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...."

Friday, July 3, 2009

BANNER COST CUT ENDS ON SATURDAY JULY 4th, 2009

Recession busting price break: Through July 4th we are discontinuing the $10 per week "surcharge" on the cost of the first two weeks of banner ads - meaning that REGULAR BANNER ADS will run just $30 per week and SUPERSIZE just $50 per week. 2-week minimum still applies on all advertising. Write me for details - a few other changes apply. SIDEBAR ads continue at the same $25/week cost.

Members of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE are eligible for SPECIAL discounts and deals on all banners and ads during June & July - check out the item in tomorrow's MEMBERS' ONLY newsletter.

DEADLINE FOR ORDERING/PAYMENT FOR SPECIALS IS JULY 4TH

E-CARDS? E-INVITES? YOU'RE INVITING TROUBLE

A word about e-cards: Please don't send me any. My reason is simple: I NEVER open an e-card, an e-invite, or any e-mails of that type. This method is used to spread a computer virus and anyone can send one under someone else's name. My advice to you is to do the same. Don't open any mail that requires you to open a URL to read the message - especially from someone you do not know.

In that connection - I do not have a FaceBook account and do not intend to open one. I do have a MySpace account but only have it in order to confirm the MySpace URLs of members who wish one added to their membership information. That's all its there for. I prefer TWITTER because the message size limit is 140 characters and the messages rarely require answering.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT

If you were waiting until the last minute to order your tickets to the 19th Birthday Party of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE, this is just about the last minute. On Saturday - if any tickets remain - I am going to personally remind a few folks who I truly would love to see at the show who have not ordered tickets yet. You see (as though you didn't know by now) the party also celebrates my 70th birthday, and there are a bunch of folks, near and dear to me, who I would truly love to have there to celebrate with me.

In year's past, I have always told folks that the party is to celebrate CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE, not Stu Hamstra. This year is different, and as Cynthia Crane would say, time to toot my own horn. Less than 10 seats remain unsold - I do have 2 "sold" seats to give away (OK, I gave one away yesterday), but after Monday's issue goes out we will discontinue taking any orders, even if we have a few seats left. And we won't be selling tickets at the door the night of the show - THE BEECHMAN is not taking reservations.

Not trying to be mean or anything - I adopted this practice a few years ago when a friend (or I should say, former friend) offered to collect money at the door for tickets, and then got so drunk during the show (he was sprawled on a bench in the lobby of the venue when the show ended), he lost track of what he had collected, and mixed the show money with his own. We never fully untangled the finances and incidentally, that was the only CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE show in all the years that lost money!

Tickets are just $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 at http://www.svhamstra.com/thankyou1tkt2.shtml

Monday, June 29, 2009

BOSTON CABARET GROUP ELECTS BOARD MEMBERS

BACA (Boston Association of Cabaret Artists) has announced the newly elected BACA Board members who will serve for the next two years. They are as follows: Ernie Berardinelli, Sara Ann Curry, David Hardy, Christopher Laconi, Eric Larivee, Annie Sharkey and Richard White. They will join Diane Carey, Patricia Fitzpatrick and Stanley Wilson who have one year of their term remaining. New BACA officers will be elected by the Board later this summer. Special thanks and congratulations for a job well done to retiring board members Kevin Luey, Carol O'Shaughnessy, Harriet Goldberg. Tom LaMark, Dennis Livingston, Chrys Alam and Steve Alam (ex-officio).

SUE MATSUKI & BRETT KRISTOFFERSON RECEIVE HOTLINE AWARDS

SUE MATSUKI & BRETT KRISTOFFERSON RECEIVE HOTLINE AWARDS
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Once again we will be presenting two awards at our annual birthday show in honor of two people who have contributed to the art and artists of cabaret in the past and are no longer with us, but should never be forgotten. We are very proud to announce this year's recipients, who will be honored at CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE's 19th Birthday show on July 9th.

The JEFF MATSON AWARD - given annually to a person(s) who, like Jeff, has done extraordinary work in supporting, mentoring and giving leadership to others in cabaret. This year we are presenting the award to Sue Matsuki, a lady who has done all those things over the years, in addition to performing, volunteering, and even promoting fellow performers (and attending a lot of shows). Sue has also assisted CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE in producing many of the special events we have sponsored - like our Birthday Parties. As an award winner, Sue will also perform a number in the show.

The DOTTIE BURMAN SONGWRITER award will be presented to Brett Kristofferson, who, like Dottie, writes original songs, but also mentors and gives attention to many of the younger singers in the world of cabaret. His work has been heard in numerous venues around New York City, including The Duplex, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Don't Tell Mama, Rose's Turn, Manhattan Theatre Source, and Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC). He has presented several revues of his work, including This Love; Beginnings: The Music of Brett Kristofferson; The Man on the Rock, and most recently, Keeping My Composure, a one-night event at the Laurie Beechman Theatre just last week. He has written book, music and lyrics for several musicals, including Insanities; The Red House (additional lyrics by Angela Shultz), The Gospel According to Tammy Faye (book & lyrics by Jeff Dobbins); As the Curtain Rises (book & lyrics by Brent Peterson); and In Her Place (book & lyrics by Angela Shultz). His song, "The Whole Wide World" was nominated for Song of the Year by the Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Clubs (MAC). As an award winner, Brett will present a number in the show, performed by Angela Shultz.

Already announced cast members include cabaret legend Tom Andersen, recent cabaret newcomer Terrell Baker, cabaret/Broadway favorite Raissa Katona Bennett, Grace Cosgrove (host of GRACE NOTES: A Singers' Soiree), 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.

Less than 15 seats remain for the show, to be held on Thursday, July 9th at 7:00 pm at THE WEST BANK CAFE/LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATER (407 West 42nd Street, NYC - 212-695-6909 - ).