Ronny Whyte News

Though Julie Wilson was certainly not the first and by all means not the last great singer to have her heart stomped upon by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's 'Surabaya Johnny,' there is no one I can name more deserving to claim it as their signature song.  (Okay, maybe Lotte Lenya, but you know that's a special case.)  Though for many years now the 83-year-old beloved cabaret star has been singing songs less and less and speaking them more and more, there are few who can match her for painting vivid word pictures and bringing complex dramatic subtext to a lyric.  With pianist Christopher Denny doing a marvelous job of softly supporting her many pauses and tempo changes, Wilson's crushing performance of Marc Blitzstein's translation, played to a pin-drop silent crowd on opening night of her new show at The Metropolitan Room, is an emotionally striking portrayal of a woman who can explode with anger at the mistreatment she endures from her faithless lover while moments later barely control a sob at the admission that she still loves him.  Through the years I've seen Julie Wilson sing 'Surabaya Johnny' many times but her performance that night was the best I've ever seen or heard from anyone.  (And as is typical of her modesty, she actually introduced the song by complimenting Donna Murphy's performance of it on Broadway in LoveMusik.)  She follows it with a devilishly humored 'Mack the Knife' (also Blitzstein's translation) that builds so slowly and precisely that she goes through the entire song twice in order to hit the climax.  I heard no complaints.

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN can be heard every Sunday 9-11 PM(ET) over WBAI 99.5 FM and on the Internet at: www.wbai.org

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN can be heard every Sunday 9-11 PM(ET) over WBAI 99.5 FM and on the Internet at: www.wbai.org Sunday, April 12th, 2009 9:00PM-11:00PM This Sunday EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN features the music of EDITH PIAF

The West Bank Café has announced upcoming performances to be presented in The Laurie Beechman Theatre. The West Bank Café is located at 407 West 42nd. St., at Ninth Avenue.

Maude Maggart, Billy Stritch, Steven Brinberg and Kristine Zbornik are among the nominees of the 21st Annual MAC Awards.

Donna Murphy and Mary Cleere Haran are among the stars who recently joined the 17th Annual Cabaret Convention, held from October 16th through 20th

Some of the most acclaimed talents in the cabaret and musical theatre worlds--including Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Mason, Ann Hampton Callaway and Julie Wilson--will gather for 17th Annual New York Cabaret Convention, which will take place at the Frederick P. Rose Hall's Rose Theater of Lincoln Center from October 16th through 20th

The 2006 MAC Award winners have been announced, with Karen Mason, Julie Gold and more taking home awards

With the addition of two new categories--Best Male and Female Stand-Up Comic--the nominations list for the 2006 MAC Awards is now complete

The 2006 MAC AWARDS will be presented on MONDAY, APRIL 17 AT 7:30 PM at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center at BMCC, 199 Chambers Street. Hosted by Lee Roy Reams, the 20th annual MAC Awards will include appearances by Phoebe Snow, Ben Taylor, Karen Mason, Carol Hall and Rocky Carroll among others.