A TALE OF TWO LIZAs: Richard DeFonzo and Christine Pedi!

"It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it."
Lillian Hellman, American playwright (1905-1984)
Happy Friday!
You may notice with today's blog that it is a new name and a new look! I want to thank all of you who are currently following my blog. I hope you like the new name and look. I'm always interested in getting your feedback.Please forward my blog to at least 5 people today and help me expand my readership.
Today, I wanted to present my friends Richard DeFonzo and Christine Pedi. We'll start with Richard DeFonzo!

Richard DeFonzo belts out live as he gives an exciting and fun filled performance as Liza Minnelli in LIZA'S BACK WITH TRUE CONFESSIONS! Funny and vulnerable, Richard bears more than just a resemblance to the legendary Liza. His show, a one-hour cabaret theater piece, gives you a taste of Minnelli at her best or should we say at his best. During the evening, DeFonzo pays tribute to Liza's famous mother and father along with some of the men in her life.

"One of NY's most glamorous entertainers."
-- Herald & Post, London

"DeFonzo is the premier Liza impersonator."
- HX MAGAZINE
The creative team includes Musical director Jeff Buchsbaum, costume creations by Michael Louis, make-up design and photography by Devon Cass. Orchestrations are by Gene Sironen of the Vegas strip, production supervision and publicity by David Fobair. The show includes some of Minnelli's signature songs such as New York New York, Cabaret, Some People, Old Friends and The World Goes Round. Mr. DeFonzo has performed in London, Holland and Brussels.

"Thumbs up! You were wonderful!" - David Gest

In the U.S. he's played The Tropicana Casino and Resort, and prominent New York clubs including Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, Tavern On The Green, The Plaza Hotel for Eloise and The Waldorf Astoria. In addition, he has also played some of the hot spots in New York such as The Cutting Room, The Triad and The Duplex. He performed for David Gest at his bachelor party and entertained at Bette Midler's Halloween Bash at the Marriot Marquis New York. He was featured in the VH1 special entitled Boys Will Be Girls.
Visit http://www.rdasliza.com for more information.
"DeFonzo does a rousing job as Judy's Daughter." -Time Out New York

"DeFonzo is the most fetching Liza impersonator." - New York Post

"One of NY's most glamourous entertainers." - Herald & Post, London


"You Were Incredible." - Brian Thomas (Liza's Choreographer)

Richard is also now appearing as Joan Rivers!
Richard first discovered Joan River's

when she sat in for Johnny Carson.
He loved and connected with her sense of humor, so much that he persuaded his Mother to let him stay up past his bed time to see her when she was on.

Not knowing that many years later he would be on the "red carpet" impersonating her.

Richard recently did the red carpet for Marc Ecko's birthday party and hosted the Gala for the "Stop AIDS" benefit in Cincinnati Ohio as well as the Marriage Equality Oscar Party in NJ.
Most recently he was seen working the red carpet in Atlantic City at Trump Taj Mahal.
He most recently went "Anchors Away"when he hosted and entertained on the Carnival Legend.
He also donates his time to many great causes like raising money for the homeless shelter and soup kitchen in the East Village.
At any given time, Richard will bring a splash of fun and humor to any private or corporate event from Fire Island to LA he'll make you'll feel like a STAR at your next event.

"One of NY's most glamorous entertainers."
-- Herald & Post, London

Please contact Richard using following info : E- mail rd10025@aol.com or Richarddefonzo@hotmail.com VM 917-667-5782.
At the age of eight Richard saw Cabaret for the first time and told his mother that he wanted to meet that lady, never imagining that he actually would one day be a Liza Minnelli female impersonator in New York City strutting his stuff as Liza some years later. He totally identifies with Liza Minnelli and when performing brings her electrifying stage personality to life when belting out such numbers as Cabaret, Some People and the show stopping New York, New York
.
When interpreting one of Liza's ballads, Richard possesses a sense of vulnerability that we have learned to identify with her legendary magnetic persona.

Richard got his start at West Chester University where he was a double major studying music and theatre.
But at the same time he was longing to be in the hustle and bustle of New York and wanted to study with the best.
He auditioned at the American Musical And Dramatic Academy.
After he graduated he went on to study acting with Zina Jasper for eighteen years.
At the same time he worked for many years in Musical Theatre, dramas, TV and Film. Twelve years ago Richard put on his first pair of eye lashes when he took the stage as the Legendary Liza Minnelli. Not long after that he started asking people "Who you wearing?"
Since then he has performed to a standing ovation at the 13th Annual Reel Awards at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.

He was featured on the VH1 special “Boys Will Be Girls" which played for many weeks. He also did a commercial for A&E when Liza's Biography aired. Richard entertained at Bette Midler's annual Halloween bash, he received great press in several of New York's major papers for his performance at David Gest's bachelor party, and played at The Tropicana Casino and Resort. Additionally he has performed at various hot spots in New York such as Don't Tell Mamas where he did "The Dueling Diva's Show" with Devon Cass(as Cher), "Liza's Back! With A Vengeance" and threw Liza a 60th Birthday party as well. He's also played such places as FEZ, Danny's Skylight Room, The Cutting Room, Therapy, The Triad, The Duplex, Lips, The Supper Club on Broadway, Barracuda, Splash, Webster Hall and Helens.









Our next Liza is a real woman! And truly one of the best, Christine Pedi!
Christine's work as a musical theatre singer & comedienne in the off-Broadway satirical revues FORBIDDEN BROADWAY & FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD has earned her a Drama Desk nomination, an LA Ovation award & lots of frequent flyer miles (Tokyo, Singapore, Australia & London’s West End.) She spoofs a whole new stable of characters (real and imagined) this season in NEWSical the Musical off-Broadway, and her fun and festive annual holiday show THERE'S NO BIZNESS LIKE SNOW BIZNESS has become a beloved tradition at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.
On Broadway she appeared in Eric Bogosian's TALK RADIO starring Liev Schrieber, and LITTLE ME starring Martin Short and Faith Prince.
Other credits include FANTASY FOOTBALL at NYMF (NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL) and PROJECT SHAW's presentation of GBS’s ON THE ROCKS at the Players Club. Other stage roles include several A TRAIN PLAYS, THE 24 HOUR PLAYS, Edith Wharton's XINGU, Fanny Brice, Audrey in LITTLE SHOP, DALLIANCE IN VIENNA at the American Theatre of Actors, A BROADWAY DIVA CHRISTMAS and Carlotta the Gypsy Cow (don’t ask.)
She is the proud host of THE BROADWAY BREAKFAST on SIRIUS/XM RADIO where she plays the music of the stage & screen and interviews show biz legends (Mon-Fri, 9a-3p ET.) She shares the mic with the “amaaaaahzing” Seth Rudetsky on Saturdays for DUELING DIVAS (9a-3pET.)

NOW I HAVE EVERYTHING: THE LYRICS OF SHELDON HARNICK

This is a master class in musical theatre acting and a heck of an entertaining night out....we get an actress who digs deep into her material to reveal unexpected moments of emotional honestly and empathetic humor ...

