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The 2023 MAC Awards Announces The 2023 Nominees

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The 2023 MAC Awards will be held on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 7:30 PM at Symphony Space.

The nominees are:

FEMALE VOCALIST

CELIA BERK: On My Way To You: Improbable Stories That Inspired An Unlikely Path…Laurie Beechman

DAWN DEROW: Dawn Derow Sings Eydie Gormé; My Ship CD Release, Backyard Troubadors… Laurie Beechman, 54 Below, Green Room 42, Post Office Café (Provincetown), Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz), Cotuit Center for the Arts (Cotuit, MA)

JOSEPHINE SANGES: The Funny Girl in Me–Josephine Sanges Sings Fanny Brice…Laurie Beechman

GERRILYN SOHN: If Joe Allen’s Walls Could Sing & Other Hidden Gems…Don’t Tell Mama

LISA VIGGIANO: Lisa Viggiano Sings the Jane Olivor Songbook…Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama

MALE VOCALIST

TIM CONNELL: Dreamin’ Again; Lucky Me!; …and so it goes….Pangea

RIAN KEATING: Rian Keating Sings Jacques Brel….Don’t Tell Mama

FRANK MCDONOUGH: Two Strong Hands; Legends of Las Vegas…Don’t Tell Mama

SETH SIKES: I’ll Be Seeing You; Seth Sikes Sings Barbra Streisand; New Year’s Eve with Seth Sikes!; Exclusive Memorial Day Show with Seth Sikes!…54 Below, The Pines Rehobeth Beach, The Arts Project of Cherry Grove

MAJOR ARTIST

TANYA MOBERLY: Moberly at Mama’s Monthly…Don’t Tell Mama

SIDNEY MYER …Pangea

DAVID SABELLA: Amanda Reckonwith Returns, Pangea

LENNIE WATTS: Escape…Don’t Tell Mama

NEW YORK DEBUT –FEMALE

SARAH CARSON: England and America – A Transatlantic Love Story…Don’t Tell Mama

SHANNON DALEY: Anybody Have a Map?…Don’t Tell Mama

LINDA KAHN: “Say Yes!”…Laurie Beechman

ANN TALMAN: Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile…54 Below

NEW YORK DEBUT –MALE

DANNY BOLERO: They Call Me…Cuban Pete: The Music and Genius of Desi Arnaz…Don’t Tell Mama

JEFF FLASTER: Take the Moment…Don’t Tell Mama

DAME EDNA’S HONORARY UNDERSTUDY SCOTT F. MASON: One Dame Funny Night at DTM; Mouth to Mouth with the Dame…Don’t Tell Mama

CELEBRITY ARTIST

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY 54 Below

LIZ CALLAWAY: To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim…54 Below

NATALIE DOUGLAS: Many different shows…Birdland Jazz Club, The Triad, The Players (NYC) and many clubs in London and throughout the U.S.

JEFF HARNAR: I Know Things Now: My Life in Sondheim’s Words… Laurie Beechman

GABRIELLE STRAVELLI…Birdland

ICON

PATTI LuPONE … 54 Below

BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL … 54 Below

VANESSA WILLIAMS … 54 Below

DUO/GROUP

ELENA BENNETT AND FRED BARTON: Swing Out Under the Moon!…Pangea

HELANE BLUMFIELD AND BOBBY PEACO: me and bobby peaco…Don’t Tell Mama

THOSE GIRLS (Eve Eaton, Rachel Hanser, Karen Mack, Wendy Anne Russell): Those Girls Sing the Broadway, Vol 1…Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama

MAJOR DUO/GROUP

KLEA BLACKHURST, JIM CARUSO, BILLY STRITCH: A Swinging Birdland Christmas…Birdland

LIZ CALLAWAY AND ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY: As Long as We’re Together….54 Below

ERIC COMSTOCK AND BARBARA FASANO… Birdland

PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST

NATE BUCCIERI….Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s, The Duplex

