By Marilyn Lester . . . What a night at Birdland! The John Pizzarelli Trio delivered a boffo set of incredible music via three preternaturally attuned stringed instruments (yes, the piano is one), with Isaiah Thompson on the keys, Mike Karn on the double bass and...
By JK Clarke . . . One of the questions that tickled my brain over the past year whilst pouring over countless hours of Britbox and reruns of 1970s game shows, and hoping that creative types were doing the same, but also creating new shows for the post-quarantine...
Review by Andrew Poretz . . . Hooray for Hollywood! Award-winning cabaret performer Ann Kittredge is a sophisticated, tall lady who exudes elegance and warmth. With classic beauty and a gorgeous gown, she was a 1940s film poster come to life. Ann’s rich, powerful...
Review by Andrew Poretz . . . This was a serious night for jazz at Birdland on October 7th. “No photos or videos,” the audience is implored. It’s a rare night here to catch a top-billing jazz cat who was around when the original Birdland was still on 52nd Street. ...
By Brian Scott Lipton and Sandi Durell . . . Is there some kind of state-of-the-art device hidden somewhere on Laura Benanti’s body? Or maybe she’s fooled us for the past 25 years by simply passing as human, when she’s really an alien? Really, there must be some sort...
By Sandi Durell . . . The over 40 (and many times 80 year young-uns) at Tomatoes Got Talent’s 7th Annual event, proved over and over again. . . talent abounds at any age! I wouldn’t call this an evening for the “and she can cook too” kind of woman” (although...
By Ron Fassler . . . Amanda Green comes at you in a most disarming way. She swears like a sailor (especially in her song lyrics) and, with her latest cabaret show charmingly titled “Vaxxed AF!” (you figure it out), she doesn’t disappoint. A witty and clever...
By Marilyn Lester After nearly two years of pandemic restrictions, New York Pops Underground Cabaret, at Feinstein’s/54 Below, was back—a homecoming as described by conductor and Music Director, Steven Reineke. Of course, such affairs as this mini-gala for The New...
By Ron Fassler Not only was I new to the talents of singer Marissa Mulder, who gave a fine concert at the Birdland Theater last night, but I was also somewhat ignorant of the fifty-year career of John Prine. A songwriter of great range and tender abilities, Prine died...
by Andrew Poretz . . . Nicole Zuraitis played Birdland Theater on September 27, self-accompanied on piano and backed by a stellar quartet of husband Dan Pugach on drums, saxophonist Sam Dillon, Pete McCann on guitar and Sam Weber on bass. Nicole is a Grammy...
by Alix Cohen . . . Before The Shirelles (pop) The Supremes (Motown), and The Spice Girls (rock) came The Boswell Sisters (1930s) and The Andrews Sisters (1940s). Style couldn’t be more different. These early girl groups sang jazz, swing, boogie-woogie, and jump blues...
by Andrew Poretz On Monday, September 27, Clint Holmes returned to Birdland for the first time since “The Pause” of 2020, with a number of jazz and cabaret stars present in the audience, a measure of the respect Holmes garners from his peers. Lean and fit at 75,...
By Brian Scott Lipton . . . Big dreams, big city. Will you make it after all? Will you even make it at all? It’s an oft-told tale, to be sure, but it takes someone like Melissa Errico to transform such a possibly ordinary story into something extraordinary, which is...
by Andrew Poretz . . . Harvey Granat, the very successful businessman turned entertainer and producer, held the first in-person session of this 92Y series since the pandemic. The program presented the songwriting duo, lyricist Johnny Burke and composer Jimmy Van...
By Marilyn Lester . . . If the Universe were giving out doctorates in entertainment, Meg Flather would have been awarded her PhD in a heartbeat with Rodgers and Hammerstein 2021 at Don’t Tell Mama. Flather easily “defended” her thesis that long after their music...
By Brian Scott Lipton . . . As if there was any question, Mark William may be the true definition of a crowd-pleaser, as proven by “Back With a Beat,” his September 25th show at The Green Room 42. This enthusiastic young singer’s unprecedented combination of Las Vegas...
By Melissa Griegel . . . Amy Spanger (Kiss Me Kate, Chicago, Rock of Ages, Matilda the Musical) sparkled as she greeted the Feinstein’s/54 Below audience in her newly-designed David Josef black sequined outfit. She gave a shout out to the red-carpet fashion designer,...
by Andrew Poretz . . . Ted Rosenthal is the consummate musician’s musician. You might have caught him as the accompanist for heavy hitters in jazz and cabaret like Ann Hampton Callaway, or when he saved the day when the pianist scheduled to perform Gershwin’s...
By Marilyn Lester . . . Call it Fate, call it Kismet, call it what you will, but when the late legendary Broadway star Carol Channing introduced a young Lee Roy Reams to Jerry Herman, a fast friendship and enduring artistic collaboration was begun. In a tribute to...
By Brian Scott Lipton . . . They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but what about a cabaret show? In the case of “Christine Andreas: And So It Goes…Life & Love, Lost & Found,” at Feinstein’s/54 Below through September 25, you can actually tell a lot....
By Melissa Griegel . . . Looking dapper with his black and white ensemble including suspenders and black and white tap shoes, Tony-nominee Tony Yazbeck (On the Town, Gypsy, Finding Neverland) sang and danced his way across the Feinstein’s/54 Below stage on September...
By Melissa Griegel . . . “Welcome to Feinstein’s!” Haley Swindal (Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde) exclaimed from the stage on September 20th. “You have no idea how long I have waited to say those words.” The exuberant Swindal said that it has been two years since she set...
By Andrew Poretz . . . The Sam Dillon Quartet took the stage at the Birdland Theater for a seven-song, 90-minute one-night stand. In what was Sam’s first time back to Birdland since the pandemic, Monday’s lineup had Steven Feifke on piano, Peter Slavov on bass, and...
By Melissa Griegel . . . Sing Street, a new musical that was supposed to open to previews on March 26th, 2020, was put on hold due to the Broadway shutdown. The new opening date is set to be announced sometime this winter, possibly in early 2022. In the meantime, four...
By Marilyn Lester . . . Will we ever tire of a performer sharing euphoria from the stage—the absolute delight of performing live again after 18 months of pandemic weariness? So far, absolutely not. And violinist-singer Edmund Bagnell was so excited to be back he not...
By Melissa Griegel Broadway power couple Andy Karl (Groundhog Day, Rocky the Musical) and Orfeh (Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman) bounded up on the Feinstein’s stage September 15th, with an uproarious “Ain’t No Mountain Higher” which was part of a Motown Medley. The Tony...
By Melissa Griegel . . . Sierra Boggess (The Little Mermaid, Phantom of the Opera) looked stunning as she joyfully opened her September 8th show at Feinstein’s/54 Below, with the song “Home”. A frequent performer at 54 Below, she said it feels like home being back on...
By Melissa Griegel . . . Anthony Rapp (Rent, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, If/Then) opened his August 29th Feinstein’s show with the song that launched his career: R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.” Rapp explained, “This is the song I sang in my audition for Rent....
By Melissa Griegel Tony Nominee and Grammy Award Winner Eva Noblezada was back on stage at a place she feels very comfortable: The Green Room 42, located in the Yotel Hotel on 10th Ave. in New York City. She and Hadestown costar/boyfriend Reeve Carney are frequent...
By Andrew Poretz The Birdland Theater, downstairs at Birdland, reopened for the first time since the closing due to the pandemic. They’re off to a fine start with “Our Sinatra,” a love letter to the Chairman of the Board, with dozens of songs and a solid crowd...
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