The cast
When life gets you down, It Helps to Sing About It, crooned the stellar cast produced by Nora Davis and Jumping Fool Productions at the famed Metropolitan Room in Manhattan. This original revue created by dynamic, award winning duo Dan Kael (lyricist) and Ben Schaechter (composer/pianist) included eighteen arrangements that moved and delighted the cabaret audience.
Originally produced in 1994 with a smaller cast and shorter song list, the revue was rediscovered by singer/producer Nora Davis in 2015. It was then expanded by Kael and Schaechter and beautifully directed by Sara Louise Lazarus (a MAC and Bistro Award-Winning Director) for two consecutive weekends in March, 2017.
Opening with an ensemble piece to the title song, the six members were then allowed to shine individually in solo songs as well as beautiful harmonic duets and trios like “Mice of Means”, an adorable song about three mice who don’t have it so badly. Ben Schaechter accompanied skillfully and soulfully on piano throughout.
The all pro cast included Celia Berk, who charmed with “I’ll Wait” (while the audience gets it together) and “Manhattan in July”, a lovely song that warmed the soul about New York.
Joshua Lance Dixon poignantly delivered “I Can Tell Time”, a heartbreaking tale about divorce and a boy waiting for his father.
David Perlman purred through “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me”, a fun feline homage.
Marissa Mulder was delightfully engaging in “Apply”, a flirty sunscreen song that would compliment any burlesque review.
Kelli Rabke
Kelli Rabke (Les Mis) lusciously lounged on the piano, flawlessly singing “He Knew How to Read Me” and “In Another Life”.
Nora Davis
Nora Davis’s beautiful vibrato charmed in “Forever”, a lovely commentary on a girl’s love life. Look for Miss Davis in the off-Broadway musical “Buzz, Son of a Bee, An Actor’s Life for Me” now playing at the Sargent Theater.
The fabulous finale “I Feel Better Already” reminded the mesmerized audience to desire the life you already have and to release expectations and frustrations through song.
“It Helps to Sing About It” will have two encore performances in September at the Metropolitan Room- don’t miss it!
Schaechter/Kael sheet music available at: Contemporarymusicaltheatre.com and Binyumens@gmail.com
The summer nights bring excitement to the clubs and cabarets. Here are picks for June.
92 Street Y: 1395 Lexington Ave. 6/1: Music Icons: Graham Nash in Conversation with Anthony DeCurtis; 6/2 and 4: California Dreamin’: Jessica Vosk Sings the Songwriters of Laurel Canyon; 6/12: A New York Evening Celebrating Peggy Lee and 6/16: Focus Features’ Asteroid City: Bryan Cranston in Conversation with MTV’s Josh Horowitz.
Birdland Jazz: 315 West 44 St. Every Monday at 9:30pm Jim Caruso’s Cast Party; Every Tuesday at 8:30pm The Lineup with Susie Mosher; Every Saturday at 7pm Eric Comstock with Sean Smith (Bass) & special guest Barbara Fasano (Voice); 6/5, 12 and 26: Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks in the Theater;Billy Stritch & Gabrielle Stravelli “Mel and Ella Swing!”; 6/6 – 10: Stacey Kent; 6/8: Phillip Officer: “Second Time Around” in the Theater; 6/12: The Brat Pack and 6/19: Natalie Douglas: “Freedom Songs: Juneteenth Jubilee”
Cafe Carlyle: 35 E 76th St. until 6-10: Sutton Foster; 6/13 – 17: Mira Sorvino and 6/20 – 24 Megan Hilty.
Carnegie Hall: 881 7th Ave at 57th St.
Chelsea Table + Stage: Hilton Fashion District Hotel, 152 W 26th St. 6/4: Reeve Carney; 6/7: Nicolas King; 6/26: Samantha Pauly and 6/27: Marieann Meringolo.