BRANDON JAMES GWINN… Marie’s Crisis

WILLIAM TN HALL ….Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s

PADDY ON THE PIANO … Don’t Tell Mama, The Duplex

JOE REGAN … Don’t Tell Mama

PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER – FEMALE

ELAINE BRIER …Don’t Tell Mama

LIZ LARK BROWN … Stonewall Inn, Brandy’s

MARIA GENTILE….The Duplex, Stonewall Inn, Brandy’s

TARA MARTINEZ…. Don’t Tell Mama

LAURA PAVLES….. Don’t Tell Mama

PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER – MALE

DAVID FOLEY JR. ….Stonewall Inn, Brandy’s

JUSTIN GREGORY LOPEZ ….Brandy’s

JOSEPH REDD ….Don’t Tell Mama

JON SATROM….Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s

MILES WHITTAKER …..Stonewall Inn

ENSEMBLE INSTRUMENTALIST

DON KELLY, drums and percussion: Those Girls/Those Girls Sing The Broadway, Vol. 1 (Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama), Marnie Klar/Marnie Klar Sings Carly Simon (Don’t Tell Mama), Amy Beth Williams/Great Ladies, Great Songs (Don’t Tell Mama), Sarah Carson/England and America (Don’t Tell Mama)

MATT SCHARFGLASS, bass: Turn the Beat Around: 54 Below Celebrates Studio 54 (54 Below), Lennie Watts/Escape (Don’t Tell Mama), Kevin Smith Kirkwood/Classic Whitney: Alive! (Joe’s Pub)

SKIP WARD, bass: Kim David Smith/Mostly Marlene (Joe’s Pub), Matsuki and Toroian’s Jazz Brunch Open Mic (Pangea), Amanda Ferguson/Ladies of the 80’s (Pangea), Sue Matsuki and Gregory Toroian/38 Seasons of Love (54 Below)

RECURRING SERIES

JIM CARUSO’S CAST PARTY: Created, produced, and hosted by Jim Caruso….Birdland

THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER: Produced by Susie Mosher and Hope Royaltey…..Birdland Theater

SALON: Founder, Artistic Director, Host: Mark Janas; Executive Producer: Tanya Moberly…..Don’t Tell Mama

EMCEE

JIM CARUSO: Jim Caruso’s Cast Party….Birdland

SUE MATSUKI AND GREGORY TOROIAN: Matsuki & Toroian’s Jazz Brunch Open Mic….Pangea

SUSIE MOSHER: The Lineup with Susie Mosher….Birdland

SPECIAL PRODUCTION

HOLD ON TIGHT: Produced, written, and performed by Meg Flather, Directed by Lennie Watts, Musical Direction by Tracy Stark….Don’t Tell Mama, Theater Row, Teatro Latea

JOE ICONIS AND FAMILY – ALBUM: Curated and hosted by Joe Iconis….54 Below

IN THIS TRAVELING HEART: Written by and performed by Rian Keating, Directed by Tanya Moberly, Musical direction by Jeff Cubeta…..Don’t Tell Mama

WOULDA, COULDA, SHOULDA – MY (ALMOST) LIFE ON THE WICKED STAGE: Written by and starring Mary Lahti; Directed by Lennie Watts;Music director Paul Greenwood…..Don’t Tell Mama, Laurie Beechman

DIRECTOR

JEFF HARNAR: Linda Kahn/Say Yes! (Laurie Beechman), Theresa Lee/Riding the Bus to the Red Carpet (Triad, Don’t Tell Mama), Becca Kidwell/Together Inside (Don’t Tell Mama), Margo Brown and Lisa Dellarossa/You’re Nothing Without Me (Don’t Tell Mama), Josephine Sanges/The Funny Girl in Me (Laurie Beechman)

LINA KOUTRAKOS: Deborah Stone/Chiaroscuro (Pangea, Laurie Beechman), Ann Talman/Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile (54 Below), The Doris Dear Christmas Special (The Triad), Dorian Woodruff/The Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman (Pangea)

TANYA MOBERLY: Marnie Klar Sings Carly Simon (Don’t Tell Mama), Scott F. Mason/ Mouth to Mouth with The Dame (Don’t Tell Mama), Rian Keating Sings Jacques Brel (Don’t Tell Mama), Gracie Lee Brown/Say Goodnight, Gracie (Don’t Tell Mama), Jeff Flaster/Take the Moment (Don’t Tell Mama)

LENNIE WATTS: Meg Flather/Hold On Tight (Don’t Tell Mama, Theater Row, Teatro Latea), Those Girls/Those Girls Sing the Broadway Vol 1 (Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama), Mary Lahti/Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda (Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama), Sarah Carson/England and America (Don’t Tell Mama), Gerrilyn Sohn/If Joe Allen’s Walls Could Sing (Don’t Tell Mama)

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

JOHN M. COOK: Josephine Sanges/The Funny Girl in Me (Laurie Beechman), Deborah Stone/Chiaroscuro (Pangea, Laurie Beechman), Cindy Firing/You and I-A Tribute to Barbara Cook (Laurie Beechman), Josephine Sanges and Cindy Firing/Carry On (Don’t Tell Mama); Margo Brown & Lisa Dellarossa/You’re Nothing Without Me (Don’t Tell Mama)

YASUHIKO FUKUOKA: Sean Patrick Murtagh/The Mario 101 Release Party (Green Room 42), Robbie Rozelle/The Inevitable Return! (Birdland), Lisa Viggiano Sings the Jane Olivor Songbook (Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama), Gerry Geddes/Fabulous First Fridays (Pangea), The MAC Awards (Symphony Space)

TRACY STARK: Sidney Myer (Pangea), Kim David Smith/Mostly Marlene, A Wery Weimar Christmas (Joe’s Pub, Neue Gallery, Club Cumming), Meg Flather/Hold On (Don’t Tell Mama, Theater Row), MargOH Channing/Simply MargOH (Pangea), Alex De Suze/Late Bloomer (Don’t Tell Mama)

BILLY STRITCH: Marilyn Maye (Birdland, 54 Below), Gabrielle Stravelli (Birdland), Linda Eder (54 Below), Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Birdland)

STEVEN RAY WATKINS: Those Girls Sing the Broadway, Vol 1 (Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama), Moberly at Mama’s Monthly (Don’t Tell Mama), Gerrilyn Sohn/If Joe Allen’s Walls Could Sing (Don’t Tell Mama), Marnie Klar Sings Carly Simon (Don’t Tell Mama), Sarah Carson/England and America (Don’t Tell Mama)

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

ADAM DeCARLO: Lisa Viggiano/Lisa Viggiano Sings the Jane Olivor Songbook (Don’t Tell Mama), Meg Flather/Hold On Tight (Don’t Tell Mama, Gerrilyn Sohn/If Joe Allen’s Walls Could Sing (Don’t Tell Mama), Mama’s Boys/Mama’s Boys Love the 80’s (Don’t Tell Mama)

ALISON NUSBAUM: Frank McDonough/Two Strong Hands (Don’t Tell Mama), Susan Neuffer/An Elpee Worth of Todd (Don’t Tell Mama), Meri Ziev/New Words (Don’t Tell Mama), Leslie Orofino/Laughing at Life (Don’t Tell Mama)

JEAN-PIERRE PERREAUX: Jeff Harnar/I Know Things Now: My Life in Sondheim’s Words (Laurie Beechman), Marta Sanders/LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Or Whatever Happened to That Nice Quaker Girl (Laurie Beechman), Those Girls/Those Girls Sing The Broadway, vol. 1 (Laurie Beechman), Jonny Rosch and Friends (Triad)

SONG

A BRAND NEW SHADE OF BLUE: Music by John Forster, Lyrics by Tom Toce

I BELIEVE IN RAINBOWS: Music by Ethan Tarasov, Lyrics by Tom Toce

THE STROLLERS OF POLAND: Music and lyrics by Tom Toce

TALKING TO THE MOON: Music by Paul Rolnick, Lyrics by Paul Rolnick and Jane R. Snyder

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN KIND: Music by Tracy Stark, Lyrics by Bob Levy

