Nicholas Adler News

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.

This year, the 23rd Cabaret Convention, October 17-19 at Jazz at Lincoln Center/Frederick P. Rose Hall, continued the extraordinary levels of entertainment provided by Smith and his compatriots, as well as provided happy, personal memories of the Mercer/Smith coalescence upon which the Foundation plans to thrive in the future. Check out photos from closing night below!

Singer Corinna Sowers-Adler returned to the Metropolitan Room for an encore engagement of her show 'By Request'. BroadwayWorld brings you coverage of the event below!

Singer Corinna Sowers-Adler returns to the Metropolitan Room for an encore engagement of her show 'By Request'.

Singer Corinna Sowers-Adler returns to the Metropolitan Room for an encore engagement of her show 'By Request'.

Donald Smith greeted all the performers as they were about to set upon the stage at the Cabaret Convention last night, but unfortunately it had to be with a letter from him posted backstage at Lincoln Center. Mr. Smith is still in rehab after surgery (back soon) and this was the first time the Mabel Mercer Foundation's founder was not able to be among the assemblage of cabaret fans and marvelous performers that make this three day event the highlight of the 'cabaret year' However, Mr. Smith's touch was apparent by the quality of the artists chosen to appear in this years convention. Rick Meadows, Director and Production Stage Manager of the show started the evening off with some wonderful words from Donald, and then introduced Andrea Marcovicci to pinch hit for Mr. Smith.

4th Wall Theatre in Bloomfield, NJ will end their 2009-2010 season with Cy Coleman's gritty musical The Life which details the pulsating life in Times Square, where everything and everyone seemed to have a price, before the arrival of Disney.

4th Wall Theatre in Bloomfield, NJ will end their 2009-2010 season with Cy Coleman's gritty musical The Life which details the pulsating life in Times Square, where everything and everyone seemed to have a price, before the arrival of Disney.

4th Wall Theatre in Bloomfield, NJ will end their 2009-2010 season with Cy Coleman's gritty musical The Life which details the pulsating life in Times Square, where everything and everyone seemed to have a price, before the arrival of Disney.