Sunny Sessa News

In a darkened Frank Sinatra Dining Room an off stage voice using that classic Dean Martin intro ' And Now Direct From The Bar' announced co-hosts Bill Boggs, Bruce Charet and countless actors, singers, celebrities and friends to toast one of the most beloved entertainers in show business…..Deana Martin.

Back in the day Frank Sinatra refused to sing in New York City nightclubs because the NYPD required you to be fingerprinted if you worked in a cabaret.  Luckily that law doesn't exist today because I'm sure Robert Davi would have also thumbed his nose at NYC and we would not have heard his tribute show to Sinatra at Feinstein's/54 Below last night.   There are lots of singers who sing 'like' Frank and recreate some great music, but with Davi you get the same exhilaration in the room that Sinatra generated.  

The Actors Fund bestowed its Medal of Honor upon four artists last night at its annual gala. BroadwayWorld was on hand at the big event, and you can check out photos below!

He was just like any other audience member (late comer) at the start of a concert searching for his seat. But it was Michael Feinstein walking in from the rear of the hall, microphone in hand and singing with the backing of the Tedd Firth Big Band while locating his place on the stage of The Appel Room.

Liz Robertson gave an affectionate musical tribute to her late husband, Alan Jay Lerner, the internationally acclaimed author of My Fair Lady last night in the theatre districts legendary Don't Tell Mama. My Fair Lady of course began it's Broadway run of 2,717 performances in 1956 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on 51st Street. Don't Tell Mama on 46th street will present Liz Robinson's Cabaret show ( which she also performs in London) for three performances.

The Friars archives and Wikipedia have finally been corrected. Nineteen Eighty Eight was a watershed year for women. They gained membership to numerous private men's clubs that heretofore were off limits to women. The Friars, being one of the more famous of the bunch had an article heralding the event written by a less than factual reporter for The New York Times. The paper of record, in an early forerunner of fake news only listed the first 7 women and overlooked number 8...Jamie deRoy who was in that initial group, along with Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, Brooke Shields, and other prominent female entertainment figures was not mentioned.

Steve Tyrell was surprised last night at his Cafe Carlyle opening night by Kevin Gore, president of Arts Music Warner Music group with a plaque celebrating Steve's latest album 'A Song For You' being #1 on the Billboard Charts.

It took this year's two time Grammy Nominee Clint Holmes about 10 seconds of music to change the mood of the Jazz at Lincoln Center audience from disappointment to excitement as he moved from being the featured guest vocalist to becoming the host of Michael Feinstein's Jazz & Popular Song series in the Appel Room.

One day the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. will probably ask for Jim Caruso's lists of entertainers that have appeared on his Cast Party Stage at Birdland.

Erich Bergen doesn't utilize his singing and dancing talents on the CBS television series Madam Secretary, but he displayed them magnificently last night at Lynn University.  Jan McArt, producer of the highly popular Live at Lynn series literally had to send a car and plane to fetch Erich off the set of Madam Secretary (which is filmed in New York City) to get him on the stage of the Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn for 'A Perfect Evening with Erich Bergen'. Jan also has to get him back to NYC after his matinee performance the following day at Lynn for the filming of this season's last episode of the the TV show. 

Stephen Sondheim's 'I'm Still Here' is her anthem, but it would also be accurate to say 'We're Still Here' as South Florida music lovers packed the Kravis Center last night for a Maestro Michael Feinstein and Kravis Center Pops Orchestra concert titled First Ladies of Song. Arguably the first lady of song, the incredible Marilyn Maye was Michael's guest in a exciting evening of music as The Kravis Center pulled out all the stops for Marilyn's 90th Birthday.

The Royal Room in The Colony Hotel is always an exciting and glamorous place to be in but never more so than when Steve Tyrell takes up residency in this Palm Beach Landmark.

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is once again offering audience members a dazzling, star-packed lineup of amazing shows, memorable concerts, insightful lectures and very special events during the months of March and April.

Jim Caruso, host of Jim Caruso's Cast Party has been throwing a party at Birdland every Monday night for the past fifteen years, and needless to say, the soirée has fallen on his birthday a handful of times. Like this Monday, February 5. Cast Party became his party, and dozens of showbiz pals came to serenade him.

It takes one to know one and radio Legend Dick Robinson, a hero to all who love the Great American Songbook presented  another legend, Steve Tyrell, a true icon of the music world with the prestigious Legends Award at the Essey Campus Theatre at Palm Beach State College last night. It was Legends Radio's 4th Birthday Celebration and radio hosts Jill & Rich Switzer, Walt Pinto, Lorna O'Connell, and Mike McGann were also heard 'live' in the Essey Theatre, which was filled with listeners of Legends 100.3FM. 

The stirring original song co-written by Anthony Nunziata is titled The Gift Is You , however the real Gift to anyone who gets turned on by a world class entertainment experience are Will & Anthony. Their cabaret act at The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach had the kind of thrilling effect on the packed Royal Room audience that brought back memories of what it was like when the great acts in the golden age of nightclubs charged onto the stage of The Copacabana or Persian Room in New York City.

When the Grammy Nominations were announced, Clint Holmes, one of the most exciting and musically creative entertainers to ever appear on a stage said the following, This is an incredible feeling and a real achievement for everyone who made the album ( Rendezvous ) happen. As you know, this was a long process, and receiving a Grammy nomination is something we really did want, even if we felt we didn't want to jinx our chances by talking about it.

Tough guy Robert Davi, one of the most recognizable actors on the planet made his Colony Hotel Royal Room debut last night and BroadwayWorld was there. The tough guy charmed the tough Palm Beach audience with his Sinatra style singing and persona. Check out photos below!

There are two venues in the world that offer a combination of old world ambience and great entertainment. In Manhattan it's Cafe Carlyle in The Carlyle and in Palm Beach Florida the historic Colony Hotel's Royal Room shares the distinction. Broadway and TV star Mario Cantone brought a little shock and awe to the historic resort town which was established by Henry Morrison Flagler in the early 1900's.

No, it wasn't his Bar Mitzvah even though it's Steve's 13th year playing the Holiday Month at Cafe Carlyle. However it sure was a joyous evening of music and love as Steve Tyrell's family of fans from NYC and around the country were there to enjoy his show and celebrate Steve's birthday.