By: Sandi Durell
First some recaps from last month. May was a crazy, cool month of swingin’romance as Broadway’s ‘Golden Couple,’ Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, unveiled their musical love story at the Café Carlyle. From a resounding “Cockeyed Optimist,” Mazzie enlightened, her soaring, warm soprano thrilling on “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” while Danieley’s strong, charming responses, “Someone To Watch Over Me” and “I’ve Got The World on a String,” evident attractions, his baritone delicious on the ears. When this couple gets playful, cuddly, kissy it’s joyful to behold. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_1f79TQuo
Julie Budd’s tribute to Dorothy Fields, at the Metropolitan Room, showed a powerhouse of emotions, her dramatic acting abilities working strongly in her favor throughout and especially in the poignant ballad “Close As Pages in a Book” Budd goes for the big endings and is a consummate performer and strong story-teller.
In the jam-packed room at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, Jarrod Spector, currently starring on Broadway as Frankie Valli in “Jersey Boys,” is part of the new generation making cabaret history. Everything changes as younger star quality performers make their way into the genre of the Great American Songbook. The show rocked, hot with songs ranging from the 1950s-1970s, Spector showing off that falsetto that landed him the Jersey Boys role. Honest and humorous, he covered a gamut of songs that cross several generations, including Lennon/McCartney; Manilow; Darin; Zeppelin making it extremely attractive to the aficionados of the cabaret world with a definite appeal to a younger generation of potential cabaret seekers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZiBmRj7WD0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii3WH8fFw5I
KT Sullivan, in Rhyme, Women and Song, ferreted out fabulous songs written by women through the ages at The Algonquin’s Oak Room Supper Club with Jon Weber on piano and John Webber on bass. The witty, sassy, sly and mysterious Ms. Sullivan sunk her teeth into an interesting cross-section of material from Carolyn Leigh’s “It Amazes Me,” Mary Rodgers’ funny “The Boy From . . .,” Amanda McBroom’s “Dreaming” to Edna B. Pinkard’s “Kitchen Man.” Her fireworks medley of 29 different hoorays to women, was a closing to be remembered.
Happening in Cabaret in June:
59E59 Theaters – ‘The Best is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman’ with David Burnham, Sally Mayes, Howard McGillin, Lillias White, Rachel York with Billy Stritch on piano/arrangements; created & directed by David Zippel. It’s one fabulous night of song and dance! www.59e59.org 212 279-4200 thru July 3rd.
The Algonquin’s Oak Room Supper Club 212 419-9331 www.algonquinhotel.com Claire Martin & Sir Rodney Bennett, Sunday Brunch w/Barbara Carroll
Café Carlyle 212 744-1600 www.thecarlyle.com Bettye Lavette, Lea Salonga w/Larry Yurman.
Feinstein’s at the Loew’s Regency 212 339-4095 www.feinsteinsattheregency.com Marilyn Maye, Barbara Cook, Gay Marshall, Ana Gasteyer, Aaron Lazar, Nicole Henry, 11 o’clock Numbers at 11o’clock!
The Metropolitan Room 212 206-0440 www.metropolitanroom.com Wesla Whitfield, Peggy Herman, Yanna Avis, Sandy Bainum, Marissa Mulder, Chris Barrett, T. Oliver Reid, Daryl Glenn & Friends, Annie Ross, MetroJam
Laurie Beechman 212 695-6909 www.beechmantheatre.com Andrea Wolff, Julie Roglestad, A Toast to Tennessee, Eric Michael Gillett, Le Scandal Cabaret, Lance Cruce & Chris Tanner, Joan Rivers, Linda Simpson, Mary Foster Conklin & Mark Winkler, Dina Martina, Evy Scheff, Alison Arngrim, Sondheim Unplugged, Fringe Benefit Series
Don’t Tell Mama 212 757-0788 www.donttellmamanyc.com Paul Craffey, Nicholas King, Ali & Steve Kresch, Hot Mamas, Daryl Sherman, Kathy Holly & Dorothy Donnell, Bill O’Brien, Steven Zumbo, Frank Torren
Birdland Jazz Club 212 581-3080 www.birdlandjazz.com Karrin Allyson, Stacey Kent, Bill Charlap Trio, Ravi Coltrane Quartet, Django, Chico O’Farrill’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, Steve Marzullo, Tom Wopat, Ty Stephens
Edison Ballroom 240 West 47th Street 212 201-7650. www.edisonballroom.com Joe Battaglia and his Big Band – June 3rd Final Round Amateur Dance Contest, dining & dancing.
Other venues include: Iridium Jazz Club 212 582-2121 www.iridiumjazzclub.com ; The Duplex in the West Village 212 255-5438 www.theduplex.com ; Caroline’s Comedy Club 212 757-4100 www.carolines.com
Dana Lorge hosts a Wednesday evening weekly variety show at Iguana, West 54th St., 212 765-5454, 718 482-0412
The Salon, a weekly Sunday evening Open Mic, with a different theme, is hosted by Mark Janas, at Etcetera, Etcetera, West 44th St. 212 244-4408 www.etcrestaurant.com
Please check with the individual clubs for show times, cover charges and minimums.
Additional full reviews also available in my Cabaret columns online at www.examiner.com and www.t2conline.com .
See you in cabaret and on the great white way!
