It was a night of shock, awe, surprise, and enormous talent as Randy Roberts brought a star-studded Laurie Beechman Theatre to its feet several times with a brilliant display of singing, comedy, acting, and female impersonation.

The biggest surprise of all? Randy began the evening as a spot-on Bette Midler, then transformed into a remarkable Liza Minnelli and Cher. But by the end of the night, there was no mistaking who the real star was: the incredibly talented Randy Roberts himself.

Eda and I were at the Copa back in the day when Bette Midler first entered the room to begin her performance. The excitement was electric, and I can honestly say that the wall-to-wall audience reaction when Randy entered the Laurie Beechman Theatre as Bette last night was every bit as thrilling to experience. The audience erupted. For a moment, it was as if Bette herself had walked through the door.

What a performer. What a night. And what a thrill to watch Randy Roberts remind a room filled with sophisticated cabaret and theatre connoisseurs that, while his impersonations are extraordinary, the real revelation is the immensely talented artist that is Randy Roberts himself. As usual, no spoilers here! Not with the buzz racing along 42nd Street that the D’Angora’s may have plans to keep Randy on that Laurie Beechman stage for many more nights for the kind of dazzling show business that left this audience begging for more.

No spoilers—except this one: Randy’s rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company left the entire company we were with last night completely spellbound. And speaking of that company, check out my photos from last night’s show.

MICHAEL D’ANGORA, RANDY ROBERTS, TOM D’ANGORA

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

RANDY ROBERTS

MICHAEL D’ANGORA, RANDY ROBERTS, TOM D’ANGORA

TOM D’ANGORA, FRAN DRESCHER, MICHAEL D’ANGORA

PETER MARC JACOBSON, RANDY ROBERTS & FRAN DRESCHER

TOM D’ANGORA & MICHELE LEE

EDA SOROKOFF, MELISSA ERRICO, LORAN DALLAS, MICHELE LEE

LEE ROY REAMS & LORNA DALLAS

MICHELE LEE & FRAN DRESCHER

RICHARD SKIPPER & MICHELE LEE

EDA SOROKOFF, MICHELE LEE, MARDIE MILLIT

SUSIE MOSHER, IIENE GRAFF, RICHARD SKIPPER

RANDY ROBERTS & LORNA DALLAS

MELISSA ERRICO

RANDY ROBERTS & MELISSA ERRICO

GABRIELLA STRAVELLI, RANDY ROBERTS, SUSIE MOSHER

MARK SENDROFF, FRAN DRESCHER, STEPHEN SOROKOFF

LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATRE

WEST BANK CAFE

For 42 years, Linda Amiel Burns helped lead the organization that began as the New York Sheet Music Society and evolved into the American Popular Song Society. Now Burns says she did not retire. After APSS announced “New Directions” under new leadership, Burns gave T2C permission to publish, in full, her account of what she says happened following the successful June 15 benefit gala honoring Sidney Myer.

September 22, 2026 Dear friends, fans, and members of the American Popular Song Society; I know that many of you have recently received a notice of APSS meetings for this season, became confused, and some of you have even contacted me. I realize that you are all owed a truthful explanation of what has transpired with APSS over the summer. On June 15th, Glen Charlow and I produced a very successful Benefit Gala at The Cutting Room, honoring Sidney Myer. When two current Board Members realized that we finally had raised some significant funds, they instituted a series of online discussions culminating in a “board meeting” that did not include, Glen and me. I have been President for 42 years, first as the NY Sheet Music Society and the more recent 15 years as the American Popular Song Society. Glen has been Treasurer, Webmaster, Membership Chair and a host of other positions for 27 years. At the end of every fiscal year in June, according to our bylaws, I have always called a Zoom Board Meeting to report on the past year, discuss the upcoming season, hear the Treasurer’s Report, and any other pertinent matters. Everytime I tried to schedule a meeting, Michael Lavine and Tom Toce would reject my offered dates and forcefully suggest an alternate meeting at Michael’s home, using an outdated bylaw as their reason. They finally did schedule a rogue meeting, to which not every Board Member was invited. They took an illegal vote,and then made themselves President and Vice President.The next day, their friend, Lisa Mathias, whom they appointed Treasurer and had never been a part of APSS, sent Glen a message demanding the funds in our bank, and became quite angry when they could not be transferred immediately. I consulted an attorney who said that I could sue and win, but decided that it was not worth the time and money. If Tom and Michael wanted to take over, they had every opportunity to conduct this in the correct manner, It is most unfortunate that they did not choose to do so. Considering the circumstances of this takeover and momentous change, I have very little hope for the future of APSS and the quality of the programs that they will be offering. As for me, I am done and will never support Tom and Michael or be a part of their version of APSS ever again. I want to thank so many of you who joined, became valued members, performed in shows, the great musicians who shared their gifts with us, the wonderful venues that welcomed us so generously, and everyone who was a part of this remarkable organization which promoted and educated people about the popular American song that we will each continue to treasure in our own way. It has been a joy to have been part of this incredible organization, booked over 400 superb programs over the course of four decades, and to have worked with so many talented and dedicated people, many who became dear friends. Happy Fall and see you in the clubs! Linda Linda Amiel Burns

