The Duplex News

PITTSBURGH CLO is pleased to welcome a collection of writing teams from across the country to Pittsburgh for the inaugural SPARK festival in March. These teams were chosen from a highly-selective submissions process and will have the opportunity to rehearse and revise their work in residencies ranging from two days to three weeks. SPARK will provide dramaturgy and production resources to 10 new musicals at all stages of development, in addition to the world premiere of UP AND AWAY. As a part of the development period, eight of the musicals will receive public presentations through which the writing teams can gather audience insights and focus their intentions for the next phase of development. A major initiative of Pittsburgh CLO's recently completed Next Generation Capital Campaign, SPARK is designed to cultivate new and innovative work from emerging and established musical theater artists. 

Twelve accomplished artists - 6 choreographers and 6 poets - will be randomly paired into two-person teams and asked to create new collaborative works for Madame's Mashups - Choreographers and Poets. The works will premiere February 15 at 9:30pm at The Duplex Cabaret Theater. The event is intended to be the first in a series of 'Mashup' shows from Madame Arts Co (Drew Fornarola and Tyler Spicer, co-artistic directors), which also produces the award winning avant-garde variety show Madame's Soiree, now in its third season, and organizes the Denovan Residencies for Cabaret at The Duplex.

Comic and award-winning playwright Andrea Alton brings her new solo-show, Molly's World, to Frigid New York.

An entire cabaret, made up on the spot? Who does that?!' TV and Broadway veteran Jason Kravits pulls off the improbable (or at the very least, unadvisable) in one of the most hilariously spontaneous evenings of cabaret you're likely to see.

Tara Merdjanoff and Jeremy Bohen return to the Duplex on today, April 27th at 7pm with their latest creation, 'The Merdjanoff Spring Fever Spectacular!!!', an evening of song, dance and comedic performances. Created by Tara Merdjanoff, the Spectacular appears four times a year at the Duplex located at 61 Christopher Street at 7th Avenue in Greenwich Village.

After a sold out debut performance last November, transgender performer and producer Donnie Cianciotto returns to The Duplex with an even bigger cast of transgender and non-binary performers for the second installment of Trans Voices Cabaret on Sunday, February 25th, 2018 at 3:30pm.

Madame's Soiree (Drew Fornarola and Tyler Spicer, co-artistic directors), and The Duplex Cabaret Theater (Thomas Honeck, General Manager) are proud announce Mary Theresa Archbold and Trevor Bachman as the first recipients of Madame's Soiree's Denovan Residencies. The residency and accompanying grants aim to give winners the most comprehensive development opportunity in cabaret. Mary will use the residency to develop her one-woman show, Anybodys Everybody: One Girl's West Side Story and Trevor will develop his new musical This Be Magic: A Guide for Young Queers.

Just four months after acclaimed Musical Director Barry Levitt tragically died of a heart attack just hours before a performance at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, Charlotte Patton--a beloved performer for whom Levitt frequently played and was one of his closest friends in Cabaret--died early Thursday morning at Mt. Sinai Hospital after an almost two-year battle with cancer. Both passed away at the age of 70. 

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Nora Lyn Kennedy in The Life and Crimes of Nora Lyn Kennedy on Friday March 30th at 11:30 PM. The Life and Crimes of Nora Lyn Kennedy documents the absurd things Nora Lyn has done or experienced while making the big move to Manhattan. Join her as she mocks the absurdity of day jobs, dating, and Broadway open calls. Set to your favorite pop and Broadway showstoppers by Adele, Jason Robert Brown, and Destiny's Child, no artist is safe and no topic is too taboo for this young and up and coming singer/songwriter.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) will present Tony nominee SHARON McNIGHT and RUBY RIMS with its 2018 Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 32nd Annual MAC Awards to be held Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 pm at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

The Village Playwrights presents Valentine's Gay -- Romance Our Way, a staged reading of 10 minutes plays on Wednesday February 14, 2018, 8 pm to 10 pm at the LGBT Community Center, 208 W. 13th St., NYC.

Following their sold-out debut performance at the Duplex, the Ethnic Chameleons are thrilled to bring their show, Re:Mix, to The Green Room 42 today, January 19th at 7:00 P.M., located at 520 Tenth Avenue, inside Yotel (4th Floor).

'The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mysterious. It is the power of all true art and science...' -Albert Einstein If you've ever seen someone in 'flow,' you've been in the presence of this emotion. The ethereal transference of otherworldly energy and focus pulsing through the very essence of being without obstruction. That is flow. That is the elusive emotion of 'the mysterious.' That is watching Brian Nash at the piano.

Cabaret patroness Madame Mathieu has selected Natalie Charle Ellis (School of Rock, Les Miserables), and F. Michael Haynie (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wicked) as guests of honor at the January 18th edition of the Bistro Awards Critics' Pick Madame Mathieu's Soiree. The duo will perform alongside a distinguished group of artists from a variety of disciplines in the first edition of Season 3 of the show. The winners of the first ever Denovan Residencies, the most comprehensive development grants in New York cabaret, will be announced at the event.

Ruth Carlin reprises her new show 'Kaleidoscope Eyes' at Don't Tell Mama with the skilled hand of a true artist. Through her own poetry, original material and songs composed by Joni Mitchel, Craig Carnelia, Sting, Prince, Lionel Bart, Rupert Holmes and more, Carlin takes us on an entertaining and heartfelt journey filled with integrity, musicality, spirit, truth, courage, and hope. Carlin's show is like a kaleidoscope the eclectic song choices act as bits of colored glass, shifted and shaped by Musical Director, Paul Greenwood and Director,Lina Koutrakos, offering a magical view into Carlin's world. 'Kaleidoscope Eyes' promises to show us something unique and exclusive to this honest singer and fresh storyteller.

Washington, DC's premier cabaret series awards Lawrence Grey, Jr. the inaugural Joel Markowitz Audience Award, and celebrates six years of supporting the metropolitan area's brightest artists.

Hilarious drag trio The Golden Gays NYC serve up their legendary trivia show at The Duplex NYC. Test your Golden Girls knowledge as you try for prizes. Rounds include questions about the Lanai Ladies' past lovers -- from Charlie Nylund to Stan Zbornak. There'll also be live singing from these Dorothy, Blanche and Rose impersonators, plus an epic quest to find the next #TokenSophia. There is a prize for knowing the least too! Join us for Sunday Funday!

After a raucous debut, Leanne Borghesi's MOOD SWINGS has been EXTENDED and is swingin' uptown, Monday Nights at The Triad Theater (Feb 12, Mar 19, Apr 16, 7pm) From sold out houses at Feinstein's at the Nikko get seduced into 'Borghesi's Hideaway' for a one of a kind 75-minute spree of sultry jazz, bawdy comedy, and over-the-top bling! Borghesi's robust vocals and comedic chops are accompanied by a sizzlin' 4 piece jazz combo under the musical direction of Brandon Adams (Erika Johnson-drums, Jamie Mohamdein-bass, Owen Brody-sax). Sound by Sharon Boggs. Directed by Nicolas Minas.

The musical theatre podcast Something New premiered on January 14th, 2013. To commemorate the five-year anniversary, producer and host Joel B. New has released highlights from the series finale, which took place in concert on September 30th, 2017 at the Duplex in New York City. Ticket sales supported the Dramatists Guild Foundation.

What good is sitting alone in your room this week? If you don't already have plans to see a Broadway show, come out to see your favorite Broadway stars in a cabaret act instead. Highlights this week include: