So last night we all gathered to celebrate the 19th year of Cabaret Hotline On Line and the 70th year of our beloved Stu Hamstra at the beautiful WEST BANK CAFE/LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATER (407 West 42nd Street, NYC - 212-695-6909). What a night! Now admittedly I am writing as this year's Jeff Matson Award Winner so it was, personally, a gloriously wonderful night for me, but I want to just talk about the show and Stu.
First up was the lovely of soul and voice, Miss Grace Cosgrove (with back up singers whose names, unfortunately are not listed on the sheet that I have in front of me but they were both FAB) singing "Summer in the City"! For those of you who do not know Grace, she fulfills the meaning of her name. She has very quickly become a part of the NY Cabaret Scene by hosting an on-going series called Grace Notes which has now become one of the "it" events to be invited to perform in. Grace, I'm available, anytime...I'm just sayin'! LOL!
Moira Danis killed with her very funny set up about the "history" of all events that happened on Stu's actual Birthday (July 6th) and then went right into a beautiful song called "My Love" celebrating her new CD and her on-going wonderful Petula Clark tribute show. Love the vocals and the dress Moira!
The next four acts are exactly what this night and Stu is all about. I like to say that Stu is a reviewer (although he claims he no longer really reviews) who still goes to see folks who are not the top 20 "usual suspects" and, because of this, the community (Ca-Ching -$1.00 into the pot for every time we used the word last night) gets to meet his "finds". While the 2nd man listed below is not a new comer, the other three were newbies to me and to most of us so Hotline and this show is like our own personal TV guide to the new season (with weather & financial reports included as one person mentioned from stage!)
A young, handsome Ryan Greer sang and danced to a Jobim song as if he were playing a stage in Atlantic City. Someone leaned over to me and said, "He sounds like a young Tony DeSare!" High praise indeed young man...Tony is the BOMB in your genre so, study him well. Ryan will be one of the "younguns" that sustain this art form we love so much far into the future.
Jim Speake has been around for awhile and is a charming, talented man who brought the house down with his rendition of "Thank God I'm Old" with the delightful Steven Ray Watkins on the piano. (Incidentally, Steven got such a rousing amount of applause just for playing...he is so beloved.) With Jim, while I have known him for a long time and have caught him doing a song here or there, this one number made me want to make a point to go to see his next show. Again, THIS is what Stu is about!
Up next was another lovely newbie (to me) that Stu "found". She did "Apt. 14G" which, to us cabaret goers is a (great) staple song in the business BUT she added such flair to how she did it (her opera voice is spectacular!) that we were all charmed by her. She happens to be stunningly beautiful too so keep your eyes out for Shana (like punim) Farr.
OK, so call me a bit prejudice on this one but one of the surprise performances came from out of the house of the Beechman. Waitstaff lovely Becca Johnson came up asking Stu if she too could sing a song...and SING she did! OMG! Becca is one of my favorite gals at the Beechman but who knew? See, again, who knew....Stu knew and passed it along to us. She blew us all away with her rendition of "It's An Art" and ode, if you will, to being a waitress. Her last note alone was worth the price of admission!
The Delivery Girls...Amie Carey, Mary Carey and April Henry along with MD Tracy Stark...what can I say? Goddesses all! With tight 4 part harmonies, these three gals along with Tracy wowed us with beauty and talent! One of them (Amie) was even taking her group title a little too seriously by being, um, let's say, ready to deliver! I am a new fan of this most wonderful group. Legs for days too!
Tracy Stark...beloved, talented, gorgeous, generous, multi-award winning and, like Steven, one of the loudest WHOOPS of the evening when introdcued because we all love her so much. Doing one of her own songs "I Will Find My Own Strength" she became an inspiration to us all by her words as well as her example. I adore this women! Thank you Tracy from all of us for your tremendous contribution last night in giving your Birthday gift to Stu of playing the show for us.