COMEDY/NOVELTY SONG

ALMA: Music and Lyrics by Billy Recce

DON’T TELL GRETA: Music and Lyrics by Daniel Cainer

IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING: Music and Lyrics by Ritt Henn

STRICTLY FOR SHOW: Music by Michele Brourman, Lyrics by Tom Toce

THE ZOOM SONG: Music and Lyrics by John Forster

RECORDING (LaMott Friedman Award)

D.C. ANDERSON: House Concert

CELIA BERK: Now That I Have Everything

RENEE KATZ: Winter Awakenings (featuring DECEMBER SONGS by Maury Yeston)

ANN KITTREDGE: reIMAGINE

BOB LEVY: Ballads

REGINA ZONA AND SEAN HARKNESS: It Must Have Been the Mistletoe

MAJOR RECORDING

JULIE BENKO AND JASON YEAGER: Hand in Hand

LIZ CALLAWAY: To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim

JIM CARUSO AND BILLY STRITCH: The Sunday Set (Recorded Live at the Birdland Theater)

JEFF HARNAR: I Know Things Now: My Life in Sondheim’s Words

Suzanna, co-owns and publishes the newspaper Times Square Chronicles or T2C. At one point a working actress, she has performed in numerous productions in film, TV, cabaret, opera and theatre. She has performed at The New Orleans Jazz festival, The United Nations and Carnegie Hall. She has a screenplay and a TV show in the works, which she developed with her mentor and friend the late Arthur Herzog. She is a proud member of the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle and was a nominator. Email: suzanna@t2conline.com

Cabaret

VideoCabaret in assoc. with Crow’s Theatre presents the World Premiere of “(EVERYONE I LOVE HAS) A TERRIBLE FATE (BEFALL THEM)”

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VideoCabaret in association with Crow’s Theatre presents

(EVERYONE I LOVE HAS) A TERRIBLE FATE (BEFALL THEM)

WORLD PREMIERE

Written & performed by Cliff Cardinal. Dramaturged & directed by Karin Randoja

Produced by Aaron Rothermund & Layne Coleman

VideoCabaret in association with Crow’s Theatre presents the World Premiere of (EVERYONE I LOVE HAS) A TERRIBLE FATE (BEFALL THEM) by Cliff Cardinal from October 10-29, 2023 at the Deanne Taylor Theatre (10 Busy Street, Toronto).

Deep in the bowels of a church basement, Robert and his support group must come to terms with their mortality before the impending apocalypse. If only they had just one more day…. Like an asteroid hurtling towards Earth, (EVERYONE I LOVE HAS) A TERRIBLE FATE (BEFALL THEM) is a haunting and humorous portrayal of humankind on the brink of extinction written and performed by Cliff Cardinal, dramaturged and directed by Karin Randoja.

Cliff Cardinal is a polarizing writer and performer known for black humour and compassionate poeticism. His solo theatre productions Stitch, Huff, and Cliff Cardinal’s CBC Special have toured extensively and won numerous awards. Cliff is an associate artist at VideoCabaret, where he premiered his multi-character play Too Good to Be True, “a captivating tale that solidifies Cardinal as one of the most talented and intriguing writers in the country” (NOW Magazine). He was named a “Canadian Cultural Icon ” in 2022 (The Globe and Mail) for William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, A Radical Retelling produced by Crow’s Theatre. The show has since toured across Canada, and was recently presented by Mirvish Productions in Toronto as The Land Acknowledgement, or As You Like It.

Karin Randoja is a dramaturg, director, actor, teacher, singer, and composer. For over 30 years she has specialized in creating and directing original devised performances including Cliff Cardinal’s CBC Special, This is the Point, Gertrude and Alice, Jacinto, Huff, Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera, Breakfast, and Clean Irene and Dirty Maxine. Karin was a founding member of Primus Theatre and The Independent Aunties. Her work has received numerous Canadian and International awards and has been seen in Australia, Denmark, England, India, Italy, France, Japan, Mozambique, Scotland, and across the US. As a teacher/director, she has taught at Humber College, The Centre for Indigenous Theatre, Brock University, and The National Theatre School of Canada, of which she is also a graduate.