-Michael Dale - Broadwayworld.com

She's naturally funny, she's a thoughtful and resourceful actor, and she's got a sturdy belt she can modulate at will... so good that she conjures a world around the songs simply through her actions.Taking a Harnick quote having to do with the "vast and inconceivable affair that is the universe" as her mantra, Pedi made the hour a fast and well-conceived affair.

-David Finkle - Back Stage

Her cabaret show GREAT DAMES (2008 New York NightLife Award, Backstage Bistro Award, MAC nominaton and “Top Ten Memorable Theatre Moments of the Year” on BroadwayWorld.com.) has performed in South Africa (Cape Town, Jo'burg & Durban,) London's Jermyn Street Theatre and all over the U.S. SHOW BUSINESS WEEKLY named her 2007's “Best Female Cabaret Performer.”
She’s performed on the NY Cabaret stages of Birdland, The Metropolitan Room, The Beechman & The Algonquin Oakroom, earning a MAC Award award & several nominations, as well as a guest spot on John McD's Cabaret Corner on the Rosie O'Donnell Show.


"I can't imagine any cabaret lover not having an absolutely wonderful time so long as Christine Pedi has a microphone in her hand. ...what makes it work so beautifully is the range of artistry she shows as a song interpreter when the masks are lowered and it's just Christine Pedi up there. It's not the first cabaret show where she's sung "as herself," but her latest stint shows she's truly coming into her own in matters of showing maturity, vulnerability and sex appeal."

-Michael Dale - Broadwayworld.com

Guest appearances include Avery Fisher Hall, the Broadway by the Year series at Town Hall, Sardi's, the Palace Theatre, the Queen Elizabeth 2 & the Queen Mary 2 and the BROADWAY UP CLOSE series at The Kaufman Center.
She performed with Marvin Hamlisch & the Indianapolis Symphony as well as many other orchestras throughout the U.S. & Canada, and has sung for President and Mrs. Clinton (playing Hilary Clinton.)

"Christine Pedi's Great Dames at The Metropolitan Room was nothing but moments - every one a winner. If you missed it, you'll have to wait until fall to see her again unless she bows to pressure and provides an encore engagement. A veteran of Forbidden Broadway who co-starred in the revival of Talk Radio, Pedi is a deceptively versatile performer who's equal parts great actress and diva vocalist. Watch for her return soon!

-Next Magazine - David Hurst

SOPRANOS fans may recognize her as the dearly departed Mrs. Bobby Baccala (2 episodes, 4 scenes, 5 lines ... DEAD! But he loved her so much he couldn't defrost her ziti for months.)

Recordings include her soon-to-be-released studio album “Good To Mama,” as well as “GREAT DAMES: Live at the Metropolitan Room,” "Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey", "Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back," "Forbidden Hollywood," "Forbidden Broadway: Vol. 3," "Jekyll & Hyde," "Little Me," "Quel Fromage,” and “Broadway Musicals of 1962.”

Christine Pedi is one of New York's favorite performers, an accomplished singer and satirist who has appeared repeatedly in Forbidden Broadway. .... Pedi shifts gears as smoothly as a limo driver, from Garland to Merman to Katie Hepburn; from a saccharine- sweet When You're Good to Mama, to a chillingly vengeful warning to Henry Higgins, Just You Wait.

Check out http://www.christinepedi.com


Thanks for being a loyal reader of my blog! I wanted to give you heads up on big news coming on June 5th.


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Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED SUMMER!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Are you on my team?

"For happiness one needs security, but joy can spring like a flower even from the cliffs of despair."
-Anne Morrow Lindbergh, American writer (1906-2001)

It's Memorial Day. A day of remembrance. It always seems odd to me to say "Happy Memorial Day".
I think most people forget about what this day is all about. It's about beach openings, barbeques, and the impending summer! At least that is what it is for MANY. For others, it is something completely different. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920).
While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
For me, it is also our anniversary. I met Danny on this date in 1990. We've been together ever since! 21 years! It's been great! I'm looking forward to what the next 21 years will bring!
I'll be 71.
Danny will be 78!
God willing!!

After a blog last week, in which I mentioned a friend who began every meeting with, "Either you're on my team or not?", I received the following e-mail. I will post my responses in bold type.

How do you (we-I-any of us) process feedback?
I have a rule about criticism. If it's going to HELP me, I want to hear it. If it's not going to help me, it will go in one ear and out the other!If it's going to HURT me, please keep it to yourself. Who is “on our team”? Those who are supporting my dream on ANY level!
After all these years I can say that honestly I don’t know this answer. It is a constant struggle.

For instance, I watch American Idol, and I don’t get it. I don’t get the audience responses, I don’t get the judges responses….but I do get that some of those folk will end up rich.
Rich and famous.I don't watch American Idol. I am not a fan of competition shows. Where judges and audiences seek out cruelty for entertainment sake. But when I see a clip such as this one, I have to think their must be something POSITIVE about this show!

If you ever saw Charles Nelson Reilly’s magnificent one man show, you realize that if had listened to “people that knew” he never would have had a career. And yet we know of times when someone gave advice to a performer that was life changing.There are "experts" all over this business. Judy Garland, Susan Boyle, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Barbra Streisand would not have had careers IF they had listened to those "experts"!


Not long ago I worked with someone on a song. I tried as hard as possible to trust this person (a good guy, by the way). By the time I finished doing everything I was told, there was no more ME in the song. It was a song that, when I sang it before, made everyone cry. I sang from my heart. When I was done with all my "coachings", no one reacted. Again, Listen to your heart. Here are three versions of my favorite song. Is anyone better than the other two?You and I could go see a show together and come out with two completely different reactions to what we just experienced. That is the magic of entertainmentDo you believe your "coaches" were trying to sabotage you OR do you think they were bringing to the table where they are emotionally with the material you were performing? Did they say you were WRONG in your interpretation OR were there other ways of looking at the material. IF you have a very strong sense of who you are and they are trying to strip that away, you need to walk away from them IF you don't have a strong sense of who you are, perhaps they can help you on THAT path.

Then, on the other hand, we know that many great stars were inventions. We know that in Motown, the singers were trained how to walk, move, dance, sing and answer questions. We know that Hollywood starlets were coached to death on how to act, talk, etc. We know that eyebrows were plucked, and make up men came in, and diets were imposed…whatever. And we know that for some stars, it worked like crazy.

So, my dear Richard, how do we know whom to trust? My answer? You have to trust YOU! YOU know what works for YOU! What hasn't worked for YOU. What turns you on. What turns you off. Go with those instincts. The right people will gravitate to you. Trust me, the wrong ones will to. Carol Channing once told me that for every person who likes you, there are an equal number who don't. Hang on to your TRUTH!
If you were to open up the subject again one day, and could inspire people to respond, that would be very helpful. I posted this question yesterday. NO ONE responded!

After all, I know we have all had our share of terrible advice and we have all had people that tried to tell us to stop performing….and we all have had angels who kept us going.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my blog. I hope I helped. If not, I hope I will!