So next up was my dear friend Miles Philips, last year's Jeff Matson Award Winner, to introduce me as this years winner. Let me just say that everyone in the business should have a friend like Miles. Usually when one is being introduced like this, you are nervous and only half hear what's being said about you but I forced myself to be present last night and to take it all in and how he loves me made me cry...you all did actually...everyone who stood up, everyone who gave me hugs, all the emails, Stu for giving me this award, Brooks (Jeff's writing partner) and Sara (Jeff's sister) being the in audience and all my "peeps" the folks at my table and around me meant the world to me. I humbly say thank you for the recognition and will strive to live up to the honor. 'Nuff said!
This year's Dottie Berman Award then went to Brett Kristofferson and, upon hearing Brett's dear friend, the incomparable Angela Shultz, sing one of his songs, we all knew why he was this year's winner. I recently saw the review that Brett did of all of his tunes and it was just spectacular. His body of work is so impressive. The funny is really funny and the profound is just so deep. Angela's voice and performance was a pure moment of sound and emotion that just moved me to tears. Singers should seek out this man's material and fast because we're all going to be doing Brett Kristofferson songs soon! Congrats Brett. I knew Dottie very well and she would be proud to know you have been honored in her name. Angela...we're going to be great pals, I just know it. Can't wait to see your show!
Another fairly new person to cabaret but an oh SO welcome face and voice on the scene is the delicious Raissa Katona Bennett. Like Miss Grace, Raissa runs another fabulous on-going program at Tudor City which is another very coveted invitation. She, single-handedly (well with the help of her handsome husband) is bringing Cabaret to the locals of Tudor City which is putting fannies in the seats of our shows folks! BRAVA and thank you Raissa! She sang a song written by Hector Coris on lyrics (another beloved energy in our community - CA-CHING) and David Caldwell on music which was a tribute to her previously mentioned handsome husband, Garrett. Let's just say that we all now know WAY too much about Dr. Dimples! Paging Dr. Dimples to the nurse's station! ; ) Needless-to-say, she brought the house down with that one AND probably "got lucky" last night too! You go girl!
Up next was another divine "find" by Stu. This slim, wide eyed, sweet, seemingly shy young man takes the stage to sing one of Stu's favorite songs, "Eye on the Sparrow" and he opens his mouth and out comes the voice of Ol' Joe from Showboat. Spectacular! Another young man to watch for is Terrell Baker and again, thanks to Stu 70 or so people now know this!
The 2nd surprise guest is fast becoming a NY treasure. I've yet to see his Neil Sedaka show but hear that it is AMAZING and cannot wait to see it. Jim Van Slyke sang "Solitaire". A solitary man with a voice from the heavens at the piano singing...it doesn't seem like it can get any better than this so who but another NY treasure can follow such a moment?
That would be the one and only Tom Anderson to close the show and boy, what a way to go out! Part of me does not want to spoil the surprise of a song that will take the community (CA-CHING) by storm so let me just say FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY. And, anyone who wants to know how to set up an audience for the unexpected in what's to follow...look to Tom. I'm still giggling over this song!
As always thanks to Kenny, Phil, Joey and the entire staff at the Beechman for all that they do for us all. I'll be bringing my new show there in September and cannot wait to be with my Beechman "family" again!
I've been to all and have appeared in many of Stu's Birthday shows over the years and they are all stellar evenings. It's an array of some of the biggest names with some of the most wonderful new comers you will ever hope to see ono ne stage and last night was no exception. It was such a good show and flew by for me! It's important to note this time and time again...if it were not for Stu Hamstra (and our other reviewers out there seeing all these new acts) most of us would not know who to watch or what to see. I know that I can speak on behalf of the entire...YOU KNOW WHAT...I'm broke now...in saying:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THANK YOU, BLESS YOU, CONGRATULATIONS, KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON and WE LOVE YOU
STU HAMSTRA!
xxx,
Sue Matsuki