VideoCabaret was created by Michael Hollingsworth, Deanne Taylor, and The Hummer Sisters, collaborating with Chris Clifford (videographer), Jim Plaxton (designer), and Andy Paterson (musician). With its innovative blend of live-video and rock ‘n’ roll, VideoCabaret reinvented classic works like Orwell’s 1984, Huxley’s Brave New World, and Verdi’s Rigoletto. VideoCabaret stirred controversy with Hollingsworth’s radical early plays such as Clear Light (which was famously raided by the police) and Strawberry Fields. Taylor’s work included the satirical civic-cabaret City for Sale and her epic rock-operetta 2nd Nature. The Hummer Sisters’ live-shows included Dressed to Kill, The Patty Rehearsed Story, and the Vox Pop cabarets.

All this grew out of Queen Street West’s legendary Cameron House where VideoCabaret refurbished a small backroom as a jewel-box stage for Hollingsworth’s The History of  the Village of the Small Huts, a 21-play cycle exposing Canada’s history of colonialism, with VideoCabaret’s signature “black box” staging. In 2016, VideoCabaret presented Hollingsworth’s The War of 1812 at the Stratford Festival and remounted the show at Soulpepper Theatre Company. This started a chain of collaborations with Soulpepper that included Trudeau & The FLQ, Trudeau & Levesque, and Confederation: Part 1&2. During this time Deanne and Michael mentored many young artists including Cliff Cardinal, whose play Too Good to be Truewas the first to be produced in VideoCabaret’s new east-end home at 10 Busy St in 2019. By 2022, Hollingsworth’s eerily timely history play The Cold War was produced in the new space directed by Mac Fyfe, and co-produced by Aviva Armour-Ostroff and Layne Coleman.

(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) by Cliff Cardinal, co-produced by Aaron Rothermund and Layne Coleman, officially launches VideoCabaret’s ambitious new programming at Busy St. under the guidance of its new Artistic Producer and General Director, Aaron Rothermund.

It’s a distinct honour to work with Michael Hollingsworth, Layne Coleman, and Cliff Cardinal,” says Aaron Rothermund, “to further develop the legacy of VideoCabaret while celebrating the founding Artistic Directors and playwrights.”

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Cabaret

My View: Barrington Stage Co. on 42nd Street Oct. 30 For Its Gala at Green Room 42

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The evening of cocktails, dinner, and cabaret show headlined by Billy Stritch celebrates the inaugural season of newly appointed Artistic Director Alan Paul and Managing Director Lynsey Shade.

Proceeds from the Gala will benefit the Julianne Boyd New Works Fund.

Mary Ann and Bruno Quinson are presenting the event which is sponsored in part by Rhoda Levitt.  Eda Sorokoff is Chair with Violet Eagan & Rosita Sarnoff Co-Chairs

Since its inception in 1995, Barrington Stage (BSC) has produced 41 new works, 21 of which have moved on to New York and major regional theatres around the country.

BSC believes that new work is the heart and soul of theatre. If theatre is to thrive and create meaningful and new experiences for audiences, then it is vital to support playwrights and their visions of the world we live in.

BSC’s New Works Fund takes a two-pronged approach – PlayWorks supports the creation of new plays while our acclaimed Musical Theatre Lab develops new musicals. In both of these programs, BSC seeks artists whose unique voices speak to our audiences with relevant new plays and musicals. BSC hopes our new work will ask questions of the world we live in – questions that may not have answers but will begin a dialogue between the artists and our audiences.