I am posting the following review because I think it captures where MAC has been, where it is, and possible clues to where it needs to go. I feel like an outsider as far as where "MAC" is concerned. I hope to one day feel what I used to feel about MAC. There are those who get upset when you voice an OPINION on MAC. An opinion is not necessarily a slam on MAC. My actions prove over and over how much I support this cabaret community". My blogs, my posts, and my frequent cabaret going prove and will continue to do that. But as far as MAC is concerned, I feel like the kid with his nose pressed against the window.

25th anniversary of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs Awards (MAC.)
By: John Hoglund






It was not exactly Paris. It was not a starry, starry night. However, New York cabaret was blasted out of its lull like a bubbly bottle of Dom Perignon as the cabaret community honored its own. It all took place on Tuesday, May 10 at B. B. King's Blues Club where the Times Square nitery hosted the 25th anniversary of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs Awards (MAC.)
One naturally expected a celebrity lineup of past winners and supporters.
Not so.
Instead, a few hundred performers , friends of cabaret and past winners – among them beloved staples like Baby Jane Dexter, Sharon McNight, Julie Wilson and Jane Monheit who presented a lifetime achievement award to jazz legend Annie Ross, were on hand for the event which honored musical, jazz and comedy performers as well as directors and technicians in about 30 categories. The biggest star of the show was film clips from past shows provided by Applause Video's Bradshaw Smith (who won the first male vocalist award.)
Those nostalgia-laced clips stole the show which was directed by Lennie Watts.
The benign party-flavored evening was hosted with zeal by musical comedienne Christine Pedi, and produced by MAC veep Julie Miller.

Former officers and presidents were on hand to give speeches or present awards. Current president Lennie Watts

recalling his earliest impressions of cabaret, cited being blown away by the likes of Karen Mason, Sally Mayes and the Jenny Burton Experience

for starters.
Speaking about the ups and downs and naysayers of this ever delicate art form, he also noted that, in spite of what anybody says, “... Cabaret ain't going nowhere.”

One might say it was the best of times meets the worst of times (depending on who you ask.) It's cabaret. And, through the years, it has presented the best, and sometimes the worst.
A cliché ?
Maybe.
But cabaret is like a messy sundae dripping with nutty clichés in words and music – with a dollop of drama. Besides, all performers need a jumping off place. Too, cabaret has always been a close cousin to Broadway and inflated with more confusion and chaos than Spider Man; Turn Off the Dark. Like that show, which soared to instant infamy, few idioms in entertainment have gone through as many reinventions, transitions and panic attacks as cabaret. So, these awards, star-filled or not, mean a lot to the aspirations and dreams of a plethora of hopefuls who are serious about a future and fighting for recognition. The evening was a mixed bag of banality and greatness being rewarded for what they love most with one thing in common; dreams. Picking up an award about a decade ago, perhaps Baby Jane Dexter said it best, “ … we all have the same dream.” It may not be the golden days of the Blue Angel, the old Versailles or Reno Sweeney, but cabaret is thriving. Expensive, upscale rooms and mid-level clubs like The Duplex, Don't Tell Mama, Laurie Beechman Theatre and Metropolitan Room host numerous sold out shows.
Mr. Watts' point is well noted.
Willkommen!
The MAC Awards started in a basement at the Village Vanguard

Now, twenty five years later, it's still in a basement (after all, that's basically what B.B. King's is!) Along the way, award galas were held at renowned venues like Symphony Space and The Town Hall as well as The Copacabana and Lincoln Center. The idea of having night club awards in a real nightclub jump-started a few years ago and it has worked well since (food and drink are mandatory when an evening runs three to four hours.)
It was a cause to celebrate.
However, one expected a tad more of a pizzazz to celebrate a milestone like a quarter of a century of an organization that has previously honored so many and had many now established stars emerge.
This year's awards were noticeably lower key in comparison to past years.
And, the dearth of celebrities not taking part in the festivities was conspicuous. For instance, past performers and presenters have included stars and industry high rollers like Betty Buckley, Barbara Cook, Kathie Lee Gifford, Ahmet Ehrtegun, Joan Rivers, Rosemary Clooney, Chita Rivera, Barry Manilow, Michael Feinstein, Liza Minnelli and Brian Stokes Mitchell who presented the lifetime achievement award to Leslie Uggams last year.

Christine Pedi recalled that when these awards began in 1987, gasoline was eighty nine cents, a subway token was a dollar, the laptop was invented, The Mystery of Edwin Drood was a smash on Broadway, Cagney & Lacey was a hit on television, Irving Berlin turned ninety eight, Harold Arlen and Benny Goodman died, greed was good, Lindsay Lohan and the Olsen twins were born, 42nd Street was a cacophony of hookers and pimps, and half the people in the audience were in grammar school.

The emphasis was on clubs and the creatures who inhabit them. Thanks to Applause Video's Bradshaw Smith (who won the first male vocalist award,) the night paid film homage to a litany of late, great performers. What the evening lacked in boffo celebrity artists on hand was made up for with zealous gaiety and a lot of heart from many friends.

Borrowing a note from the television hit Glee, a chorus of singers opened the show warbling Barry Manilow's One Voice sung in scattered harmonies in a sweet arrangement by musical director Steven Ray Watkins. Sounding as if it had been written just for the evening, it was sung by Ben Cherry, Natalie Douglas, Daryl Glenn, Danielle Grabianowski, Lorinda Lisitza, Karen Mack, Sue Matsuki and Miles Phillips. A collage of highlights from past shows followed showing clips of winners and performers that included the likes of: Betty Buckley, Barbara Cook, Jeff Harnar, Maureen McGovern

Barry Manilow, Phillip Officer and Liza Minnelli.

Scott Coulter, Lennie Watts and Watkins performed a campy medley paying silly tribute to the disco ball (1987) including eighties club hits one might have heard at Danceteria or The Roxy like: Turn The Beat Around, Lady Marmalade, I Will Survive and Enough Is Enough. Someone switched on a disco ball but, like the evening, it didn't glitter. Respected jazz singer and former MAC president Judy Barnett offered no apologies for suggesting that cabaret replace reality TV in her pithy remarks.

There was a friendly dichotomy between the first and current presidents' comments regarding MAC and cabaret in general. Erv Raible is the organization's co-founder along with late NY Post critic Curt Davis. He guided the group through endless milestones and was an integral part of nurturing performers and keeping MAC afloat in those early years. Lennie Watts is the current popular singer/director/performer who directs many newer artists today and is at the helm over the few years carrying this candle in the wind that often gets slammed by unknowledgeable journalists.

When the New York Times, which could do boundless wonders to support cabaret and a dangling nightlife, writes about the idiom, the focus is invariably on upscale rooms and well established artists. On these rare occasions, cabaret is thrown a bone. How are new and gifted talents supposed to get noticed today? Another reason MAC and these awards count for so much in a passive-aggressive age of Internet frauds who become overnight stars. But that's another column.


Watts optimistically addressed today's “new breed” of performers “... who inhabit clubs like flies at a picnic ... I got involved with cabaret in the late 80s and “they” were saying that cabaret was dying - then. I could never figure out what people were talking about. As far as I could see, things were thriving. I saw some of the most amazing shows! Does everybody remember their first cabaret show? I do. It was Karen Mason at Rainbow & Stars. I had never seen anything like it and I was hooked. I remember thinking that if this is what dying feels like, put me in the body bag and zip that sucker up!”



Raible's remarks about the beginnings in 1987 were a mix of humorous remembrance and cautious cynicism. He quoted encouraging words to beginners by a beloved, much-missed, late saloon singer at those first awards in a speech that made it into the mainstream press, “... That night, Sylvia Syms compared performing in cabaret to “being kissed by the greatest lover you will ever have – and that from there on there would be no turning back!”

Raible, who has owned The Duplex, opened Don't Tell Mama, Brandy's Piano and co-owned the fabled Eighty Eight's (with Karen Miller and Rochelle Seldin,) joked about the eighties era in his introduction to film clips of the first awards, recalling, “ … everyone had big hair then, and, it was their natural color! Everything from big curls, and spikes to curly mullets, and two-tone dye jobs emulating '57 Chevy's! And it’s amazing how many of them actually had hair!” He added sardonically, “And, you will be given valuable information on how to avoid homosexuals.” On a more serious note, he paid tribute to Curt Davis and his verbose successor, the late Bob Harrington, “who got cabaret on the front page of The Post.” In more didactic commentary, he also noted, “ … Awards are funny things. Over the years some have managed to manipulate categories in order to win, some have pulled strings, some started slanderous hate mail campaigns, some bought votes outright. And then, there are those who did deservedly win awards - because they are really good! After all, these awards were not designed to celebrate mediocrity and scorn quality!” Hopefully, the crowd was listening.

Watts wound up his comments assuring everyone “ … It keeps getting better . We make people feel something ... I don't think that will go out of style.”

Uniquely, the ceremony was peppered with award winners accepting and then performing. Julie Reyburn, who won in the major engagement category, sang a heartfelt There Is Love with Mark Janas on piano. Director Scott Barnes presented the annual Hanson Award to Marianne Challis whom he first spotted in 1987 when she was playing Nellie Forbish in South Pacific at the New York State Theater. He told of her being Broadway bound and then not being able to sing for ten years (due to throat problems) before deciding to return with a club act. She sang Julie Gold's What A Journey. Her beautifully nuanced performance created one of those intimate cabaret moments. More clips were shown that included Broadway's Karen Mason singing with the late Brian Lasser at the piano. Impersonator Ruby Rims, in full drag, remembered seeing musical comedienne Helen Baldassare at the long gone Mr. Chips. After her acceptance, newcomer Liz Lark Brown brought the house down singing a rousing “Kyrie” by eighties rock group Mr.Mister.

In a fun twist, the cleaning lady from Don't Tell Mama was on hand to help with the next award in broken English. Then, former president, Ricky Ritzel, presented veteran piano bar mainstay entertainer George Sanders with a special board of directors award as clips were shown of why he is such a popular crowd pleaser known for his off-color antics at the old Duplex and Don't Tell Mama replete with feathers – and a penchant for taking his pants down while serving drinks.
Song of the Year winners Marcus Simeone/Tracy Stark

Previous award winners Marcus Simeone and musical director/performer Tracy Stark won the song of the year award for Haunted. Both thanked the right people. Simeone dedicated his win to his longtime partner Gregory Kennell who was seated in a wheelchair after surviving a paralyzing coma last year. His personal note that was emotional earning a strong ovation. Over the past few months, the cabaret community lost three of its brightest lights. And they were respectfully remembered. In one of the evening's highlights, Johnny Rodgers sang a tender version of legendary Margaret Whiting's signature song, Moonlight In Vermont that was as good as the original. Klea Blackhurst offered a sincere reading of This Funny world honoring Mary Cleere Haran. And vocal group Uptown Express sang a moving Seasons Of Love in honor of their late colleague David Gurland.
With Rick Jensen

at the piano playing his original In Passing Years, clips showed other favorites who had passed including: Bobby Short, Claiborne Cary, Rosemary Clooney, Anne Fancine, Sylvia Syms, Portia Nelson, Leola Harlow, Howard Crabtree, Hildegarde, Buddy Barnes, John Wallowitch & Bertram Ross, Eartha Kitt, Judy Kreston, Marcia Lewis, Phoebe Snow, Mary Cleere Haran, Dorothy Loudon, David Gurland and Nancy LaMott among others.

Presenter and longtime board member Jamie deRoy told of starting in cabaret when they were still called nightclubs. She remembered The Living Room, Upstairs At the Downstairs and recalled seeing Lenny Bruce in a basement in Greenwich Village. More performers performed and talked about themselves. In the end, it was an evening of pastiche, memories and opening doors to that new breed that has taken over cabaret. While the awards were going on, KT Sullivan was starring at The Algonquin Tom Postilio was about to open at Feinstein's and Broadway's Marin Mazzie and Jason Daniely were having their opening night at Cafe' Carlyle. Their shows were mostly sold out. That's something to sing about.

So, 25 years later, in spite of some pros and cons, in the face of criticism, and a bag of dreams, MAC trudges on – and on. Good times and bad times; it's still here and, to reiterate Lennie Watts, “... it ain't going nowhere.”

Bobbie Horowitz writes in her book, "FINDING YOUR mini-Qs", "If we think we should be more muscular, we can't paint muscles on our reflection in the mirror and expect to walk outside into the street with more muscular arms!"

In NY tonight? Looking for something to do?SHAKESPEARE SOIREE

IDO SUSHI 29 7TH AVE SOUTH
MEMORIAL DAY SPECIAL

SHAKESPEARE SOIREE
OPEN MIKE FOR ALL PERFORMERS

RELATE YOUR SONG TO A SHAKESPEAREAN CHARACTER



WELCOME TO TAKE THE SHAKESPEARE CHALLENGE!

SHAKESPEARE VERSE FOR ALL IN THE WILLYTHESHAKEANDSPEAK BOX
(KING JOHN -OUR HIDDEN THEME)
DIRECTED BY BRONWYN RUCKER
CO-HOST : BARBARA MUNDY
JERRY SCOTT AT THE PIANO
FOR FURTHER INFO: WWW.BRONWYNRUCKER.COM


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Tomorrow's blog will be about YOU TELL ME!! I'm open to suggestions

Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED SUMMER!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Rants about THE END OF THE WORLD, RAVES ABOUT THE STATE OF CABARET, RAVES FOR VINCENT WOLFE...and more!

Happy End of The World!
Well, I'll take this moment to thank all of you who have crossed my path and those whose paths I've crossed! All the ones who have contributed positively to my life,Thank you!
You have made this journey worthwhile. Those of you who add negativity, you add a little more "spice" to my world and I thank you as well! And those paths that I have crossed, I hope I have contributed to your lives on a positive level! Thank you ALL! See you on the other side after 6PM!