Tim Di Pasqua
Don’t Tell Mama: 343 W. 46 St. 6/3: Tim Di Pasqua and 6/16: Tanya Moberly
Dizzys Club Coca Cola: Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street. 6/11: Songbook Sundays Fats Waller
The DJango: 2 Avenue of the Americas. 6/9: Jason Tiemann Quartet
54 Below: 254 West 54 St. 6/1 -4: Clint Holmes: Between the Moon and New York City- The Songs of Peter Allen, feat. Nikki Renée Daniels!; 6/5: Charles Strouse’s 95th Birthday Show! Feat. Stephen Schwartz & more; 6/6: Hands on a Hardbody 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert; 6/8 and 10: Jenn Colella: Out and Proud; 6/12, 14 – 17: Joe Iconis & Family, feat. Lauren Marcus & more!; 6/13:Jeff Harnar & Alex Rybeck: Our 40th Anniversary Songbook; 6/21 – 25: Shaun Cassidy: The Magic of a Midnight Skyand 6/29 – 7/1: Amber Gray
The Green Room 42: 570 10th Ave. 6/10 and 26: Janinie LaManna
Sony Hall: 235 W. 46th St. 6/9: The Manhattan Transfer 50th Anniversary & Final World Tour w/ Special Guest The Diva Jazz Orchestra; 6/23 and 24: Sergio Mendes and 6/26: Broadway Sings Lady Gaga
The Triad: 158 W. 72 St.
The Town Hall: 123 West 43rd Street. 6/3: Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers; 6/6: PAGEBOY with Elliot Page and 6/12: Irish Repertory Theatre Gala 2023 | All My Loving The Lyrics Of Paul McCartney
On May 29th catch Samantha Pauly for Memorial Day. Best known for originating the role of Katherine Howard in Broadway’s smash hit SIX the Musical, and her captivating performance as Eva Peron in Jamie Lloyd’s critically acclaimed revival of Evita on London’s West End, Samantha Pauly has carefully crafted an evening that reflects the last few years of her life. Join this Grammy nominee and Drama Desk Award winner as she revisits some career highlights, Broadway classics, pop/rock favorites, and all the fun stuff in between.
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and actor Reeve Carneyreturns to Chelsea Table + Stage June 4th to perform a night of music honoring the artistry of the legendary rock n’ roll supergroup Led Zeppelin. Carney is best known for his portrayal of Dorian Grayin on Showtime’s Penny Dreadful, Riff Raff in Fox’s Rocky Horror Picture Show Reimagining, as well as originating the role of Peter Parker in Julie Taymor/U2’s Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark. He is currently starring in the Broadway blockbuster, Hadestown. Reeve Carney delivers a one-man-show cabaret that feels more like an invitation-only after-party than a traditional concert performance. Don’t miss this special performance from one of Broadway’s leading actors!
If there’s anyone who deserves to be featured in TIMES SQUARE CHRONICLES, on this particular day, May 24, it would be this guy, Richard Jay-Alexander. Born in 1953, today he turns 70 years old, here in New York City. He has walked these city streets more than most, as he pursued and has enjoyed a 49 year career, working on Broadway, in most theaters, clubs and majestic musical institutions, such as Carnegie Hall and The MET. He’s touched many, many lives and has a passion for this business that continues to burn and just this past Sunday, he helmed a thrilling evening, celebrating BroadwayWorld.com‘s 20th Anniversary, at midtown’s historic Sony Hall. On the eve of his birthday, he attended his favorite Tuesday night happening, Susie Mosher’s The LINEUP at Birdland Theatre, and treated the audience to a couple stories, observations on this important birthday and then, with Billy Stritch at the piano, John Miller on Bass and Clint De Canon on drums, performed a moving and heartfelt (THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Richard clearly has a gift and a passion for the stage and for music and we are all the better for it, on the receiving end.
Happy Birthday, Young Man! Here’s to many more.
RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER
RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER
BILLY STRITCH & RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER
RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER & SUSIE MOSHER
RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER
RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER
SETH SIKES, NICOLAS KING, CARLOS CLEMENZ, RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER, STEPHEN SOROKOFF, EDA SOROKOFF
DOUG MIDDLEBROOK, RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER, EDA SOROKOFF
BILLY STRITCH, KATE SHINDLE, President Actors’ Equity Association, RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER
SUSIE MOSHER & RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RJA
Cabaret
My View: A Glamorous Celebrity Filled Night With Lorna Dallas at The Laurie Beechman Theatre
It was a celebrity filled audience last night and the glamor of Manhattan Cabaret nightlife was in abundance for Lorna Dallas and her show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre titled “Glamorous Nights and Rainy Days
Ms. Dallas returned to New York City with a wonderful new show. This was Ms. Dallas’ first appearance in this town since she performed at the Bistro awards prior to the lockdown of 2020. The three years respite has done nothing to dim the luster of Ms Dallas’ exceptional instrument. She stayed in fine voice all evening long. But she is more than just an excellent vocalist. She is also a compelling actress. Her show, skillfully crafted by director Barry Kleinbort, and sensitively accompanied by one of this city’s best musical directors, Christopher Denny, was a joy from start to finish. The star studded audience at the Laurie Beechman theater responded heartily to every one of Lorna’s numbers. Evening high points ran the gamut, from standards like “I Have Dreamed,” to “When the Sun Comes Out;” from an hilarious “By Strauss” by the Gershwin’s to a dramatic “Silent Spring” by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. She also premiered a new song written especially for her by Ann Hampton Callaway and Amanda McBroom, “In My Dreams,” which wowed the savvy New York crowd. Hopefully, Lorna Dallas will return to these shores on a more regular basis. Three years is too long a wait for this powerful soprano’s next appearance..
LORNA DALLAS
CHRISTOPHER DENNY & LORNA DALLAS
LORNA DALLAS & DONNA McKECHNIE
LORNA DALLAS & MELISSA ERRICO
MARILYN MAYE & LORNA DALLAS
LORNA DALLAS & CHARLES BUSCH
PENNY FULLER & LORNA DALLAS
MELISSA ERRICO & EDA SOROKOFF
DAVID ZIPPEL, LORNA DALLAS, JAMIE deROY
LORNA DALLAS & REX REED
LORNA DALLAS & KT SULLIVAN
SUSIE MOSHER & LORNA DALLAS
DAVID SABELLA & LORNA DALLAS
CRAIG RUBANO & LORNA DALLAS
MARIEANN MERINGOLO & LORNA DALLAS
GEORGE DVORSKY, LORNA DALLAS, ROSIE BENTINCK
EDA SOROKOFF,MARILYN MAYE, CHARLES BUSCH
KT SULLIVAN & ELIZABETH SULLIVAN
KURT PETERSON, LORNA DALLAS
ANN TALMAN &LORNA DALLAS
LORNA DALLAS & SANDY MANLEY
JOYCE BREACH & REX REED
LORNA DALLAS & RICHARD HILLMAN
BARRY KLEINBORT, DIRECTOR
LORNA DALLAS
LORNA DALLAS
LORNA DALLAS
CHRISTOPHER DENNY & LORNA DALLAS
Tony, Grammy, and Emmy award winning composer/writer/musician David Yazbek and his band were on the stage of 54 Below last night playing some of his new songs from an upcoming album. They also played some great music from the Yazbek songbook and from his Broadway musicals.
In addition to being an award winning composer and lyricist David Yazbek is a formidable pianist possessing a fearless technique generating an extraordinary combination of intoxicating melodious dissonance. . A highlight of the evening for me was when he displayed his unique harmonic and rhythmic pianistic concepts on the Great American Songbook Standard “Over The Rainbow”. Norbert Leo Butz also starred in the the 54 evening titled “David Yazbek and The Bludgeoneers” and he brought the house to it’s feet with the “Dirty Rotten Medley”
The Band: Javier Diaz (Percussion), Tony Orbach (Sax), Sam Sadigursky (Clarinet), Dean Sharenow (Drums), Chris Tordini (Bass), Paul Vercesi (Sax)
DAVID YAZBEK
DAVID YAZBEK
NORBERT LEO BUTZ
NORBERT LEO BUTZ
NORBERT LEO BUTZ
SAM SADIGURSKY
DAVID YAZBEK & SAM SADIGURSKY
NORBERT LEO BUTZ
TONY ORBACH & PAUL VERCESI
THE BAND
DAVID YAZBEK & NORBERT LEO BUTZ
54 BELOW
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