The Right to Cabaret Makes Its New York Debut

Cabaret Review by Andrew Poretz . . . .

A Los Angeles cabaret party came to The Green Room 42 with the New York debut of LA’s The Right to Cabaret on November 4, hosted by Hillary Rollins, MaryJo Mundy and Alexis Fae Gach. Rollins, is a singer-songwriter and a producer based in LA; Mundy is a cabaret singer and the founder of the longest-running open mic at the famed Gardenia in LA, and currently residing in the Bay Area. Gach is a Los Angeles producer and performer.

The series is essentially a “cabaret party,” with performances rotated among the hosts and their guest performers, typically an “up and comer,” a singer/songwriter, and an established cabaret performer. There’s also a fun segment called “Sing by the Seat of Your Pants,” featuring a surprise audience guest (chosen from a pre-show lottery signup) who performs a song with no rehearsal, but with a chart for the accompanist. For its New York debut, the guests were newcomer Ava Nicole Francis, the brilliant singer-songwriter John Forster, and acclaimed cabaret star Natalie Douglas.

The California hosts, all wearing “New York black,” as was musical director Alex Rybeck, opened together with the funny title song, “The Right to Cabaret” (Hillary Rollins and Howard Pearl).

Ms. Francis was first up for a pair of songs, notably a medley of the perfectly matched “I Got Lost In His Arms” (Irving Berlin) with “My Foolish Heart.” Ms. Francis’s gorgeous, sensitive delivery and interpretation was flawless and moving. (My recent review of Ms. Francis can be found HERE.)

Ms. Rollins first met John Forster more than 40 years ago when she saw him perform in Boston. Forster, an excellent pianist as well as a delightful singer and songwriter, performed his originals, the laugh-out-loud travelogue song “Entering Marion,” and “Nothing Ventured,” with absurd, wonderful rhymes like “lost and flossed.” (My review of Mr. Forster’s show can be found HERE).

Audience member Sarah Corley won the lottery to sing the “Seat of Your Pants” number. After briefly consulting with Rybeck, she performed a song called “Help is On the Way.” She sang quite well, and she forgot some words but handled it with aplomb.

Ms. Rollins performed “Annie,” a cleverly constructed song she wrote with Michele Brourman. Its poignant lyrics paint a vivid portrait of the charming town of Chatham. The talented Ms. Gach sang a very bluesy “If” (Jule Styne/Betty Comden and Adolph Green), a story song.

Natalie Douglas, the evening’s “emeritus” performer, killed with three songs. Ms. Douglas told her meet-cute story about seeing and falling in love with husband Billie Joe Young, and channeled any marital challenges they might have to set up the wryly comedic country song, “I Don’t Feel Like Loving You” (Matraca Berg, Jim Collins). Saving the best for last, she performed a spectacular “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (Ewan MacColl). If Roberta Flack’s recording is the “gold standard,” Ms. Douglas’s was at least a silver. Rybeck’s accompaniment here was particularly superb.

The ensemble read a moving tribute to the late music producer, publicist and singer Ralph Lampkin (see featured photo), a beloved figure on the jazz and cabaret scene. Ralph was a wonderful fellow, who was quite helpful to and encouraging of this writer.

Ms. Mundy performed a fine rendition of “Move On” (Stephen Sondheim) before the hosts and guests closed out the night with “Lullaby of Broadway,” with audience participation.

Here’s hoping “The Right to Cabaret” becomes a regular part of the New York cabaret scene.

The Right to Cabaret took place on November 4 at The Green Room 42, 570 Tenth Avenue in Hotel Yotel (https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com).

Photos: © 2023 Roberta Fineberg Photography