Maria Ottavia News

Bistro and MAC Award-winning performers Marcus Simeone and Tracy Stark take us on a journey through the music and career of songwriter Jimmy Webb, via solos and duets. This is the final NYC performance of a show directed by Lina Koutrakos.

Richard Skipper is returning for the second installment of a series that encourages each of us to celebrate each and every day and all the gems that each day holds. 

Fourteen years since his debut at Don't Tell Mama, Marcus Simeone has evolved into a fearless singer who is able to climb inside any song and deliver it home with ease. Aside from eclectic solo work, he has also partnered with others over the years with mixed results. Currently, he has joined forces with two cabaret artists in two totally unrelated songwriter showcases running simultaneously in two different clubs. One salutes a controversial folk pioneer and the other pays homage to three Broadway icons.

Last nght, The Metropolitan Room welcomed some of Broadway's brightest to salute the legendary Elaine Stritch with an evening of stories and songs, hosted by the famed cabaret's owner, Bernard Furshpan. Check out a look back below!

The Metropolitan Room previously announced that they will proudly salute the legendary Elaine Stritch with an evening of stories and songs onAugust 7th 2014 at 7:00pm. Hosted by the famed cabaret's owner, Bernard Furshpan, performers of all backgrounds will join forces to honor her memory.

Ann Hampton Callawayand Liz Callaway return to 54 Below with SIBLING RIVERLRY, continuing through April 19. The show is a loosely-based musical autobiography outlining their lives from their childhood in Chicago, to their move to New York City, to the ever-continuing adventures of their luminous careers.

Broadway Sings for Pride will kickoff NYC Gay Pride 2013 by celebrating with their third annual Gay Pride benefit concert. The special one-night benefit entitled ' Unite' with join forces with American Idol and Billboard recording artistic Kimberley Locke, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa (star of Wicked, Rent, Brooklyn The Musical), American Idol and Rent star Anwar Robinson and over 20 members of the Broadway community. The concert will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Broadway Sings for Pride. There will also be special speakers including a message of hope from Steven Guy and James Clementi of the Tyler Clementi Foundation. The night will be hosted by award winning host from the hit show 'truTV Presents: the World's Dumbest' Scott Nevins with staging by Rachele Rommes (Minnesota Timberwolves choreographer). A live auction will happen before the show.

Broadway Sings for Pride will kickoff NYC Gay Pride 2013 by celebrating with their third annual Gay Pride benefit concert. The special one-night benefit entitled ' Unite' with join forces with American Idol and Billboard recording artistic Kimberley Locke, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa (star of Wicked, Rent, Brooklyn The Musical), American Idol and Rent star Anwar Robinson and over 20 members of the Broadway community. The concert will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Broadway Sings for Pride. There will also be special speakers including a message of hope from Steven Guy and James Clementi of the Tyler Clementi Foundation. The night will be hosted by award winning host from the hit show 'truTV Presents: the World's Dumbest' Scott Nevins with staging by Rachele Rommes (Minnesota Timberwolves choreographer). A live auction will happen before the show.

Theater and fashion will share the spotlight for a special one-night only Broadway-themed fashion collection at this season's New York Couture Fashion Week. The collection will take place today, February 16, 2013 at The New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan.

Theater and fashion will share the spotlight for a special one-night only Broadway-themed fashion collection and after party at this season's New York Couture Fashion Week (couturefashionweek.com).

Theater and fashion will share the spotlight for a special one-night only Broadway-themed fashion collection at this season's New York Couture Fashion Week. The collection will take place on Saturday, February 16, 2013 at The New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan.

By the last August, I had fallen so far behind on writing reviews of cabaret shows from the spring and early summer (I guess it's a positive when there are more performers and shows in New York than days in the week) that I decided to play catch up by combining a bunch of critiques into one big column. I hadn't planned on doing that again, but this fall there were so many shows that once again I couldn't keep up. but at least I've beaten my self-imposed deadline New Year's Eve deadline of posting these reviews of 12 shows, all staged between September-December by lovely, attractive women (okay, so one is a gender-bender) of varying talents and levels on the cabaret depth chart, from established stars to MAC and Bistro Award-winners to comeback 'kids' to interesting beginners and occasional performers who are in the game to follow their bliss. Whether their performances were rave-worthy, earning of qualified praise, or not quite up to snuff, they all deserve kudos for taking the plunge.

In a hotly contested semi-final round of the 'MetroStar Talent Challenge' at The Metropolitan Room last night, five finalists, were picked to move forward in the 8-week singers' competition.

In a hotly contested semi-final round of the 'MetroStar Talent Challenge' at The Metropolitan Room last night, five finalists, were picked to move forward in the 8-week singers' competition.

Jenna gives a rundown of where she's been and what's coming up in the world of cabaret (and sometimes beyond!) This week's column features Maria Ottavia and Vickie & Nickie at Don't Tell Mama, Tom D'Angelo at Feinstein's, and more!

Jenna gives a rundown of where she's been and what's coming up in the world of cabaret (and sometimes beyond!) This week's column features Cast Party at Birdland, Jerry Cherry and the Funk Church at Rockwood Music Hall, and more!

Richard Skipper, along with Dana Lorge, is hosting a weekly variety show in NYC at The Iguana VIP Lounge in the heart of NYC (240 West 54th Street 8-11PM/with an intermission). WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE IGUANA!