HERE'S WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT ....

Cabaret Hotline Online is an independent website with more than 7,400 pages of news, information and stories on cabaret, owned and maintained by Stu Hamstra. CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE is not affiliated with any club or organization. It is totally supported through advertising and membership donations. This blog is an extension of the website and newsletter.

NOW IN OUR 26th YEAR OF PROMOTING THE ART & ARTISTS OF CABARET!

"His eye is on the sparrow...."

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Friday, June 12, 2009

ATE AVE PRESENTS HOT SUMMER MONDAYS WITH BABY JANE DEXTER

NYC: HOT SUMMER MONDAYS WITH BABY JANE DEXTER

2009 Nightlife Award Winner and 5 Time MAC Award winning Baby Jane Dexter sings from her hit CD "If", live at ATE AVE (169 Eight Avenue, NYC - 646-763-8355 - ) in "Hot Summer Mondays" - every Monday in July and August, starting July 13th - all shows at 8:00 pm. There is a $25 cover plus a 2-drink minimum.

ATE AVE is located at the former location of HELENS - and prior to that JUDY'S CHELSEA

THE 2009 ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL FIRST REPORT

THE 2009 ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL FIRST REPORT

Reported by Frank Ford

NOTE: This same report - with photos added - appears on the CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE website as well.

David Campbell, international Australian musical theatre and cabaret entertainer, is the new artistic director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

In its 9th year the Festival features International and Australian artists.

Over 250 artists in 57 shows will give 133 performances across the 16 days of the Festival, 5 - 20 June. Over 40 performances sold out before the Festival opened and it is set to outsell previous Festivals' 46,000 plus audience members.

The Adelaide Festival Centre and its higly skilled staff utilise the three existing theatres (2000, 600 and 400 seats) and convert the banquet room and various areas in the complex into attractive intimate cabaret venues with two or three performances in each venue every night of the Festival.

Already, after the Opening weekend of the Festival, David Campbell has put his own distinctive stamp on the event. In developing the artistic direction of this year's Festival David said he was "eager to focus on three things; (1) showcasing the established (2) promoting the up and coming and (3) urging well known performers to embrace the medium of cabaret. The performances may be varied but the one common denominator is quality."

The sensational Opening Night Gala Variety Performance showcased just that. The sold out 2000 seat Festival Theatre buzzed with excitement and the audience was fed a feast of brilliant performances. A mind boggling 17 acts delighted the audience which responded with thunderous applause as they experienced a glimpse of some of the great shows on offer at the Festival.

Campbell, resplendent in gold lame jacket and his glamorous co-producer wife Lisa welcomed arriving guests as they walked the red carpet, setting the scene for a night to remember.

The show got off to an equally glamorous start with Steven Brinberg's brilliant, seductive portrayal of Barbra Streisand. He stunned the audience by inviting a local football legend and sports columnist to join Barbra in a duet of Neil Diamond's You Don't Bring me Flowers. They both scored a hit with the audience.

The evening presented a rich smorgasbord of cabaret royalty and rising new talent, emphasising Campbell's aim of presenting a stimulating quality program. The 84 year old Queen of Cabaret, Julie Wilson won the hearts of the audience with a spunky rendition of The Lady is a Tramp. Equally the surprise appearance of the Cabaret Festival's star attraction, Bernadette Peters was a knock out! The audience was spell bound by her super-star presence and her deeply moving No-one is Alone from Into The Woods.

John Bucchino, Broadway composer, whetted our appetite for his two shows in the Festival by having Hayden Tee give us an ever so sweet performance of Bucchino's beautiful ballad Sweet Dreams.

Host, comedienne Julie Morris, skilfully linked the acts with her sharp repartee. International cabaret acts like the gorgeous Barbara Luna was a Latin hotspot and the sparkling French comedy and music duo Duel were jewels which indicated the exotic touches of the coming events in the Festival.

Australian stars like opera/jazz singer comedienne Ali McGregor dazzled; Glam drag couple Trevor Ashley and Virginia Gay, in clever song and dance routines convinced us Gentlemen Prefer Blokes; Nick Christo shimmied the legend of Francis Faye; the hilarious Bob Downe as World War Bob led the audience in a patriotic sing-along; Mr Percival by recording loops created his own orchestra; Trace Canini converted us with her gospel ensemble and Phil Scott resurrected Liberace with a dazzling display of his virtuosity on the piano. Rising talent like Sheridan Harbridge and Hugh Sheridan convince you news stars are in the making.

The Gala Variety Performance was a cornucopia of enticing tastes that wetted the appetite for wanting more. The Gala was a great success and is sure to feature in future Adelaide Cabaret Festivals.

The first weekend June 5 - 7 offered so many different shows it was impossible for me to see them all. Here are the ones I managed to see and some critics' comments on some of the ones I was unable to catch.

