Sal Viviano News

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.

Just last night, Drama Desk and Tony Award winner Laura Benanti ('The Sound of Music Live!', Gypsy, Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) hosted the 59th Annual Drama Desk Awards at The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd Street). Big winners for the night included Audra McDonald, Bryan Cranston, Jessie Mueller, and Neil Patrick Harris and Jefferson Mays- who tied for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. Click here for a full list of winners. Also check out more photos of arrivals and photos of the winners.

Just last night, May 19, Broadway stars turned out for a special performance of Terrence McNally's Tony-nominated new play Mothers and Sons, benefitting the Actors Fund. Theatre luminaries and current Broadway stars including Brian Dennehy, Sebastian Arcelus, Adriane Lenox, Tonya Pinkins, Orfeh & Andy Karl, Jessie Mueller, Laura Osnes, and more, helped cheer on Mothers and Sons stars Tyne Daly, Frederick Weller, Bobby Steggert, and Grayson Taylor as they supported the Actors Fund. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the special night below!

If you are even a semi-regular reader of this column of reviews, you know that about every three or four months, I post a compilation of observations of shows from the previous quarter of the year. This cabaret critiquing mash up happens for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I admittedly see too many cabaret shows for the amount of time I have to promptly review them (and then, of course, the usual writer's procrastination sets in). So I have to prioritize the timeliness of the reviews based on the prestige of the performer, the length of a show run, the strength (or lack thereof) of the performance, etc. The quality of the shows in these compilations—which can range from a half dozen to a dozen reviews in one shot—are usually a mixed bag of outright raves, qualified positives, and constructive pans (I'm not a fan of the word “negative” in the reviewer lexicon). With that in mind here are a collection of cabaret show reviews going back to the start of a very harsh winter.

Last night more than a dozen musical theater and cabaret stars celebrated the remarkable musical career of Ervin Drake in a special concert to benefit The Gold Coast Arts Center and Landmark on Main Street, two non-profit cultural gems located on the North Shore of Long Island.

This April, legendary songwriter Ervin Drake will turn 95. A Long Island Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Mr. Drake has written some of the American Songbook's most beloved classics, including: 'It Was a Very Good Year,' 'I Believe,' 'Tico Tico,' 'Quando Quando Quando,' 'Perdito' and 'Good Morning, Heartache.' 2014 also marks the 50th anniversary of the Broadway production of Drake's 'What Makes Sammy Run' (starring Steve Lawrence), which featured songs 'A Room Without Windows' and 'The Friendliest Thing.' On Today, April 25 at 8 pm, Producer Sandi Durell, Musical Director Jon Weber, and Host Charles Grodin will lead a tribute to Ervin's illustrious career that will feature a star-studded cast of musical theater and cabaret stars

This April, legendary songwriter Ervin Drake will turn 95. A Long Island Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Mr. Drake has written some of the American Songbook's most beloved classics, including: 'It Was a Very Good Year,' 'I Believe,' 'Tico Tico,' 'Quando Quando Quando,' 'Perdito' and 'Good Morning, Heartache.' 2014 also marks the 50th anniversary of the Broadway production of Drake's 'What Makes Sammy Run' (starring Steve Lawrence), which featured songs 'A Room Without Windows' and 'The Friendliest Thing.' On Friday, April 25 at 8 pm, Producer Sandi Durell, Musical Director Jon Weber, and Host Charles Grodin will lead a tribute to Ervin's illustrious career that will feature a star-studded cast of musical theater and cabaret stars

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Chip Zien, Karen Mason, Sebastian Arcelus, Tonya Pinkins, Beth Leavel, Carolee Carmello,Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, Emily Skinner, Julia Murney, Lari White, John Easterlin, Noah Racey, Camille Saviola, Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus all took part in Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series on Monday night, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert and you can check out backstage photos below!

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Chip Zien, Karen Mason, Sebastian Arcelus, Tonya Pinkins, Beth Leavel, Carolee Carmello, Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, Emily Skinner, Julia Murney, Lari White, John Easterlin, Noah Racey, Camille Saviola, Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus all took part in Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series last night, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert and you can check out photo coverage below!

Elizabeth StanleyBroadway Stars Elizabeth Stanley (Million Dollar Quartet, Cry Baby) and Sal Viviano (The Three Musketeers, City Of Angels) will be appearing with Maestro Sameer Patel and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic at the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana in BEHIND THE MASK. tonight, February 15th at 8:00pm.

Elizabeth StanleyBroadway Stars Elizabeth Stanley (Million Dollar Quartet, Cry Baby) and Sal Viviano (The Three Musketeers, City Of Angels) will be appearing with Maestro Sameer Patel and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic at the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana in BEHIND THE MASK. Saturday February 15th at 8:00pm.

Brent Barrett (Chicago, Phantom of the Opera), founder of the Broadway Tenors will be performing in all upcoming announced concerts, along with Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story, Grey Gardens) and John Cudia (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables). And selected performances with Lewis Cleale (The Book of Mormon, Spamalot), David Burnham (Wicked, Light in the Piazza), and Kyle Dean Massey (Next to Normal, Wicked)

The original cast of the York Theatre Company 2012 revival production of the classic Off-Broadway hit musical Closer Than Ever just renuited for the official New York release of the new cast recording on the Jay Record Label. The cast, joined by music director Andrew Gerle and David Shire, performed selections from the 2-CD recording at Barnes & Noble, and BroadwayWorld was there for the special event. Check out photos from the concert below!

The original cast of the York Theatre Company 2012 revival production of the classic Off-Broadway hit musical Closer Than Ever just renuited for the official New York release of the new cast recording on the Jay Record Label. The cast, joined by music director Andrew Gerle and David Shire, performed selections from the 2-CD recording at Barnes & Noble, and you can check out photos from the special appearance below!

It will be a homecoming when the original cast of the York Theatre Company's 2012 revival production of the classic Off-Broadway hit musical Closer Than Ever, with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire, featuring Jenn Colella,George Dvorsky, Christiane Noll and Sal Viviano, reunite for the official New York release of the new cast recording on the Jay Record Label.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC last night presented a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake. The evening celebrated the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as 'It Was A Very Good Year,' which was popularized by Frank Sinatra. Drake, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983 also wrote the songs 'I Believe,' 'Good Morning Heartache,' 'Tico-Tico,' 'Perdido,' 'Now I Have Everything,' 'A Room without Windows,' 'AL DI LA,' & 'Quando Quando.' He is also the composer and lyricist of the 1964 Broadway show, What Makes Sammy Run.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC have announced that they will present a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake tonight, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as 'It Was A Very Good Year,' which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.

The cast is set to perform selections from the 2-CD recording and will be joined by music director Andrew Gerle and Mr. Shire on Friday, September 20 at Barnes & Noble (150 East 86th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues) beginning at 5:00 p.m. Priority seating will be available with purchase. This is a wristbanded event which will be available at the store starting at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the event. No reservations, other CD's, or memorabilia, please.

ScoBar Entertainment and Iridium NYC have announced that they will present a one-night-only Tribute to Ervin Drake on Tuesday, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the life and music of legendary 94-year-old American songwriter whose works include Great American Songbook standards such as "It Was A Very Good Year," which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.

ScoBar Entertainment will present A TRIBUTE TO ERVIN DRAKE, one night only, Tuesday, September 17th at 8pm. The evening will celebrate the music & life of legendary American songwriter Ervin Drake, whose works include "I Believe," "Good Morning Heartache," "It Was A Very Good Year," "Tico-Tico," "Perdido," "Now I Have Everything," "A Room without Windows," "AL DI LA," & "Quando Quando," to name a few.