(Sue Matsuki and Danny Sherman)
The picture you see at the top of this blog was taken last night at The Triad. That, of course, is Canadian visitor Vincent Wolfe. I say Canadian visitor because he was just in town for just this week singing around town leading up to his appearance last night at The Triad.
My blog, yesterday, was devoted to him. What a great entertainer and story teller. You don't always get both in a show but he delivers both! The show was entitled, "Divas Are A Boy's Best Friend". Vincent has been lucky enough to become friends with some of the greatest divas in the music industry and those who did not become friends, well, at least, they had some great encounters and lucky for us, he shares these stories with us. His encounter with Ella Fitzgerald towards the end of her career was very poignant and grabbed my heartstrings. It is still one of my greatest regrets that I never saw her perform live. Sue Matsuki, who joined us last night, also does a wonderful show honoring Ella Fitzgerald.
One of the divas was even in attendance last night, Julie Wilson.
(Lee Summersand me)
Vincent opened with a rousing "I'M GONNA LIVE TILL I DIE" which Julie sang in MGM's, "THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT". Vincent pulled out the stops and it was a fitting opening number and got the show off to a rousing start. The only thing missing was a gardenia and a boa. Julie, and the rest of the audience(myself included) loved it. Joining us last night were Gary Crawford, Sue Matsuki, and Bart Greenberg. Also in the audience last night were Tym Moss and Colm Reilly and Shane Mathews, who looked fabulous. It has been a few years since I've seen them and it was a nice reunion. I LOVE this community and in addition to seeing shows in New York, it's always nice to run into friends.
It's a shame that it was only one performance. Vincent and an appreciative New York audience need to find each other. I had heard a lot about Vincent for sometime from my friend and songwriter, Bob Levy, who unfortunately, could not be there last night due to a previous engagement. Vincent has a smooth silky voice that reminds me a lot of Mel Torme. I bought his cd last night, DREAM WEAVER, and am listening to it as I write this blog. It is available at CD BABY. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Last night's show was part of Lee Summer's JUST A PIANO series. It's nice to see a performer on stage with nothing more than JUST A PIANO and talent (along with a great musical director!)In this case, it was Mark Kieswetter.
Lee Summers introduced Vincent last night, first of all giving a little history of The Triad and then telling how the JUST A PIANO series started. I wish ALL the cabaret rooms would do this! It is more welcoming than just a discombobulated voice making the usual "turn off your cell phone, etc" announcement. Lee Summers is a class act and the other rooms should take a page out of his book. When I served on the MAC board, I suggested this. I thought it would be a great way to welcome people, explain what MAC is, and let the audience know that they would have the option to become a member of MAC after the show.
MAC needs to reach beyond its borders. The entire cabaret community needs to do that!
The experience for the "average" person (meaning non-entertainer)going into a cabaret room is not always a pleasant one. We (Danny and I) for example live outside the city. Coming in, we are dealing with traffic issues and then finding a parking spot. Luckily last night, and because of the timing of the show (9:30), we were able to park on the street(72nd Street). If the show were at 7:30, for example, we would not have been so lucky.
Then we get there to find out that they don't accept credit cards at The Triad! My first quibble of the evening! And I say this to all clubs who have this policy...Going to these shows is not always "cheap" and if I'm treating several people, I should not be walking around with that much cash on me!Please change this policy! Do whatever you can to entice audiences instead of turning them away! We put up with these things because we are there to see each other.
I can almost guarantee that if Joe & Nancy Schmoe from Idaho happened to come in because they were a fan of Julie Wilson's and they had read about this show, they would not return because of the "no credit card" policy and the 2-drink minimum (which is antiquated and needs to GO!). The 2-drink minimum was implemented in the days when people would go into a nightclub and nurse a drink all night long. Number one, people don't drink the way they used to. Number two, enforcing two drinks in a 55 minute time frame is outrageous! Some people drive! They should NOT be enticed into two drinks. I used to love the way that Scott Samuelson and Eddie Dudek ran The Bradstan Inn at Bradstan Country Hotel in White Lake, NY! I MISS THAT ROOM! I was lucky enough to play there a couple of times! Also loved ALL of the acts I saw there. I NEVER HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE AT THE BRADSTAN INN!
They charged a flat fee. In that fee, a non-alcoholic drink or a glass of wine WAS INCLUDED. If you wanted a beer, a cocktail, or an additional drink, you paid for it! THIS is the way EVERY CABARET ROOM in NY should operate!
Those two "quibbles" aside, I had a great time at The Triad! Great staff and great vibe!
It was appropriate that Vincent referred to Julie last night as his first Diva. This clip captyres the excitement of what it must have been like to see Julie in the nighcluns/supper clubs of the 50s! I miss this glamor! She STILL has it!"Cabaret is one-to-one, like a party, and you're the hostess who wants to please. Most of all you have to have a good time and hope your audience joins in the fun." - Julie Wilson

When Julie Wilson's eyes slyly skim the room, her husky voice toying with Stephen Sondheim's, "Can That Boy Fox-Trot" wow, does she ever evoke that old Maisonette magic of the 'Fifties, when she reigned as hostess over the famed St. Regis Hotel club room.
The rich heritage of St. Regis informs every touch across every address. It is, quite simply, the very essence of the St. Regis brand. Cherished traditions such as fresh flowers, afternoon tea service and midnight supper are carried out as flawlessly today as they were a century ago under the discerning eye of Lady Astor. Likewise, the art of sabering a bottle of champagne is still practiced by the St. Regis Butler, and cognac and hand-rolled cigars remain an after dinner staple. The Bloody Mary, a signature cocktail of St. Regis since it was first concocted by Fernand Petiot in the King Cole Bar and Lounge, is brought to life through new interpretations that reflect the distinct personality of each address.
Fernand Petiot (born in Paris, 18 February 1900 – died in Canton, Ohio 6 January 1975)(Another Aquarian!) was a bartender who claimed to have created the Bloody Mary, a popular cocktail drink.
These time-honored traditions of The St. Regis and countless others have helped create the air of magic and seduction sought after by guests of St. Regis. (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis)


Tossing that scarlet feather boa around her shoulders, Julie can still wear those same signature slinky, silky sequined gowns; her hair is back in a sleek chignon; that white gardenia, a tribute to the late Billie Holiday, is still tucked behind her left ear.
I wished on the Moon --Billie Holiday 1935
20 year old Billie Holiday sings in a first session with the Teddy Wilson Orchestra on July 2 1935 in New York. Next to Teddy on piano the All Star Band consists of Benny Goodman clarinet, Roy Eldridge trumpet, Ben Webster tenor sax, John Truehart guitar, John Kirby bass and Cozy Cole drums. Jazz promotor John Hammond heard Billie for the first time in New York's Monette club in 1933 and wrote in Melody Maker: "Billie although only 18, she weighs over 200 lbs, is incredibly beautiful, and sings as well as anybody I ever heard". Hammond told Benny Goodman, and the two went to this Monette club. Both were impressed and it was the start of Billie's career
But except for that svelte figure, sculptured profile, and generous smile, Julie Wilson has journeyed a long way from her famed niche during the glory days of cabaret.