 

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

JULIANNE BOYD & BILLY STRITCH

ALAN PAUL & RHODA LEVITT

MARY ANN QUINSON

ALAN PAUL & WILLIAM FINN

MARY ANN QUINSON & JULIANNE BOYD

BILLY STRITCH

EDA SORKOFF & BILLY STRITCH

BILLY STRTICH & STEPHEN SOROKOFF

MARY ANN QUINSON, JULIANNE BOYD, MARITA GLODT, EDA SOROKOFF

 

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Cabaret

Cabaret, Talks and Concerts For October

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The question would be, what to pick to go see, out of the multitude of offerings. Here are our picks for October

92 Street Y: 1395 Lexington Ave. 10/1: Dr. Jane Goodall in Conversation with David Rubenstein; 10/4: Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis: Martha Stewart; 10/9: “Gutenberg! The Musical!”: Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells in Conversation with MTV’s Josh Horowitz; 10/10: Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conversation: BE USEFUL: Seven Tools for Life; 10/12: Audra McDonald: Musings through Music with Andy Einhorn and 10/28 – 30: Tale as Old as Time: The Songs of Howard Ashman

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); 10/2: A Collective Cy Jeff Harner sings Cy Coleman; 10/9: The Unprecedented Amanda Green & Friends; 10/16: Maude Maggart: “Here Come The Dreamers” and 10/23: Jamie deRoy and Friends and 10/26 -28: Karrin Allyson: “Brazilian Nights And Beyond” Feat. Vitor Goncalves, Rafael Barata & Harvie S.

Cafe Carlyle: 35 E 76th St. 10/3-7: Peter Cincotti; 10/11 -14: Patina Miller; 10/17 – 28 John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey and 10/31 – 11/8: Steve Tyrell

Hailey Kilgore by Tom Lupton, Derek Klena by Jenny Anderson, Javier Muñoz by Chad Griffith, Ali Stroker by Jenny Anderson

Carnegie Hall: 881 7th Ave at 57th St. 10/2: Lyle Lovett and His Large Band; 10/18: A Very Good+ Night of Comedy with Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer & Ronny Chieng
Special Guest D-Nice and 10/27: The New York Pops with Hailey Kilgore, Derek Klena, Javier Muñoz and Ali Stroker 

Chelsea Table + Stage: Hilton Fashion District Hotel, 152 W 26th St. 10/20: Marieann Meringolo

Don’t Tell Mama: 343 W. 46 St. 10/28: Quinn Lemley

Dizzys Club Coca Cola: Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street. 10/1: Songbook Sundays: Harold Arlen

The DJango: 2 Avenue of the Americas.


54 Below:
254 West 54 St. 10/2 The New York Pops Underground; 10/2, 17, 28 and 30: Norbert Leo Butz Sings Torch Songs for a Pandemic; 10/3, 7 and 11 Linda Eder; 10/5 -6 Mauricio Martínez: 5’11” Based in NYC, feat. Linedy Genao & more!; 10/8: Little By Little Reunion Concert, feat. Darrin Baker, Liz Larsen, and Christiane Noll; 10/12: Lee Roy Reams: Uncensored! For Adults Only!’ 10/14 -16 and 23 -25 and 30: Marilyn Maye; 10/20 – 21: Lorna Luft; 10/22: A Gentleman’s Guide 10th Anniversary Celebration and 10/ 26 -28: Jai Rodriguez: A Thousand Sweet Kisses

The Green Room 42: 570 10th Ave. 10/9: Natalie Joy Johnson; 10/11 – 12, 14 -15: Candace Bushnell; 10/15: Reeve Carney; 10/17: Spencer Day; 10/19 Mamie Paris and 10/24: Dawn Derow and Sean Harkness

Sony Hall: 235 W. 46th St. 10/4:Daniel Nardicio presents Witch Perfect An all live-singing parody of Disney’s Hocus Pocus feat. Emmy-winning stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race: Scarlet Envy, Tina Burner & Alexis Michelle and 10/16: Rockers on Broadway 30th Anniversary

Theatre at the West Bank Café: 407 West 42 St. 10/14 and 28: Mark Nadler – CRAZY

The Triad: 158 W. 72 St. 

