Peggy Lee News

BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, the longest operating performance venue in lower Manhattan, presents Peter Cincotti, performing on Saturday, October 25 at 8PM, the first of four major concerts in the 2014-2015 Main Event Series.

The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) takes pride in announcing the 2014-15 Arts and Ideas Season; an exciting line-up of today's acclaimed writers, food experts, renowned scientists and thinkers, as well as fascinating entertainers. Theatrical and musical highlights in the first half of the season include The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt, rock icon Amanda Palmer and actor Richard Chamberlain.

America's oldest continuing summer Chamber Music Festival, Music Mountain, continues their 85th Anniversary Season with Swingtime Big Band on Saturday, July 26 (6:30PM) with the popular pre-concert dinner beforehand (5PM) followed on Sunday, July 27 (3PM) by the piano virtuoso Misha Dichter and the acclaimed Harlem String Quartet.

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.

DRG Records announces the release of Gerard Alessandrini's FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: COMES OUT SWINGING! (2014 Un-Original Cast Album) which is produced by Grammy Award winner Hugh Fordin, and available in stores and online July 22nd. To kick-off the CD release, Barnes & Noble (150 East 86 Street) will host an in-store appearance and performance from 4pm - 6pm. This CD marks Forbidden Broadway's 12th cast recording with DRG Records. Featured on the album are cast members Carter Calvert, Scott Richard Foster, Mia Gentile and Marcus Stevens, with David Caldwell on piano.

Today we are saluting a versatile and unique figure in theatre history who grew up as the daughter of one of the most important composers in musical theatre and contributed recognizable and fondly remembered works of her own, as well - Mary Rodgers Guettel.

Songstress Sandy Bainum will return to the Metropolitan Room on July 20 with her cabaret show entitled Sandy Bainum.

When Margaret Whiting died on January 10, 2011, the news was like a dagger into the heart of the New York cabaret community. Whiting was a beloved singer for almost seven decades, who seemingly delivered every American popular song ever written, conquered almost every musical art form--from Big Band to Country to Musicals to Cabaret, from radio to the recording studio. On top of all that, Whiting worked with and mentored many New York cabaret musical directors and performers, including the late Mary Cleere Haran and K.T. Sullivan, who along with Whiting's daughter Deborah, hosted a 90th birthday Whiting tribute show on Monday night at Carnegie Hall's elegant Weill Recital Hall. Presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation, for which Sullivan is Artistic Director, It Might As Well Be Spring! A Celebration in Song of the Life of Margaret Whiting was an almost three-hour concert featuring two All-Star teams worth of cabaret stars spanning a few generations.

Johanna Allen makes another very welcome trip home to Adelaide to present the marvellous music of Harold Arlen, and her many fans were out in force to see her latest cabaret show,

Upon her return to Davenport's in Chicago, the theater & cabaret star talks about her voice and how she almost lost it.

Harold Arlen wrote over 400 songs from 1926 - 1974. His music was made famous by Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and the iconic Judy Garland. Vocal powerhouse Johanna Allen showcases a catalogue of his most well known music: The Man that got Away, Blues in the Night, Get Happy, One for my baby, The Old Black Magic, Down With Love, Paper Moon, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and entwines stories from the women who loved him and the words of his other great musical work 'The Wizard of Oz'.

In June and July, a colourful line-up of international and local jazz, cabaret and Broadway stars perform musical standards, sparkling cabaret numbers, soulful jazz songs and touching torch songs from the Golden Age of American song as part of Melbourne Recital Centre's 2014 American Songbook Festival.

The 7th Season of The Parks Concert Series, (formerly The Concerts for City Greens), a free outdoor concert series, continues on Wednesday, June 25th at 6:30 pm (Rain date: Thursday, June 26th 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.

Porchlight Music Theatre begins its 20th Anniversary season with a benefit concert, Chicago Sings Disney featuring the music created by the Walt Disney Studios, Monday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at Mayne Stage, 1328 West Morse Ave. The evening includes a thrilling roster of Chicago's top theatre artists performing familiar Disney classics and nostalgic treasures, a silent auction, cash bar and complimentary desserts at intermission, generously provided by Bespoke Cuisine. General admission tickets are $50 in advance and $65 at the door. VIP Tickets are available for $100, which includes a pre-show reception and premier reserved seating. Tickets may be ordered at773.777.9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org. Proceeds from this concert benefit Porchlight productions and educational programs at The School at Porchlight.

Harold Arlen wrote over 400 songs from 1926 - 1974. His music was made famous by Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and the iconic Judy Garland. Vocal powerhouse Johanna Allen showcases a catalogue of his most well known music: The Man that got Away, Blues in the Night, Get Happy, One for my baby, The Old Black Magic, Down With Love, Paper Moon, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and entwines stories from the women who loved him and the words of his other great musical work 'The Wizard of Oz'.

In June and July, a colourful line-up of international and local jazz, cabaret and Broadway stars perform musical standards, sparkling cabaret numbers, soulful jazz songs and touching torch songs from the Golden Age of American song as part of Melbourne Recital Centre's 2014 American Songbook Festival.

Lauren Stanford, winner of the 2013 MetroStar Talent Challenge, headlines the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, in a special prime time engagement beginning tonight, June 3.

The always charming and incredibly talented Jinkx Monsoon proved to the American public that it was truly Monsoon Season for the last year. On May 19, 2014, she passed on the RuPaul's Drag Race crown to the sixth season's winner Bianca Del Rio. Certainly Hurricane Bianca is sure to rattle the world, but for all intents and purposes it is still Monsoon Season the world over. Jinkx Monsoon is going strong, working harder than ever, and proving that she is a talent to be reckoned with. Shortly after she helped coronate Binaca Del Rio, I chatted with Jinkx Monsoon about her career, THE INEVITABLE ALBUM, her debut solo album, and what's next for the indefatigable star.

Stacy Sullivan will bring 'It's A Good Day - A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee" to The Crazy Coqs, July 29 - August 2, 2014.

Lauren Stanford, winner of the 2013 MetroStar Talent Challenge, headlines the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, in a special prime time engagement beginning June 3. The world premiere of "I'm a Stranger Here Myself," Stanford's solo cabaret debut, plays a four-show engagement through August 1. Opening for Stanford will be her MetroStar co-finalists Jason Morris (first runner-up) and Stephen Mitchell Brown, who will perform short sets on alternating nights.