Here are some of my favorite Divas. I've written in recent weeks about them.
Please visit: http://www.beautyshopstories.com to read more about this year's Bistro and MAC Award winner!




Ann Hampton Callaway:Ann Hampton CallawayAnn Hampton Callaway performs How High the Moon with the Boston Symphony. I used to go see Ann all the time at The Bradstan Inn.
Visit Ann's website @ http://www.annhamptoncallaway.com
Ann is an insatiable creative spirit. Ann fondly remembers the first song she made up at the age of three. But it wasn't until she first heard Carole King's Tapestry that she decided to devote herself to songwriting. As a champion of the great American Songbook, she has made her mark as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actress, educator, TV host and producer. A born entertainer, her unique singing style blends jazz and traditional pop, making her a mainstay in concert halls, theaters and jazz clubs as well as in the recording studio, on television, and in film. She is best known for Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical Swing! and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series The Nanny
Callaway is a Platinum Award winning writer and the only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter, she has also written songs with Carole King
Here is a song written by Carole King and performed by Ann: .
Ann has also written for Rolf Lovland and Barbara Carroll(pictured) to name a few. Callaway's live performances showcase her warmth, spontaneous wit and passionate delivery of standards, jazz classics and originals.
Ann has been a special guest performer with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and performed for President Clinton in Washington, D.C. and at President Gorbachev's Youth Peace Summit in Moscow.

Ann Hampton Callaway and sister Liz Callaway perform the Rodgers and Hammerstein 1945 Carousel show stopper, 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.Callaway performed with her sister, Broadway star Liz Callaway, in their award-winning show Sibling Revelry and has performed twice in Berlin's famed Philharmonie Hall by special invitation.
It is only natural that Ann become part of this sure-to-be grand tribute to Carole King for Lifebeat. (Source: http://pozevent.blogspot.com/2010/11/lovin-ann-hampton-callaway-out-loud.html)

Two more of my favorite divas/divos:Jeanne MacDonald and Miles Phillips (my Millie!)
Jeanne MacDonald
2008 MAC Award Winner
2008 NY Nightlife Award Finalist
“Watching a singer like Jeanne MacDonald, who brings an emotional balance; a subtle, good-humored sexiness; and an originality to everything she sings, makes you realize the crucial role good instincts play...” NEW YORK TIMES - Stephen Holden

Karen Oberlin (another favorite) and Miles won the 2009 MAC Award for their duo show The Pleasure of Your Company! And their Musical Director Tracy Stark (another favorite) won as well!
The Colony Hotel, Palm Beach Continues 10th Anniversary Cabaret Season with KAREN OBERLIN TONIGHT

The Colony Hotel - which The Palm Beach Post has hailed as "probably the best place for cabaret on the planet" - continues its 10th annual cabaret season in its popular Royal Room Supper Club with: Karen Oberlin: Back By Popular Demand

One of the most most sought-after and celebrated singers in the world of cabaret, multi-award-winner Karen Oberlin was hand-picked by The New York Times as one of the "Saviors of the Great American Songbook." Winner of this year's New York Nightlife Award, Oberlin brings the heart and humor of many of the most beloved songs from the Great American Songbook, with thrilling highlights taken from her critically-acclaimed shows at the Algonquin's Oak Room, Feinstein's, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Town Hall, among others. Oberlin has performed at major clubs and theatres around the country, has starred in more than 100 Off-Broadway performances of the smash-hit show Our Sinatra, and has appeared on All My Children among other television and film credits. Her recordings include the highly lauded "My Standards", and the award-winning "Secret Love: The Music of Doris Day," and the brand-new, critically-acclaimed live CD of her most recent engagement at the legendary Algonquin Hotel Oak Room (which she brought to the Royal Room) of the songs of Frank Loesser. As David Kenney reported on New York's WBAI radio, "She dazzles me from the moment she steps on stage!" For more information, please visit www.karenoberlin.com.


Stephen Holden in The New York Times: Karen Oberlin has "impeccable classic pop style...musical intelligence...arresting and perfect moments (with) beautifully shaped, delicately voluptuous phrasing."

Read more: http://florida.broadwayworld.com/article/Karen-Oberlin-A-Savior-Of-The-Great-American-Songbook-At-The-Colony-20110502#ixzz1N0xFtckK



DORIS DAYDoris Day, the quintessential all-American girl, continues to be revered by her fans, while the media still celebrate her as an actress and singer with a legendary Hollywood "girl next door" image.
However, Doris Day's personal life, faced with steely resolve, was the very antithesis of how most fans perceived her super-stardom. The studios promoted her in screen roles highlighting her wholesome, vivacious blonde personality. However, in hindsight, this concentration on her image belied her great acting and musical talents; a full retrospective appraisal of her career in recent years has brought her fans a fuller appreciation of her gifts. Of her 39 films, Calamity Jane, Love Me or Leave Me and Pillow Talk remain popular favorites, and still run frequently on cable television. Rock Hudson & Doris Day star in this perfect romance & comedy combination movie of 1959. A landmark in many people's teenagehood innocently favorite time. Doris Day was nominated for an Oscar for best actress for this movie.Paralleling her success in big-screen entertainment, a series of excellent albums recorded between 1956 and 1968 expanded her popularity, and are as relevant today as when they were first released.
Born Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff on April 3, 1924, in Cincinnati, Ohio, her parents came from German stock. Her father, Frederick Wilhelm Von Kappelhoff, was a music teacher, choir master and church organist and loved classical music. Her mother, Alma Sophia Welz, on the other hand, was an outgoing woman who enjoyed "hillbilly music." Doris was the youngest of three: she had two brothers, Richard, who died before she was born, and Paul who was a few years older. She was named after silent movie actress Doris Kenyon(pictured), whom her mother admired. Doris Kenyon (September 5, 1897 – September 1, 1979) was a popular actress of motion pictures and television. Growing up in the 1930s Doris was attracted to music and dance, eventually forming part of a dance duo which performed locally until a car she was riding in was struck by a train, crushing her right leg, a severe injury that curtailed her ambition to become a professional dancer.Scenes from Doris Day's first movie, "Romance on the High Seas", with various photos of Doris Day through out the years.
However, while recovering, Doris gained a vocal education by listening to the radio, becoming a fan of the embryonic records of upcoming Ella Fitzgerald. Do you sense a theme in this blog? Vincent Wolfe, Sue Matsuki, Ann Hampton Callaway, and Doris Day ALL have Ella in common!
Her mother encouraged her to take singing lessons. Alma took Doris to see vocal coach Grace Raine, who was so impressed with Doris' natural talent that she offered her three lessons for the price of one. Doris credits Raine with impressing upon her the importance of delivering a lyric, and today Doris says that Raine had the greatest impact on her singing career.

I also love the Divos! Yesterday, I wrote about Jim Brochu and touched upon his partner, Steve Schalchlin. Steve is a great entertainer in his own right.I was lucky enough to share the stage with Steve two weeks ago when we shared the stage in the Zani's Furry Friends benefit at Birdland.

