Peter Calo News

The Mabel Mercer  Foundation returned to The Town Hall last night for the first of 4 different concerts and BroadwayWorld will be there for all. Here are some photos from the opening night. 2015 is the twenty-sixth annual New York Cabaret Convention.

Rebekah Lowin is a pretty, personable young woman with a voice that, at its best, can be ethereal. A recent Columbia University grad, Lowin first made an impression on cabaret audiences in October 2013 with an appearance at the Cabaret Convention and a show at 54 Below. Her new offering at the Metropolitan Room, I Know You By Heart, is built around the songs of Eva Cassidy, who inspired Lowin's devotion when she was in the sixth grade and held steadfast for five years of repeated listening. Virtually unknown outside Washington, DC during her lifetime, Cassidy's posthumous compilation Songbird topped the charts in 1998. (Ms. Cassidy died of cancer in 1996.) Lowin looks rather like her subject and appears to have similar range, if a less mature voice.

With her new show at the Metropolitan Room that opened last night—Groupies: The Muses Behind the Legends of Rock & Roll--the usually smart and meticulous Lauren Fox (as evidenced by her shows that celebrated the music of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen and later the Pop/Rock that emerged from Laurel Canyon in the 1960s) has here chosen questionable territory--the celebration of women who serially slept their way through the music business or, as Fox more poetically says, “Made it their life's mission to meet the beautiful boys who made the music that moved them.” Hook-ups are exemplified by often unappealing numbers (too much monotone) and bridged with quotes by groupies whose role as “muses” or sources of creative inspiration seems a stretch.

To paraphrase a Peter Allen song, she could have been a sailor. Instead, she chose to sail the open seas. And now she's singing about it. It all made for a promising theme for the Manhattan cabaret debut of Robyn McCorquodale and her series of four April shows, Diary Of A Piano Girl, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Pert, lively and totally likable, she shared her stories fused with original songs about wanderlust in which all roads eventually lead back home. From the opening number to closing with "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," her only familiar entry, she took a circuitous route with visits to numerous ports of call. New to our local cabaret shores, but no stranger to entertaining, she's made her mark in the Big Apple with this outing.

This summer, The Metropolitan Room presents vocalist Rebekah Lowin in 'I Know You By Heart,' a powerful and intimate new show that highlights the life and legacy of the late singer Eva Cassidy, as well as her original arrangements. 

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.

Join Eva Richards as she sings songs from award winning Broadway musicals, Latin standards such as 'Besame Mucho' and 'Guantanamera' as well as Bossa Nova hits including 'The Girl from Ipanema' and 'Dindi' at the Metropolitan Room on May 11 at 9:30pm.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs has announced the presenters that are scheduled to appear at the 29th Annual MAC Awards on Thursday, March 26th at B.B King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

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.

Ring in the holidays with a song for a good cause!

Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) just held its Sixth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place last night, December 15 at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City. Back by popular demand, the evening featured Broadway's most sought-after talent singing new and classic holiday songs. Two new special releases are now available for purchase: 'I Got All I Need (This Christmas)' an original song written by Lynne Shankel and Jon Hartmere sung by Lindsay Mendez (Wicked, Godspell, Everyday Rapture) and Derek Klena (The Bridges of Madison County, Wicked, Carrie, Dogfight) and a hip-hop version of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' (music by Shankel) sung by Aurelia Williams (Sistas, The Musical, Papermill's Once On This Island), Kenita Miller (Merrily We Roll Along, Ragtime) and Kay Trinidad (The Little Mermaid, Bare) based on the traditional poem. The two songs were recorded on Yellow Sound Label are available on iTunes and wherever digital music is sold. All proceeds go to benefit ASTEP.

Two new special releases will be performed and sold at Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) Sixth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place tonight, December 15 at 9:30 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City. 'I Got All I Need (This Christmas)' performed by Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena with music by Lynne Shankel and lyrics by Jon Hartmere and 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' performed by Aurelia Williams, Kenita Miller and Kay Trinidad with music by Shankel based on the traditional poem.

Two new special releases will be performed and sold at Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) Sixth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place on Monday, December 15 at 9:30 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City. 'I Got All I Need (This Christmas)' performed by Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena with music by Lynne Shankel and lyrics by Jon Hartmere and 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' performed by Aurelia Williams, Kenita Miller and Kay Trinidad with music by Shankel based on the traditional poem.

The day is finally here! After one month of voting on preliminary nominees in 17 categories, the results of more than 5,000 ballots were considered along with the selections of BroadwayWorld's cabaret section editors to determine the final nominees for the 2014 BroadwayWorld.com New York Cabaret Awards. Joining cabaret icon Marilyn Maye with four nominations is budding star Carole J. Bufford, who made the final ballot for two different shows during 2014 and as 'Best Female Vocalist' and 'Performer of the Year.' Among Maye's nominations were 'Performer of the Year,' two shows in the 'Best Celebrity Show' category, and a 'Best Director' nomination for her work with jazz singer Gabrielle Stravelli (who received two nominations). In addition to her usual nod for 'Best Jazz Vocalist,' jazz star Jane Monheit received two other nominations as 'Performer of the Year,' and as 'Best Host' for her new variety show at Birdland, Jane Monheit's Jazz Party (Monheit also co-starred with Clint Holmes in another nominated show, Frank Wildhorn and Friends in the 'Best Revue' category.) Eric Michael Gillett also earned three nominations for 'Best Show, Male,' 'Best Male Vocalist,' and 'Best Director.'

ASTEP/Artists Striving to End Poverty announces its starry Sixth Annual New York City Christmas: A Concert to Benefit ASTEP, taking place on Monday, December 15 at 9:30 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public in New York City.

An exuberant audience filled the Bucks County Playhouse on October 4, 2014, to cheer and heap adoration on celebrated singer Linda Eder as she headlined this year's edition of Bucks County Cabaret (#buckscountycabaret), raising $131,650 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), dedicated to advancing the art and business of live entertainment, has announced the nominees for the 2014 MAC Awards. Winners in twenty-five categories will be voted by the MAC membership by anonymous ballot and announced at the MAC Awards Gala on March 27th at BB King's Blue Club in Times Square at: 237 W. 42 St between 7th and 8th Avenues. Tickets start at $50.00. For additional information on MAC, to become a member, or to order tickets to the event, visit: http://macnyc.com.

Voting is now underway for Cabaret! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.