The Town Hall: 123 West 43rd Street. 10/10: A Not That Fancy Conversation and Performance with Reba Mcentire and 10/11: Alec Baldwin’s Here’s The Thing Live With Michael Wolff

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Santino Fontana Brings Voice, Comedy and Showmanship To 54 Below

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Tony Award® winner Santino Fontana brings his tremendous talent to 54 Below and it is a show that wraps you up in his humor, charm, vocal prowess, laid back demeanor, jeopardy style musical choices and over all entertaining. By the end of the show you feel as if you know him or at least a part of him. Starting off with Charles Strouse and Lee Adams’s “Stick Around,” the night turned into a Russian roulette of material.  The audience picked numbers and as Santino put it “if you don’t like the show, it’s your fault.” First up for my show was the naughty but amusing  “Making Love Alone” followed by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella‘s “Do I Love You,” which made for an amusing combination of songs. During Cinderella Mr. Fontana had shoes that were built up 2 inches inside and 2 inches outside, which cause a tremendous amount of pain, so the song told the story of his plight, which made the song take on a much different meaning. Sondheim’s “Anyone Can Whistle,” was sung for a Carol Burnett tribute, that luckily we were treated to.

 

His guest for the evening was Sarah Steele (“The Good Wife,” The HumansThe Country House) who sang “out There On My Own” from Fame. On the 14th it will be Greg Hildreth (Company, Disney’s FrozenRodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella). Click on the name and you can hear that version.

Showing off his baritone side with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “If I Loved You.” We almost got to see Santino in Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields”s Sweet Charity, instead we got hint of what that would be like with “Too Many Tomorrows.” A hilarious version of “I feel Pretty” from West Side Story lightened the mood and had the room in tears. Recreating his duet “Love Is An Open Door” from Frozen, Santino channeled Dorothy Michaels from Tootsie. Again the room was laughing with the sheer comedic genius that won Mr. Fontana a Tony Award. Bringing the energy to a calmer state was the emotional Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s “Who Can I Turn To?”

Vocally the most impressive song of the night was “Joey, Joey, Joey” from Most Happy Fellow. Mr. Fontana’s voice was glorious in the tones and the subtle texturing. Keeping in the ballad mode and honoring Marilyn Bergman he launched into the iconic “Where Do You Start,”while accompany himself on the piano, which was highly impressive. Back to the uptempo mode “I Met A Girl” from Bells Are Ringing, was given a rigorous, amusing take. This was his original audition song. Lerner and Loewe’s “How to Handle a Woman,” from the recent Camelot, showed how Santino would have made an excellent King Arthur.

Another favorite moment of the night was “Buddy’s Blues” from Follies. Already a personal favorite, this made me want to see Santino play this role at a later date, though personally I would cast him as Ben.

For the finale songs “The Music In You” from Cinderella, told how he and the cast loved watching the magnificent Victoria Clark perform. “This Can’t Be Love” from 1938 Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse, ended up in an encore, of Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones’s “They Were You” from The Fantasticks, which made my guest producer Pat Addiss extremely happy.

Cody Owen Stine

Santino was backed by his musical director and accompanist Cody Owen Stine, who played flawlessly.

Santino Fontana

Santino Fontana opened September 10th at 54 Below and you can still catch this marvelous show tonight September 14th. 54below.com

This is a do not miss!

 

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Cabaret

Talking With Mauricio Martínez About His New Show 5’11, Based in NYC and More

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I met Emmy Award winner Mauricio Martínez when he was performing in Children of Salt and have watched him ever since. He then became known for the Broadway musical On Your Feet!, but before that he appeared in the Emmy Winning TV Show El Vato NBC, the hit Señora Acero Telemundo and several Mexican telenovela. T2C talked to this prolific actor/ singer to learn more.

His new show at 54 Below talks about all the self-tape sides filling up his Dropbox. In his new show, 5’11, Based in NYC, Mauricio is putting those to good use in a musical “What If…,” sorting through what might have been. Pushing aside the ring light, you will lean more about this uber talented Mexican American.

His show on October 5 and 6 at 7pm is at 54 Below. The show feature Linedy Genao (Bad CinderellaOn Your Feet!) and Alexis Michelle (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”) and is written by Mauricio Martínez & Robbie Rozelle, with musical direction and arrangements by Brian J. Nash. Directed by Robbie Rozelle.

Video by Magda Katz

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