Ray Watkins News

Back on April 1, when he posted his third compilation of delayed cabaret reviews from shows staged during the winter, BroadwayWorld.com's lead New York cabaret reviewer promised Number 4 would come with arrival of summer. Okay, so he missed his self-imposed deadline by a couple of weeks. but here's yet another catch-up column with critiques of a half dozen spring shows performed by Bryan Batt, Dawn Derow, Lynly Forrest, Dennis McNeil, Anastasia Barzee, and Nina Hennessey.

After sold-out performances in New York City and her hometown of San Francisco, critically acclaimed comedic cabaret artist and musical theater singer Carly Ozard brings her smash cabaret show Somebody to Love: My Musical Tribute to Freddie Mercury to New York City's jazz institution Iridium for two performances: 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. tonight, April 16, 2013.

After sold-out performances in New York City and her hometown of San Francisco, critically acclaimed comedic cabaret artist and musical theater singer Carly Ozard brings her smash cabaret show Somebody to Love: My Musical Tribute to Freddie Mercury to New York City's jazz institution Iridium for two performances: 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.

It's April 1st. Do you know when your Spring is coming? During another longggggg New York winter, the good news is that there were a ton of warming cabaret shows. The bad news is that there were so many, even during this seemingly endless winter our intrepid reviewer Stephen Hanks didn't have enough time to review them all right after the performances. So in what is becoming a seasonal ritual, here he offers yet another compilation of 13 'catch-up' cabaret show reviews.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs will present the 27th Annual MAC Awards on Thursday, March 21st, at B.B King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

Jim Speake has scheduled another performance of his acclaimed show, 'Jim Speake Sings Til The Cows Come Home' for tonight, February 23rd 2013 at 5pm at Don't Tell Mama.

Jim Speake has scheduled another performance of his acclaimed show, 'Jim Speake Sings Til The Cows Come Home' for Saturday, February 23rd 2013 at 5pm at Don't Tell Mama.

With a long and prestigious 33-year history that has catered to the likes of Liza Minnelli, Brooke Sheilds and Mandy Patinkin, non-profit vocal academy Singers Forum moves into the 21st Century with an expanded mission, a new look, and exciting new classes.

With a long and prestigious 33-year history that has catered to the likes of Liza Minnelli, Brooke Sheilds and Mandy Patinkin, non-profit vocal academy Singers Forum moves into the 21st Century with an expanded mission, a new look, and exciting new classes.

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.

2012 was indeed a very good year for the art of Cabaret in New York City. Here, BroadwayWorld.com Cabaret Reviewer and Columnist Stephen Hanks offers up his exclusive 'Best New York Cabaret Performers of the Year' for 2012, plus some surprising honorable mentions. Let the debates begin!

Shana Farr, who last month won The Mabel Mercer Foundation's 2012 Julie Wilson Award as "a cabaret singer who is a rising star," has just completed her debut CD, titled Shana Farr: Out Of The Shadows , which will be introduced at a CD release party and performance at The Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South, in New York City tonight, November 30, at 9 PM. Ms. Farr is backed by a trio comprised of Music Director Jon Weber (piano), Adam Fisher (cello) and Dan Levinson (clarinet).

After receiving more than 3,000 nominations once BroadwayWorld.com announced it's first-ever New York Cabaret Awards in early October, BWW is now pleased to announce it's final nominations ballot in 20 categories. Now it's time for all you cabaret performers and fans to vote for the best singers, musicians and shows of the year. Voting will continue until December 31 and winners will be announced in early January.

Shana Farr, who last month won The Mabel Mercer Foundation's 2012 Julie Wilson Award as "a cabaret singer who is a rising star," has just completed her debut CD, titled Shana Farr: Out Of The Shadows , which will be introduced at a CD release party and performance at The Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South, in New York City on Friday, November 30, at 9 PM. Ms. Farr is backed by a trio comprised of Music Director Jon Weber (piano), Adam Fisher (cello) and Dan Levinson (clarinet).

Tritone Productions presents Steven Blanchard and Veanne Cox in a staged presentation of the new musical comedy, Jonathan Brielle's 40 Naked Women, A Monkey and Me directed by Michael Bush with book, music & lyrics by Jonathan Brielle; musical direction by Steven Ray Watkins and choreography by Kelli Barclay. The cast also includes Leanne Borghesi, Deidre Goodwin Brittney Lee Hamilton, John Herrera and Marcy McGuigan. The presentations take place today, October 18 at 3 pm and Friday, October 19 at 2pm at S.I.R. Studios, 520 West 25th Street.

Tritone Productions presents Steven Blanchard and Veanne Cox in a staged presentation of the new musical comedy, Jonathan Brielle's 40 Naked Women, A Monkey and Me directed by Michael Bush with book, music & lyrics by Jonathan Brielle; musical direction by Steven Ray Watkins and choreography by Kelli Barclay. The cast also includes Leanne Borghesi, Deidre Goodwin Brittney Lee Hamilton, John Herrera and Marcy McGuigan. The presentations take place Thursday, October 18 at 3 pm and Friday, October 19 at 2pm at S.I.R. Studios, 520 West 25th Street.

The Development Wing dedicated itself to nurturing new musicals via partnerships with regional, not for profit theaters held an intimate one-night-only benefit concert featuring Broadway stars singing songs from four new musicals and several tunes by great American songwriters like Johnny Mercer and Fats Waller. The event 'Broadway Under the Stars' took place at a sprawling, historic estate in the bucolic countryside of Tewksbury, New Jersey home of Cherie King and her husband composer, lyricist and book writer, Jonathan Brielle, Artistic Director of The Development Wing.

The Development Wing which has dedicated itself to nurturing new musicals via partnerships with regional, not for profit theaters will hold an exclusive, intimate one-night-only benefit concert featuring Broadway stars singing songs from three new musicals at the historic Tewksbury, New Jersey home of Cherie King and her husband composer, lyricist and book writer, Jonathan Brielle, Artistic Director of The Development Wing.

The Development Wing which has dedicated itself to nurturing new musicals via partnerships with regional, not for profit theaters will hold an exclusive, intimate one-night-only benefit concert featuring Broadway stars singing songs from three new musicals at the historic Tewksbury, New Jersey home of Cherie King and her husband composer, lyricist and book writer, Jonathan Brielle, Artistic Director of The Development Wing.

So many cabaret shows, so little time . . . to write reviews that is. During his almost two years as a cabaret reviewer, BroadwayWorld.com critic Stephen Hanks managed to do a pretty good job of writing critiques during a show's run or soon after the run ended. But this summer he just couldn't keep up. Finally, here are observations on 10 performances over the past two months.