The jewel in the crown of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2009 is surely "An Evening of Bernadette Peters" in the 2000 seat Festival Theatre. Adoring fans jumped to their feet applauding her loudly on her entrance, which she topped by launching into a full on frontal attack of Let Me Entertain You. Her dynamic stage presence and focussed energy was breath taking. This "Broadway Baby" really has it all. A bravura display of her talents gushed forth. With a twinkle in her eye she sizzled through Fever reclining atop the grand piano. She topped and tailed her songs with comic quips. And as a great interpreter of Stephen Sondheim she enchanted us with memorably performances of his songs such as the beautiful No One Is Alone from Into the Woods which he wrote for her and Johanna backed up by the grand Festival Theatre pipe organ.

Her musical theatre talents came to the fore when she burst into Mama Rose from Gypsy. She then delivered a knock out There Is Nothing Like A Dame as part of her Rodgers and Hammerstein tribute along with the delightful When I Marry Mr Snow and Some Enchanted Evening. But I thought that I had died and gone to Heaven when she sang sublimely, almost a capella Shenandoah while an occasional phrase from a harmonica drifted in and out.

As an encore and as a tribute to her friend Peter Allen she sang so tenderly I Honestly Love You. I honestly love you Bernadette Peters and so did the audience witnessed by their standing ovations and cheering.

A genuine surprise of the Festival was DUEL, a vaudeville act by two brilliant musicians as they engaged in combat and comedy. French cellist Laurent Cirade and Romanian pianist Paul Staicu battled it out upside-down or entwined with string bow and keyboard and other odd objects, while often playing several shared instruments. The visual comedy was enriched with their wide range of musical references from the classics to The Beatles, expertly played in the most excruciating positions. The audience was doubled-up too, with their hilarious antics.

With the smallest of gestures, New Yorker Steven Brinberg convinced us that we were in the presence of super star Barbra Streisand as he captured her magic in his show Simply Barbra. With loving care he delivered her repertoire entertaining us with his strong grip on the material, his vocal range and his take on the Barbra personality. His understated exposure of Barbra's ego and attitudes were delicious moments of satirical comedy. His renditions of her ballads were the most enjoyable and brilliantly accompanied by Christopher Denny on piano.

Each year the Adelaide Cabaret Festival presents a living composer and this year in the show John Bucchino & Friends many people were introduced to this Award -Winning New Yorker and his work. With Bucchino on piano and his line up of eight extremely talented friends we were treated to a survey of his meaningful words and music. Buchinno in a very relaxed manner, modestly and with gentle humour introduced his songs and their back stories. Last year he had his first Broadway show A Catered Affair and won the Drama League Award for Best Musical.

Buchinno's Friends excelled themselves in delivering stunning presentations of his songs. Ursula Yovich sang a moving It Feels Like Home. Ali McGregor certainly gave us Sweet Dreams. Darren Percival surprised and wowed us with What You Need and Hayden Tee told us of the other side of domestic bliss in Painting My Kitchen. Artistic Director of the Festival, David Campbell and John Bucchino are old friends and had worked together before, so it was no surprise when Campbell sang Better Than I and the finale Grateful we experienced an insightful and thrilling performance.

So moved by Grateful I said to my partner I want that played at my funeral.

In the intimate JB Room which seats only 60, Campbell is "introducing the next generation of cabaret singers" such as the charming young chanteuse Elenoa Rokobara. Elenoa told us that she grew up listening to her father's records of jazz, gospel, blues and soul from the likes of great Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald which were sources of inspiration and influence for her. This is reflected in the resonances and richness of her vocal range. What amazed was her ability to make her chosen songs her own as when she gave a stunningly fresh interpretation of George Gershwin's Summertime and Billie Holiday's God Bless The Child. Elenoa Rokobara is a fresh and original talent, someone to keep an eye out for.

As it is impossible to see all the shows on offer, here are two shows I missed and the critics loved. Dianna Carroll in the Independent Weekly said of Ali McGregor's Jazz Cigarette "From the opening notes of The Man I Love to the closing bars of Peel Me A Grape, McGregor was pitch perfect and oh so sexy. She is the embodiment of: "naughty but nice", super sexy in a playful pussycat way: she's no wanton alley cat. I don't think there was a woman in the audience who didn't want to be her, nor a man who didn't want her." And as a successful opera singer "in this show, she leaves opera behind to delve in the "darker side" of cabaret."

Stephen Whittington in The Advertiser wrote "Barbara Luna is a dynamo on stage. But in quieter moments she can summon up intense emotion, as she did a smouldering rendition of Una Noche Mas and, surprisingly, in the Jimmy Hendrix classic Little Wing...her songs traverse familiar emotional territory - the joy or pain of love - eternal themes that Latin music continues to thrive on."