I love the comments I'm receiving and THE FACEBOOK requests from those who are reading my blogs.
Thom Waldman, after reading my blog on Julie Sheppard wrote:
"First met Julie Sheppard in the late 70's at open call where huston allred would command the room." Houston Alread was the VERY FIRST person who played for me as Carol Channing when I first got up to sing at THE PIANO BAR at BEEFSTEAK CHARLIES (67th and Broadway)! Remember? I wish that those evenings were on tape.
Everyone of those evenings was a party! Thursday night was their Broadway night. I used to go every other Thursday night. I learned so much from those evenings. I learned how to work an audience and almost every other aspect/technique I have learned as an entertainer. I used to go there and sing as "Richard Skipper". One night, a couple of friends of mine from South Carolina were in attendance. After I sang, Houston asked if I had anything else prepared. I did not. One of my friends yelled, "Do Carol Channing!". I used to do it, believe it or not in school! Houston said, "You do Carol Channing?" I quickly answered an emphatic "No"! My friend responded, "Yes, Ricky, did Carol Channing in high school" which brought the house down. Houston kept egging me on. I finally relented and agreed. I felt I would get it over again and never have to do it again. So, Houston decided to "stage" HELLO, DOLLY! He cast all of the waiters and I began to sing. That one moment changed the entire trajectory of my LIFE!


It took me away, for the most part, of pursuing a "legitimate" acting career with a few detours along the way. I am proud to say that Monday night, due to a phone call from Paula J. Riley, I am returning to my roots in IT'S ALL RELATIVE, scenes depicting THE FAMILY DYNAMIC. I hope that you will join us. As way of introduction to what Paula does and how she assists you on your journey toward a career as an actor, her edict as both a teacher and a coach is as follows: "My aim is to help the actor achieve the greatest possibility for the existence of nuance, through the profound understanding of character development and its inevitable progression."
I'll be dong a scene From Little Murders by Jules Feiffer. Elizabeth Burke (far left in photo) will be joining me as my wife: Cartoonist, playwright, screenwriter and children’s book author & illustrator Jules Feiffer has had a remarkable creative career turning contemporary urban anxiety into witty and revealing commentary for over fifty years. From his Village Voice editorial cartoons (see Explainers: The Complete Village Voice Strips, 1956-1966) to his plays and screenplays including Little Murders(Donald Sutherland performs a wedding ceremony in Alan Arkin's and Jules Feiffer's "Little Murders" (1971).) and Carnal Knowledge, Feiffer’s satirical outlook has helped define us politically, sexually and socially.
Actors in the movie: Vincent Gardenia, Elliott Gould, Lou Jacobi, Jon Korkes, Martin Kove.

Jules Feiffer was the first cartoonist commissioned by The New York Times to create comic strips for their Op-Ed page, Feiffer has since shifted his focus towards writing and illustrating books for children and young adults including The Man in the Ceiling, A Room with a Zoo and Bark, George!


He won a Pulitzer Prize and a George Polk Award for his cartoons; an Obie for his plays; an Academy Award for the animation of his cartoon satire, Munro; and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Writers Guild of America and the National Cartoonist Society. Feiffer has taught at the Yale School of Drama, Northwestern University, Dartmouth, and presently at Stony Brook Southampton College. He has been honored with major retrospectives at the New York Historical Society, the Library of Congress and The School of Visual Arts.



May 23
6-8 pm

ROY ARIAS STUDIOS/THE PAYAN THEATRE, 300 West 43rd Street/5th floor
IT'S ALL RELATIVE
Paula J Riley Presents: Primary Principles of Acting workshop Industry Showcase. Five scenes that examine the family dynamic from: ROYAL FAMILY, BEAUTIFUL CLEAR-EYED WOMAN, DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, WAKE & LITTLE MURDERS. e-mail Paula to reserve.

Whenever I am in San Francisco, I always make a point of visiting MARTUNI'S!
Martuni’s welcomes Martha Lorin(Another favorite diva)in
“Just Jazz”"Martha Lorin has developed into one of the most emotive singers to hit the jazz scene."

Growing up in Pueblo, Colorado, Martha Lorin found herself at a crossroads of diverse cultures. Martha's early vocal development was nourished by two generations, her Welsh grandmother, Sarah Dalton, a highly touted popular singer of the 1920's, and her jazz pianist/singer/songwriter mother, Margaret Dalton.
Martha will be joined at Martuni's with
Grant Levin (piano) Dean Reilly(bass)(Dean Reilly pictured on bass) Bob Blankenship (drums)

May 28th, 2011
Showtime
7:00pm to 9:00pm

Music Charge $15
Martuni’s
4 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 241-0205
E-mail: skipzsf@aol.com
ATM, Cash, Mastercard, Visa

Martha Lorin
www.marthalorin.com


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If you've seen one of my appearances/shows, add your thoughts to my guestbook at www.RichardSkipper.com

Tomorrow's blog will any other suggestions I receive!

Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED WEEK!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Musings on cabaret...

The ride: well it can be rough. Hang on tight, let go sometimes and make sure you choose the right people to take it with you.


Even before I knew Sherry Eaker, I knew of Sherry Eaker. It was because of BACK STAGE, the theatrical trade paper geared to the performing artist. When I first came to New York, I used to buy the paper religiously EVERY Thursday morning.
It would be the deciding factor on how the next weeks and possibly my life would unfold. That's where I got all my info for auditions and practically everything else to do with my profession. BACK STAGE was the brainchild of Ira Eaker, Sherry's father. Sherry eventually became the editor-at -large of the paper. A few years ago, the paper changed hands and I have not bought it since.

In the late eighties, I started dabbling in cabaret. When that happened, the first thing I would read when I got BACK STAGE was BISTRO BITS, the column by the late great Bob Harrington. Bob was an integral part of the cabaret world and largely responsible for its resurgence in the 1980s. Bob loved writing about cabaret, and cared so much about what and whom he was writing.

His reviews began appearing in March 1984 under the headline "Bistro Bits", although only on a per-show basis when space in the paper allowed.
Realizing the need for additional coverage of this burgeoning industry, Sherry Eaker created an entire column dedicated to cabaret, and the first "Bistro Bits" column appeared on November 2nd, 1984.
"Bistro Bits" got an immediate and positive response. Janice Hall, 2011 Bistro Award winner for Tribute Show
"Grand Illusions: The Music of Marlene Dietrich"
Metropolitan Room, Urban Stages (Video by Corinne Cohen)

I was 18 when I first arrived in New York. When I discovered DON'T TELL MAMA, I was in heaven! THAT was the world that I wanted to be part of. I lived on 47th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. DON'T TELL MAMA was my neighborhood hangout.

