On Friday night September 11th, at 7:00 pm I was at DON'T TELL MAMA for the first edition of GRACE NOTES - a Singers' Soiree, the special showcase produced and hosted by Grace Cosgrove. Since the show is not quite a cabaret, not quite a revue, and not even really a showcase, it doesn't qualify for a review as much as a report - and the report is "fantastic."
Each of the "Soirees" features a half-dozen or more performers, many of whom have a cabaret show scheduled in the near future. GRACE NOTES gives them an opportunity to test new songs, new arrangements of old songs, as well as test medleys and song pairings. In addition to Grace, who always opens and sometimes closes each show, the cast this month covering the theme SONGS OF CHILDHOOD & GROWING UP, included veteran performers Dezur Kenna, Roosevelt Credit, Rosemary Loar and the comedy vocal trio THE CHALKS, as well as comparative newcomers Shana Farr, Angela Shultz and Kim Smith. All can share my praise for a job well done - a truly entertaining evening. Don Rebic is Musical Director, with Tom Hubbard on Bass. Lennie Watts serves as Director.
This was a special benefit show to honor SEPTEMBER IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH (a percentage of the proceeds will go to Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation - http://www.candlelighters.org/ ). If there is one complaint, it really goes to the cabaret community and even past performers in this series. Given the host of performers given an opportunity to be a part of past shows, and given the terrific and talented cast for this (and every show), I was again truly disappointed that the room was not filled beyond capacity.
