Peggy Eason News

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.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs will present the 29th Annual MAC Awards on Thursday, March 26st, at 7:30pm, at B.B King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

As the days dwindled down to a precious few in 2014, a few cabaret goers and performers in what is affectionately but also self-mockingly called the “cabaret community” would sidle up and ask if I was planning my annual end-of-the year “Best Of” column, similar to the “Top 20 Bests and Favorites” piece over the first half of the year I posted back in early July. I would respond in the negative with very reasonable and believable excuses, but the truth is I didn't want to reveal my “Bests” of the year until the voting for the 2014 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards had ended. There's enough baggage and backstage whispering that comes with administering the BWW Awards, so I wasn't about to publish any opinions that might influence the vote while it was in process. I may be crazy but I'm not masochistic. But now all bets are off. You want lists? I'll give you lists.

If you've been a regular reader of this particular reviewer's musings, you know that every year there are long stretches of time where I just haven't been able to critique all the shows I've seen that deserve commentary. So I end up playing what they call in sports, 'Catch-up ball,' and post a mash up of belated reviews from past shows. It's kind of like a critic's version of the song 'Six Months Out of Every Year,' from Damn Yankees. Give or take a month or two, that's usually the time period during which I store unpublished reviews in my fevered brain and then unload them all in one seemingly endless column-like this one is going to be. If my cabaret-show reviewing days will be over (as chronicled here), I might as well go out with a bang-and relieve my procrastination guilt during holiday season. Now I can scratch one New Year's resolution off the list.

After more than two decades of exciting contribution to the New York musical scene, The Mabel Mercer Foundation hits a new high this autumn by producing its 25th annual New York Cabaret Convention for four evenings, October 20th-23rd. All performances begin at 6 o'clock at the Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Frederick P. Rose Hall at Broadway and 60th Street.

Black, Blind and Beautiful, Peggy Easton's robust and gorgeous style will enthrall everyone who hears her. Once again, she is directed by ten-time MAC winner Lennie Watts -- and after two successful outings on June 9th and June 15th, Peggy is back again tonight, July 23rd.

Since I attended more than 50 shows over the past eight months (a few more than once)--the large majority of which were reviewed on these web pages—I felt I had more than enough cabaret show inventory to present my second-annual “Mid-Year Cabaret Review” citing the “20 Best Cabaret Shows and Performances” for the first half of 2014. Since the eligibility period for 2014 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Award consideration begins with shows staged since last November (late October if it was the first of a run), I've included a few of those late 2013 shows in this group. And with the announcement of the BWW Award nominees just four months away, I've offered some projections on the Award categories for which these shows very well might receive consideration.

Black, Blind and Beautiful, Peggy Easton's robust and gorgeous style will enthrall everyone who hears her. Once again, she is directed by ten-time MAC winner Lennie Watts -- and after two successful outings on June 9th and June 15th, Peggy is back again on July 23rd.

Peggy Eason is one of those characters who seem to have been made for the New York cabaret scene. She's a bodacious woman who is ubiquitous at the local clubs, possesses a passion for singing, and bills herself as the 'Chocolate Diva,' although on stage she's more like a Red Hot Mama. Eason opened her third solo cabaret show, I'll Show Them All, at Don't Tell Mama on Monday night (she's appearing again at the club on Sunday at 7pm) with the decidedly politically incorrect titled song written especially for her by David Conforte, 'Black, Blind and Beautiful' (Hey, 'African American, Visually Challenged and Beautiful' doesn't have the same ring to it.). But there was little that was incorrect about her fast-paced and entertaining show that was often poignant and funny at the same time.

Shana Farr, the multi-talented singer and award-winning cabaret artist, has announced her upcoming schedule of summer performances which will begin today, May 28, at 6:30 PM, with an appearance at the Opening Concert For City Greens, hosted by Raissa Katonah Bennett, in Tudor City Greens Park (41st St between 1st and 2nd Aves).

The 7th Season of The Parks Concert Series, (formerly The Concert for City Greens), a free outdoor concert series, commences tonight, May 28th at 6:30 pm (Rain date: Thursday, May 29th at 6:30pm.) at Tudor City Greens, and will feature professional performers from Broadway and the New York City cabaret, jazz, classical and opera scene.

Shana Farr, the multi-talented singer and award-winning cabaret artist, has announced her upcoming schedule of summer performances which will begin on Wednesday, May 28, at 6:30 PM, with an appearance at the Opening Concert For City Greens, hosted by Raissa Katonah Bennett, in Tudor City Greens Park (41st St between 1st and 2nd Aves).

The 7th Season of The Parks Concert Series, (formerly The Concert for City Greens), a free outdoor concert series, commences on Wednesday, May 28th at 6:30 pm (Rain date: Thursday, May 29th at 6:30pm.) at Tudor City Greens, and will feature professional performers from Broadway and the New York City cabaret, jazz, classical and opera scene. All performers donate their time and talent for these concerts. The concert will be hosted by Tudor City resident, Broadway and cabaret veteran Raissa Katona Bennett.

The 7th Season of The Parks Concert Series, (formerly The Concert for City Greens), a free outdoor concert series, commences on Wednesday, May 28 at 6:30 pm (Rain date: Thursday, May 29 at 6:30pm.) at Tudor City Greens, and will feature professional performers from Broadway and the New York City cabaret, jazz, classical and opera scene. All performers donate their time and talent for these concerts, which are hosted by Tudor City resident and Broadway and cabaret veteran Raissa Katona Bennett.

Peggy Eason will bring "I'll Show Them All!" to "Don't Tell Mama" on June 9th, 15th, 2014.

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 Salon at Etcetera, Etcetara, Chris Dingman at The Brooklyn Lyceum, Marquee Five at Don't Tell Mama, and more!