Editor’s Note: The assertions concerning the board meeting, vote, bylaws and transfer of funds above are those of Linda Amiel Burns. Michael Lavine has provided T2C with a response that differs substantially from Burns’ account. T2C will publish Lavine’s response tomorrow night.

By Rick Ruiz

Times are scary. The economy, our politics and even our culture all seem to be teetering on the edge of an abyss that obscures our view of what lies ahead. Propaganda is everywhere and the truth is almost impossible to find.

Cindy Marinangel

And then I saw DIETRICH, a solo play-with-music, featuring a powerhouse performance by Cindy Marinangel as Marlene Dietrich, the sexy and iconic international film star and chanteuse of the 1930’s through the 1970’s.  Although the play is a walk through history, the story of the play feels very familiar to anyone who watches the news today.

Cindy Marinangel

Based on real events, the show unfolds from Dietrich’s dressing room at the Titania-Palast Theatre in Berlin on May 3, 1960. This was to be her first performance in Germany since she fled the country in the 1930’s to avoid Hitler and his fascist government. But even fifteen years after the end of World War II, many old Nazis still considered Marlene Dietrich a traitor. Current Nazi sympathizers organized protests, threatened to kill her right on stage or even blow up the theater, if she performed.

Cindy Marinangel

Entering her dressing room after a walk to the theater through a crowd of noisy protestors, an angry Dietrich realizes there is a reporter in the room; a U.S. Army sergeant working for Stars and Stripes, the military’s newspaper of record. The interview that follows (the sergeant is unseen and voiceless) weaves back and forth from those “damn Nazis” to her film career and her legendary roster of lovers, of both sexes. Seven songs weave through the piece as Marinangel accurately offers renditions that reflect the artist’s evolution through her craft.

Cindy Marinangel

Most who remember Dietrich know the films: “The Blue Angel,”” Morocco,”” Destry Rides Again,”” Witness for the Prosecution” and many others. Usually with big-name co-stars like Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy and Orson Welles.

Fewer know she put her superstardom on pause during the war in order to entertain thousands of American troops over several years for the USO.  She showed little fear for her own life, often insisting that she sing as close to the front lines as possible.  She tells of being near the front when the Battle of the Bulge was launched by the Germans in December 1944. She was rescued, she says, by General James Gavin, commander of the 82^nd Airborne (and the youngest General in the army), who landed at her feet after parachuting from a Flying Fortress and whisked her off to safety and a love affair, of course.

Infamous for her many affairs with various officers during the war, including top generals like George Patton, when asked if she had slept with General Dwight Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Force, she says in the play, “Of course not … he was never that close to the front.”