The Piano Bar 'the festival club', offers free admission with a show ticket, no wonder it was packed out each night as shows finished. On Opening night artists gave impromptu performances and on other nights bands provide a party atmosphere to dance or as background music for patrons to excitedly chatter about the shows they had seen.

The First Weekend was a huge success and there is still a lot more to come in the next two weeks.

reported by Frank Ford

Thursday, June 11, 2009

NYC: ALGONQUIN SALON THIS SUNDAY: "AGAINST TYPE!"

NYC: ALGONQUIN SALON THIS SUNDAY: "AGAINST TYPE!"
---------------
2009 MAC AWARD NOMINEE Mark Janas' Algonquin Salon usually takes place on Sunday nights from 7:00 to 10:00 pm in the lobby of THE ALGONQUIN HOTEL (59 West 44th Street, NYC - 212-419-9331 - ). The Salon is a weekly event in which singers, writers and musicians share their talent with each other and audience members in the lobby of the Algonquin Hotel. Salon Secretary Peter Napolitano reports that on Sunday, June 14th, special Host Bill Zeffiro will be at the piano and Co-host Sue Matsuki will be in charge of the revelries. The optional theme for the evening will be "AGAINST TYPE!". Saloners are encouraged to perform material that is not what you usually do or something you've always wanted to do, but were afraid to try! Here's your chance to sing songs written for the opposite sex, or a different age range, or from a genre that you've yet to perform at Salon. Remember, any material, on or off-theme, is always welcome at the Algonquin Salon. There is no cover and no minimum.

ON RADIO: "EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW": MUSIC OF LAURIE BEECHMAN

ON RADIO: "EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW": MUSIC OF LAURIE BEECHMAN
CABARET ON THE RADIO - TV - WEB
---------------
On Sunday, June 14th, EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN, on the Radio over WBAI 99.5 FM and on the Internet at http://www.wbai.org/, usually heard from 9:00 to 11:00 pm and hosted by David Kenney will feature the music of Laurie Beechman. Some of the songs from her career that you will hear: "These Are The Good Times"; David Friedman's "Listen To My Heart"; "A House Is Not A Home" (Burt Bacharach / Hal David); Memory" and "There But For You Go I" from her CD NO ONE IS ALONE. Each week David presents the usual blend of big-band jazz, swing, standards, showtunes, contemporary cabaret and celebrity interviews plus MEGA-MEDLEY MADNESS. For more information contact: oldisnew@earthlink.net. You are also invited to e-mail your comments and suggestions for future shows. You can listen to past shows at any time by going to the WBAI Archives at http://www.archive.wbai.org/ .

NYC: SETH'S CHATTERBOX: SPECIAL GUEST NANCY OPEL

NYC: SETH'S CHATTERBOX: SPECIAL GUEST NANCY OPEL
FEATURED CABARET BENEFIT EVENT
---------------
Seth Rudetsky's BROADWAY CHATTERBOX at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street, NYC - 212-757-0788 - ) is usually presented on Thursdays at 6:00 pm. On Thursday, June 11th, Seth's guest is Nancy Opel, of the off-Broadway show "The Toxic Avenger" for which Ms. Opel received award nominations from the Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle and the Drama League. Seth's weekly interview show always features stars, soon-to-be stars and folks behind the scenes of the musical theater stage - for just a $10 cover - 2-drink minimum. Best of all, all proceeds from the cover go to BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS!

NYC: GRACE NOTES: SINGERS' SOIREE: HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME

NYC: GRACE NOTES: SINGERS' SOIREE: HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME
MEMBER DISCOUNT: $5 OFF THE COVER
---------------
GRACE NOTES - a Singers' Soiree, hosted by Bistro Award Winner Grace Cosgrove, is held monthly at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street, NYC - 212-757-0788 - ) with the next show, HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME!, scheduled for Thursday, June 11th at 6:30 pm featuring headliner Marilyn Maye. The lineup of other special guest performers for this show includes Terese Genecco, Frank Dain, Amy Wolk, Elli Fordyce, Shannon Brown, April Henry, Sarah Mucho, Jim Speake and Grace Cosgrove. Don Rebic is Musical Director, with Tom Hubbard on Bass. Lennie Watts serves as Director. This is an on-going lab for top-notch singers - a place for great singers to perform, to try out new material, and to expand their audiences. Each show also introduces a newcomer. There is a $15 cover plus a 2-drink minimum. $10 cover for members of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE.

