There were Tony Award winners in the audience and on the stage of the Tony Award Winning 54 Below last night.  All had gathered to celebrate the 95th Birthday of Charles Strouse the Tony, Emmy Award winning Composer and Lyricist of many beloved Broadway Shows (Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause and of course Annie among many others).  Strouse a classically trained composer and graduate of the Eastman School of Music also composed scores for film, TV, orchestral works, chamber music, piano concertos and opera. Strouse and lyricist Lee Adams wrote the theme song “Those Were The Days” for the Norman Lear sitcom All In The Family.

The evening hosted by Lee Roy Reams featured thrilling and emotional performances by luminaries from the Broadway, Cabaret, and Concert Stages whose artistic paths had crossed with Charles Strouse.

The performers:

Carolee Carmello, Penny Fuller, Anita Gillette, Alan H. Green, Jeff Harnar, Karen Mason, Andrea McArdle, Donna McKechnie, Steve Ross, Stephen Schwartz, KT Sullivan, and Karen Ziemba,  Music direction was by Alex Rybeck with direction by Eric Paul Vitale.

On a personal note, I’ve included a treasured family photo of our granddaughter Zoe Gelman being congratulated by Mr. Strouse after she sang an Annie Medley at a past Mabel Mercer Foundation Cabaret Convention honoring Charles Strouse.

STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, LEE ADAMS (98), CHARLES STROUSE (95)

LEE ADAMS & CHARLES STROUSE

CHARLES STROUSE

CHARLES STROUSE

ALEX RYBECK, music director & LEE ROY REAMS

KAREN ZIEMBA

DONNA McKECHNIE

ANITA GILLETTE

PENNY FULLER

ANITA GILLETTE & PENNY FULLER

KT SULLIVAN

JON WEBER & KT SULLIVAN

KT SULLIVAN & JEFF HARNAR

STEVE ROSS

ALAN H. GREEN

KAREN MASON

STEPHEN SCHWARTZ

STEPHEN SCHWARTZ

STEPHEN SCHWARTZ & CAROLEE CARMELLO

ANDREA McARDLE

ZOE GELMAN & CHARLES STROUSE

HAPPY 95th BIRTHDAY CHARLES STROUSE

STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, KAREN MASON, ANITA GILLETTE, LEE ADAMS, CHARLES STROUSE

KT SULLIVAN, LEE ADAMS, CHARLES STROUSE

ANITA GILLETTE, LEE ADAMS, CHARLES STROUSE

KT SULLIVAN, JEFF HARNAR, LEE ADAMS, CHARLES STROUSE

EDA SOROKOFF & JENNIFER ASHLEY TEPPER

In the golden age of Manhattan night life top vocalists of the day would begin their engagements in venues like The Copa, Latin Quarter, Oak Room, Living Room, and similar glamorous nightspots.  In the same month you might have Jack Jones at the Plaza’s Persian Room, Buddy Greco swinging in the Americana’s Royal Box and Vic Damone headlining the Rainbow Room.  It all created a special kind of entertainment euphoria and excitement in New York City.

When the 54 Below advertisements came out heralding Clint Holmes’ engagement it rekindled that feeling for me.  Clint’s talent and fame have been well established over decades and he’s just the type of performer who makes a town more exciting when he’s appearing in it.  Seeing Clint’s extraordinary performance last night at 54 Below in his  show celebrating Peter Allen, (back to back after being thrilled by Tom Jones at The Beacon and Barry Manilow at Radio City) brought me back to that era of New York’s glittering night life.  What a joy to be in the audience and get that adrenaline rush from legendary performers whose artistry and charisma have not diminished, and are now communicating an even deeper expressiveness and musical eloquence than in their earlier years.

Here are photos from the closing night of Clint Holmes sensational run at 54 Below and an after party hosted by Producer Sunny Sessa saluting Director Will Nunziata, Music Director Michael Orland, guest artists Nikki Renee Daniels and Kelly Clinton- Holmes.

CLINT HOLMES

CLINT HOLMES

CLINT HOLMES

MICHAEL ORLAND, NIKKI RENEE DANIELS , CLINT HOLMES, KELLY CLINTON-HOLMES, WILL NUNZIATA

CLINT HOLMES & WILL NUNZIATA, DIRECTOR

NIKKI RENEE DANIELS

CLINT HOLMES & NIKKI RENEE DANIELS

CLINT HOLMES

KELLY CLINTON -HOLMES & CLINT HOLMES

KELLY CLINTON-HOLMES

KELLY CLINTON HOLMES & CLINT HOLMES

AARON ROMERO, MICHAEL ORLAND, NIKKI RENEE DANIELS, CLINT HOLMES, KELLY CLINTON-HOLMES, WILL NUNZIATA, JAKUBU GRIFFIN, JOHN ISLEY

MICHAEL ORLAND & DEBBIE GRAVITTE

LUBA MASON & BILLY STRITCH

CLINT HOLMES, EDA SOROKOFF, KELLY CLINTON-HOLMES

SUNNY SESS, PRODUCER & GARRY KIEF

EDA SOROKOFF & LUBA MASON

BILLY STRITCH, LUBA MASON, DEBBIE GRAVITTE, MICHAEL ORLAND, STEPHEN SOROKOFF

CLINT HOLMES

On Sunday look for a brand new charcuterie of Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford in Sweeney Todd..  I loved the new production, and it’s two leads.

John Kander & Fred Ebb / Bob Fosse musical Chicago is now the longest running show playing on Broadway. Having played 10,338 performances, Chicago is the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical playing at the Ambassador Theatre, 219 W. 49^th St., NYC.