Marinangel moved around the simply furnished stage as Dietrich in lingerie and robe (Oh, those legs!), with the star’s ever-present glass of Dom Perignon and a vial of Dexedrine to help keep her going. We follow Dietrich on a trip through time, from being discovered by famed Austrian director Josef von Sternberg for “The Blue Angel” in 1930, moving to California to make six movies with von Sternberg in five years, and mentioning some of the love affairs that constantly swirled around her. Tales told of Ernest Hemingway, Erich Maria Remarque, Jean Gabin, Edith Piaf, Greta Garbo and millionairess Mercedes de Acosta are brought to life. Members of the Sewing Circle’s secret society are mentioned.

Marlene Dietrich’s bisexuality was evidenced in her love for dressing in men’s clothing. In the movie “Morocco”, Dietrich’s character, dressed in a tux and top hat, was filmed initiating the first woman-on-woman kiss in a major motion picture. “I was the best dressed man in Hollywood,” she jokes in the play. Dietrich was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role.

Dietrich could not be controlled- she broke all the rules. She did as she pleased and what she thought was right. She helped nurse her friends from illness, donated her entire film salary from “A Knight Without Armor” to rescue Jews from Germany to bring them to America. She said she did it “aus anstadt”, out of decency.

Her efforts won her the U.S. Medal of Freedom, France gave her the Legion d’ Honneur, and Belgium the Order of Leopold. Israel bestowed its Medal of Valor for her work saving refugees and her support of Israel- she was the first woman to be so honored.

So, yeah, if you need a little inspiration to help you through these difficult and confusing times, Marinangel’s convincing performance DIETRICH wouldn’t be a bad choice. In fact, seeing the next performance of the play would be a wonderful place to start.

DIETRICH had a limited engagement at the Santa Monica Playhouse’s Other Space Theatre this past weekend.  The play was written by Willard Manus (with supplemental script amendments by Cindy Marinangel and Glenda Morgan Brown); Directed by Glenda Morgan Brown; Produced by Richard Gordon and Sea Angel Productions, LLC, and was Executive Produced by Brian Cooney, Pascual Rodarte and Jim and Kathy Marinangel.

To view the play’s trailer and bring DIETRICH to your theatre, please visit:  Dietrichplay.com.

We all do! Just put down your phones for an hour and make it an imperative to catch Bryce Edwards at his next engagement. He’s to be found at Birdland a few times a year, and tours around the country the rest of the time.

Who would imagine that a young man could be a Master of Music that’s a century old? An evening with Bryce Edwards includes syncopation, scatting, and a fortuitous blending of ragtime and jazz. There was enough musical horsepower on that stage to propel the audience to Chicago, and we happily landed in the first few decades of the previous century. Edwards had an impish smile on his face for the entire evening that was infectious. I can’t imagine a more welcome contagion than to be immersed in the music that helped people get through the Great Depression. As proof of how effective this was, many audience members were swaying, tapping toes, and slapping thighs in response. I even spotted some shoulders shaking!

This performer had a controlled energy that was a joy to witness. He never oversold a number, nor did he make a movement that was not relevant. His face was expressive to a delightful degree, and, like the rest of him, it never stopped moving.

Bryce and Reilly Wilmit

Edwards is a handsome fellow who is lucky to look like no one else. His “steady girl” as he refers to her, Reilly Wilmit, matched him in the looks department and resembled the pure beauties from that long-gone time of iconic simple pulchritude—Evelyn Nesbit for example. (Nesbit was considered one of the most beautiful women in New York during the early 1900s; Stanford White clearly agreed!) Together they performed “They Didn’t Believe Me” from 1914 (Herbert Reynolds/Jerome Kern) with a genuine charm that was heartwarming and endearing. They even sealed the number with a kiss! Edwards claims that “hot schmaltz” is his favorite genre—if it’s yours as well, get acquainted with Bryce Edwards.

As was said in the 1920s, this was a show that was “good for what ails you.”

H.H. Dr. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe Announced as Host of Hollywoods Largest Gala The 2027 Luxury Gala

H.H. Dr. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe has been announced as stage host of the 2027 Luxury Gala, an Academy Awards viewing celebration and after party in Hollywood

The gala is scheduled for Sunday, March 14, 2027, at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City, California. The evening’s program includes a red carpet, live Oscars viewing, dinner and awards, fashion shows, and entertainment.