danny has all the talents to perfectly pay homage to the three musician entertainers he celebrated in his show….Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, and Louis Jordan. Danny plays 'happy music' and his enthusiasm and joy transferred to the Cafe Centro audience. As they say, 'the joint was jumpin', with Michael on piano, Paul Shewchuck on bass, and Cielo Blue, drums.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present the return of KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler on Tuesday, May 14at 7:00 PM.

Introducing the first episode of the new series CABARET TODAY! In this ongoing series, my hope is to inspire, educate and entertain through sharing the stories of established as well as up-and-coming cabaret artists, whether they have graced the cabaret stage, a concert hall or a Broadway theater.

The MAC (Milford Arts Council) and Pantochino Productions announce a very special Nite Spot Night event on April 6th at 8pm. The MAC, located at 40 Railroad Avenue South in downtown Milford CT, will be turned into a piano bar for one night only! With the baby grand piano in the center of the room, patrons will be seated at tables around the room (and even on stage) as acclaimed Broadway actor/pianist Michael "Mac" McAssey will sing and play favorite show tunes and pop music. The audience will be invited to sing along with Mac. Guests are also encouraged to come early and bring their favorite drinks and food for a "bring your own" -style night. The Speakeasy Lounge will be open for concessions as well.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre is proud to present award-winning vocalist Josephine Sanges in a special return for one night only of Come Rain or Come Shine, the Music of Harold Arlen, on Thursday, February 27th at 7:00 pm. Sanges taps the Academy Award-winning songbook of Arlen ('I've Got The World on a String,' 'Stormy Weather,' 'Over the Rainbow, 'Blues in the Night') plus more songs from Hollywood ('The Wizard of Oz,' 'A Star is Born') as well as Broadway ('St. Louis Woman,' 'House of Flowers').

Marvelous Marilyn Maye, at the peak of a miraculous career at 90, returns to Minneapolis for the first time since 2010 for a four-show major engagement at the lakeside supper club Crooners in March.  Maye, a practitioner without peer of a classic American nightclub style that Crooners audiences are embracing, plays the club's newly refurbished, 200-seat Crooners MainStage in back-to-back early and late shows (5:30pm and 8pm), on Saturday and Sunday March 23 and 24.  Joining her for this four-show weekend stand will be her New York music director Tedd Firth on piano, leading a trio with locals Gary Raynor on bass (a Maye vet) and David Schmalenberger on drums.

Dr. Bradley Jones returns to the Laurie Beechman stage on Feb. 13th, 2019 at 7pm with a benefit performance of the hilarious and moving coming-of-age story, Dr. Bradley's Fabulous Functional Narcissism: The Psychoanalytic Odyssey of a Once Glorified Chorus Boy. 100% of net proceeds will benefit the Actors Fund.

By popular demand, The Laurie Beechman Theatre is proud to present award-winning vocalist Josephine Sanges in a special return for one night only, Josephine Sanges - Come Rain or Come Shine, - Thursday, February 28, 2019...

Two legends of the art form of Cabaret KT Sullivan & Steve Ross sang the music and lyrics of Noel Coward which were weaved together by reciting the numerous descriptive letters the playwright/composer/performer wrote to his mother and others. This captivating and elegant evening was written and introduced by Barry Day, the Literary Advisor to the Noel Coward Estate, who has written extensively about Sir Noel Coward. His writings include, The Complete Verse, The Letters of Noel Coward, Coward on Film Coward Coward Screenplays and the forthcoming Coward on Theatre.

Dr. Bradley Jones returns to the Laurie Beechman stage on Feb. 13th, 2019 at 7pm with a benefit performance of the hilarious and moving coming-of-age story, Dr. Bradley's Fabulous Functional Narcissism: The Psychoanalytic Odyssey of a Once Glorified Chorus Boy. 100% of net proceeds will benefit the Actors Fund.

A popular Welsh singer with an attractive rich, dark voice, who came to prominence in the UK in 1979 when her recording of 'He Was Beautiful (The Theme From The Deer Hunter)', entered the Top 20. Her version of 'He Was Beautiful', backed by the BBC Midland Light Orchestra, generated such a favorable response that she recorded it immediately. The success of the record led to a series of television appearances and concerts at top venues, including the London Palladium. In 1981, she made her debut at London's Royal Festival Hall, supporting American singer Vic Damone, and was named Vocalist Of The Year.

Kick off the New Year with not one but FOUR acclaimed Karens of cabaret, joining forces onstage for the first time! "Everything's Coming Up Karens," slated for Friday evening, January 25, features performances by Karen Oberlin, Karen Mack, Karen Gross, and Karen Kohler, with musical direction by Tedd Firth. This one-night-only show at NYC's supper club and cabaret hotspot Beach Cafe is not to be missed. Dinner at 8 pm, showtime at 9:30 pm. The Beach Cafe is located at 1326 2nd Ave, New York, New York 10021

B.J. Ryan's Magnolia Room Presents Raissa Katona Bennett and Kenneth Gartman in "What a Wonderful World," a duo show that will feature classic Great American Songbook, Broadway Show Tunes and some New American Songbook selections from contemporary writers, as duets and solo performances.

Lynn University and Jan McArt, producer and director of theatre arts program development, today announced that the popular Mabel Mercer Foundation's Cabaret at Lincoln Center Comes to Live at Lynn series will return for a third season on five Wednesdays January through May. Leading cabaret artists will present intimate evenings of song, story and joie de vivre in the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center.

Broadway actress-singer Raissa Katona Bennett has a very full and exciting calendar of performances this fall. Having just concluded the off-Broadway run of Spoolie Girl, she's setting her sights on cabaret and concert performances through the New Year.

It's an evening of cabaret at The Never Get! The York Theatre Company will present An Intimate Night at The York, celebrating the lush history of New York City cabaret with a special 'intimate' evening with commentary by special guest James Gavin (Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret), interspersed with performances by award-winning cabaret artists including Natalie Douglas, Shana Farr, Marissa Mulder, T. Oliver Reid, Steve Ross, KT Sullivan, Bill Zeffiro, and more! 

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present VIVIAN REED in an encore performance of her centennial tribute to entertainment icon Lena Horne on Today, October 20 at 7:00 PM. The evening is back by popular demand after the first show at the venue on Horne's birthday this summer. 

Broadway actress-singer Raissa Katona Bennett has a very full and exciting calendar of performances getting underway this week, beginning with the premiere of Spoolie Girl, a new and original fractured rock fairytale by Rosemary Loar. Spoolie Girl runs Oct. 17th through Oct. 27th at Actors Temple Theatre. 

This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.

As BroadwayWorld sadly reported last week, composer/lyricist/actress Carol Hall passed away at age 82. We remember the Broadway veteran below.