GRACE COSGROVE JOINS THE CAST OF BIRTHDAY SHOW

GRACE COSGROVE JOINS THE CAST OF BIRTHDAY SHOW

Grace Cosgrove, host of GRACE NOTES: A Singers' Soiree" has accepted our invitation to join the cast of "A Few of My Favorites", the 19th BIRTHDAY PARTY of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE to be held on Thursday, July 9th at 7:00 pm at THE WEST BANK CAFE/LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATER (407 West 42nd Street, NYC - ). Already announced cast members include cabaret legend Tom Andersen, recent cabaret newcomer Terrell Baker, cabaret/Broadway favorite Raissa Katona Bennett, the delightful Moira Danis, the all-girl vocal group The Delivery Girls, singer/dancer Ryan Greer and the inimitable singer/actor Jim Speake. Musical director for the show is the 2009-double-MAC-Award winning Tracy Stark. We sent out more invites over the weekend and hope to have some announcements soon.

Each year CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE presents the DOTTIE BURMAN and JEFF MATSON awards, and this year we welcome back as our honored guests, past winners: DC Anderson, Hector Coris, Trudi Mann, Collette Black, Joe Regan and Miles Phillips - winners of the JEFF MATSON AWARD, which has been presented since our first birthday party in 2004 and Maria Gentile and Tracy, winners of the DOTTIE BURMAN AWARD, which we started presenting in 2007.

Tickets are $15 for new/renewed 2009-2010 members and $25 for non-members (plus the usual $15 food/drink minimum required by the venue). TICKETS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE WEBSITE - no reservations will be taken by the club, no tickets will be available the night of the show.

Go to http://www.svhamstra.com/thankyou1tkt2.shtml to buy your ticket (2009-2010 members can purchase 2 tickets at the member price). If you can't make it to the show, you can buy an ad in the program book (as little as $25) at http://www.svhamstra.com/thankyou1program.shtml or purchase a ticket that we can give to someone who can't afford one (each birthday we give away 4 or 5 tickets purchased this way.) $100 sponsorships (includes a free ticket and a 1/2 page program ad, plus acknowledgement in promotions - see next paragraph) are available at http://www.svhamstra.com/thankyou1sponsor.shtml

Proceeds from the "A Few of My Favorites" party go to support CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE through the summer months, when banner and other advertising income traditionally drops by 50-70%. We are hoping to raise at least $3000 for this purpose - and are nearly half way there, thanks to tickets already sold and the generosity of our sponsors.

The 19th Birthday Party of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE is sponsored in part by Raisa Katona Bennett, Suzanne Carrico, Chelsea's Desktop, Inc. - Chelsea Hudgins, Grace Cosgrove, Creative Minds Productions, Teresa Fischer, Marty Geiger, Eric Michael Gillett, Laura Hull, and Jim Van Slyke.

SAD NEWS FROM CHICAGO

We received word a few minutes ago that Becky Menzie's husband passed away suddenly. No other details. Her show scheduled for this Sunday, June 14th at THE SKOKIE THEATER has been cancelled. More information as received.

Monday, June 8, 2009

NYC: ANY WEDNESDAY FEATURES CHESTER GREGORY

NYC: ANY WEDNESDAY FEATURES CHESTER GREGORY
---------------
ANY WEDNESDAY, the free in-store concert series that features the best in cabaret, jazz and theater music takes at THE BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSTORE (66th Street and Broadway, NYC). Performances are at 6:00 pm. On Wednesday, June 10th at 6:00 pm, featured performer is musical theater performer Chester Gregory (Tarzan, Shrek), who takes a personal journey as he goes In Search of High Love. No Reservations taken. No cover.

NYC: MIDTOWN JAZZ AT MIDDAY WITH PEGGY STERN'S JAZZ CHORUS

NYC: MIDTOWN JAZZ AT MIDDAY WITH PEGGY STERN'S JAZZ CHORUS
---------------
MIDTOWN JAZZ AT MIDDAY continues on Wednesdays at ST. PETER'S CHURCH - LIVING ROOM (Lexington Avenue at 54th Street, NYC). This long-running series was created by Edmund Anderson and is now produced by Ronny Whyte. Next show is on Wednesday, June 10th featuring Peggy Stern's River Jazz Chorus. Performances are at 1:00 pm, $7 donation.

CABARET FOLKS ON TWITTER YOU SHOULD FOLLOW DEPARTMENT

CABARET FOLKS ON TWITTER YOU SHOULD FOLLOW DEPARTMENT: Every Monday we spotlight another cabaret personality who you should follow on TWITTER (besides me at http://twitter.com/stuhamstra ). These are performers and friends of cabaret that I am currently following, who provide pithy comments and news on a regular basis, and who will not inundate you with TWITS of a political, commercial or pornographic nature and endless promos for their website, blog or next cabaret show. Choice this week is Lee Lessack (http://twitter.com/leetunes ). Last week we "twittered" with Lee as he travelled from California to HARLAN'S in New Hope, then THE CASTLE in Tarrytown, and today he heads for THE METROPOLITAN ROOM for his nearly-sold-out show tonight, all part of his tribute tour to the songs of Johnny Mercer. Click on his link to sign on as a follower.