One thing that I learned early on was IF I desired to make a success of what I am working on,I would need to enlist the aid of people whose knowledge is superior to my own. Bob Harrington was that person. You see, not only did he write about cabaret artists (as a reviewer), he wrote about the craft of being a cabaret ARTIST! Notice, I used the word "reviewer" instead of "critic". I believed Bob was INTERESTED in elevating the art form rather than tearing it down.
(Sean Harkness 2011 Bistro Award winner for Instrumentalist)
For me, it was always the work. I LOVE the creative process. I love when creative people come together for the common good of creating art. When you go to see a show, the audience should never see the blood, sweat, and tears that go into a show.
Yet there are so many people who make that happen to make that person in the spotlight shine! A cabaret act needs a technical team to create its sound, look, and flow.

"I've learned how special the audience is, the feeling you get from people being right in front of you, becoming part of your act.
They tell you if they are amused or moved by your interpretation and how they perceive you and your personality."
Julie Wilson, The Cabaret Artist's Handbook by Bob Harrington, Edited by Sherry Eaker


Someone wrote to me that Tuesday night's Bistro Awards gave him a wonderful opportunity to see the best of what was being offered in cabaret today and that can be attested to by anyone who was in attendance Tuesday night. The show ran like a well oiled machine.
The BISTRO AWARD was established by Bob Harrington in 1985 in his “Bistro Bits” column in the trade weekly Back Stage, then under the editorship of Sherry Eaker. For the first few years, the awards were merely listed in Harrington’s column as notable performances he had seen during the calendar year. The first formal presentation of the awards was held in 1990 at Eighty Eight’s, a popular cabaret venue in the West Village. From there, the show moved on to The Ballroom in Chelsea, and then relocated to the Supper Club in the Broadway District, where it remained for many years. This year marks the fourth year at Gotham Comedy Club.
When Bob Harrington was alive, he knew more about what some entertainers did than they did.

"Richard, everything was amazing. It was a gorgeous, tight show. The direction was so impressive! I laughed, I cried, I had goosebumps. It was an honor to be part of such a great night! PS The after show dinner was delicious. So are you. xox"
Faye Lane, 2011 Bistro Award winner for Musical Comedy
"Faye Lane's Beauty Shop Stories"
Soho Playhouse
Trying to put together a definition of what cabaret is for a column sometime ago, then Back Stage editor-at-large and frequent boitegoer Sherry Eaker interviewed a number of that year's Bistro Award winners. Their responses were anything but a consensus, which in an all-encompassing way begins to suggest a definition — a loose and perhaps not entirely satisfying one. Cabaret can be anything that takes place in a cabaret room or anything taking place in other, larger rooms where cabaret performers participate. And that's the burden of the reviews that reflect those shows.
One of the members of the Bistro committee is Erv Raible. NYC based director, coach, publicist and consultant. Executive Director / Artistic Director of the International Cabaret Conference at Yale University, and Executive Director of Erv Raible Cabaret & Concert Artists International.
Owned and booked the cabarets and piano bars: The Duplex (1978-84), Brandy’s (1980-85), Don’t Tell Mama (1982-89) and the legendary Eighty Eight’s (1988-99); and through these venues presented over 4000 performers to the public. Co-founded The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & clubs (president for 11 years, produced the first 9 MAC Award shows). Has written book and lyrics for Wallis & Edward: The Love Story of the Twentieth Century? and is co-lyricist for Ship of Fools: The Musical. Is directing and developing Hildegard of Bingen and the Living Light. Is developing a music documentary Silent Voices: Words and Music of the Holocaust, Hate, Hope and the Human Spirit for the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Also on the committee is Roy Sander. Roy Sander has been covering cabaret and theatre for over twenty years. He's written cabaret and theatre reviews, features, and commentary for seven print publications, most notably Back Stage, and for CitySearch on the Internet. He covered cabaret monthly on "New York Theatre Review" on PBS TV, and cabaret and theatre weekly on WLIM-FM radio. He was twice a guest instructor at the London School of Musical Theatre. He is currently Chairman of the Advisory Board of MAC.

Elizabeth Ahlfors was born, raised and educated in New York (NYU). Her first love was always music, cabaret, and theatre – in the audience, not performing.
She writes for Cabaret Scenes, citycabaret.com, bBistroawards.com, totaltheater.com, and Curtain Up's "Cabaret Nights." She was previously Philadelphia correspondent for theatre.com and InTheatre Magazine and reviewed for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia City News, and Spotlight Magazine. She is a member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle.

I would venture to say that most people reading this blog have probably experienced, in one way or another, the magic of cabaret, either as a member of the audience or as a performer singing in an intimate venue.(Lua Hadar, pictured)Lua Hadar with her band TWIST debuted their CD at New York's famed Iridium Jazz Club on Broadway, May 10, 2008. The song is George Gershwin's American Songbook classic, "Soon," in an arrangement inspired by Ella Fitzgerald. Jason Martineau, music director, at the piano, with the New York band.Cabaret is a distinctive art that requires a lot of soul-searching, risk-taking, creativity, and honesty.
I would like to help you reach your goals in cabaret. "It is never too late to be who you might have been" --anonymous

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(845) 365-0720
or
richard@richardskipper.com



Beyond the 3 "F"s
How to Build an Audience and Create a Following (The following is from my press release)

RICHARD SKIPPER, critically acclaimed, multi-award winning performer, director, co-producer of the 2010 & 2011 Bistro Awards, career consultant is bringing years of experience to this workshop. The cost of the workshop is $125 for three hours. Please call (845) 365-0720 for more information and to reserve your space Richard's shows continue to be wonderful successes around the country (he recently appeared off-Broadway in Richard Skipper as "Carol Channing" in Concert), and as he continues making his business great, he looks forward to sharing his experience with others.

This workshop will focus on how to get you the attention that you need. Richard's shows have been sell-outs. Other topics will include how to use the internet to your advantage in marketing; how to get your name "out there"; cold calling; creating a contract specific to your needs; how to create a press kit that shows you to your best possible advantage and more! Richard gets a sense of the various levels of each workshop and custom makes, on the spot, a class catering to the needs of the actual group in the room. He will ascertain YOUR agenda prior to the workshop beginning so that each participant will leave with all of their questions answered, so come prepared!

Richard is also available for one-on-one consultations which afford you the personal time with him catering specifically and only to your needs.

On board with Richard is graphic designer, GLEN CHARLOW, who brings over 15 years in the business to the participants of this class and who will discuss the concept of image; how to use the internet effectively and how your website "sells" you even before you pick up the phone. To read more on Glen Charlow please visit: www.gcdtp.com.
Whether your goal is to use cabaret as a launching pad for other artistic opportunities, or simply to experience the pleasures that are unique to cabaret, the information you will receive from these workshops will help you gain a better understanding of the art and the business of cabaret, and will ultimately allow you to arrive at your destination.

For general information on workshops or Career Coaching, please contact Richard Skipper directly at 845-365-0720 or Richard@RichardSkipper.com.

(THE CABARET ARTIST'S HANDBOOK by Bob Harrington, edited by Sherry Eaker was a MAJOR source of this blog)

Tomorrow's blog will be YOU TELL ME...the first three suggestions I receive!

Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm

TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED WEEK!


Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com