Cabaret
What To Watch December 12th To Take Away The Blues
4 a.m. 3 p.m. 9 p.m: Shoshana Bean: Sing Your Hallelujah Apollo Theater
$30. For the third year in a row, this time virtually, the Broadway star (Wicked, Waitress) and recording artist returns to the Harlem venue for a holiday concert, along with Gavin Creel, Jeremy Jordan, Shayna Steele and Daniel J. Watts, and others.
The Prom: Netflix An adaption by Ryan Murphy of the Broadway musical.
It’s a Wonderful Life Mile Square Theater on demand through December $25. A live radio play by Joe Landry, directed by Kevin R. Free, based on the screenplay of Frank Capra’s beloved 1946 play starring Jimmy Stewart as a man who gets to see how much he matters. Audio description and closed captions are available.
Kris Kringle The Musical offers 25 Christmas gifts that can be shared with everyone you love! Beginning December 1st, the viewer will be led through a virtual Advent Calendar door to enjoy a different part of the story, with bonus videos, including a Spanish version of one of the show’s most popular songs ‘My North Star.
Christmas Day will share the most wonderful gift of all: a full-length production of Kris Kringle The Musical.
What’s more — all of the videos are free and fun and can be gifted to family, friends, and loved ones!
Discover what happens when an evil toy company CEO crosses paths with a young, jobless toymaker whose family name carries a curse with the power to destroy Christmas. From the top of the world in the North Pole, Kris Kringle (Kyle Sherman) teams up with Santa (Jason Simon) and Mrs. Claus (Kim Crosby), the beautiful Evelyn Noel (Amy Weaver), a band of hilarious apprentices and elves, and magical toys to remind us what Christmas is really all about: love, hope, and finding a family in the most unlikely of places.
The musical features an underlying story, book and additional lyrics by Maria Ciampi, with lyrics and music by Tim Janis and Angelo Natalie. Jaimie Selke directs with musical direction by Randy Glass.
2500 Productions has coordinated a fully remote casting, rehearsal, and recording process.
Roosevelt: Charge the Bear The Roustabouts Theatre Co. is presenting the world premiere of Roosevelt: Charge the Bear by Marni Freedman and Phil Johnson starring Mr. Johnson in a virtual filmed presentation as part of their fourth season.
The production is available on-demand through December 13.
Phil Johnson stars in this new one-man show about President Theodore Roosevelt, one of the most fascinating people of the 20th century. In this gripping 90-minute show, the new president grapples with the issues that would define his term: taking on the trusts, trying to get his message across to the people, and his colossal challenge – the coal strike of 1902. Miners and others were killed, tensions were high, and — the biggest threat of all — innocent people were at risk of freezing to death that winter. This American president dealt with these in his own relentless energetic way. He was a great man, a great American, and Johnson brings this multi-faceted character to life in a truly riveting, energetic, and passionate performance.
Directed by Rosina Reynolds, the design team includes Tony Cucuzzella (Set Design/Props), Matt Lescault-Wood (Sound Design), Joel Britt (Lighting Design), Jordyn Smiley (Costume Design), Ross Stewart (Costume Design Assistant). Jessamyn Foster was the Stage Manager. Michael Brueggemeyer was the Director of Photography/Editor. Rebecca Crigler, General Manager of The Roustabouts, produced the drama, following SAG, Federal, State, and local COVID-19 practices and protocols.
As with other productions by The Roustabouts, in-depth talkbacks will be featured as part of the online presentation, including looks at Roosevelt’s problematic handling of the Brownsville, TX raid, and Roosevelt’s moment with Booker T. Washington, which will feature local diversity experts.
Ham: A Musical Memoir Sam Harris’s sensitive and prodigiously talented boy survives the Bible Belt through talent and moxie, which lead to fame and fortune, but when the rocky road of desperately seeking acceptance finally reaches a dead end, he is forced to confront the internal demons that haunt him.https://www.youtube.com/embed/QfeRpYTWpVY
2pm: A Christmas Carol Old Vic available until December 24
This is the adaptation by Jack Thorne and directed by Matthew Warchus and stars Andrew Lincoln as Ebenezer Scrooge.
2, 7 and 10pm: Taylor Mac’s Holiday Sauce… Pandemic!
The extravagantly talented performance artist’s annual holiday extravaganza reimagined for 2020, a “virtual vaudeville.”
2 and 7pm: Pen/man/ship Moliere in the Park. Co-Presented by French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), the Moliere theater’s first new, non-Moliere play, by Christina Anderson, takes place just after the Supreme Court has upheld the Separate but Equal Doctrine in 1896, when a Black American surveyor boards a ship to lead a mysterious expedition bound for Liberia.
3 and 7pm: all it takes is ONE ACT, Three New Plays, Three New Perspectives on Reproductive Justice A is For, a non-profit organization co-created by Martha Plimpton and Kellie Overbey, dedicated to advancing reproductive rights announces all it takes is ONE ACT, Three New Plays, Three New Perspectives on Reproductive Justice, taking place the weekend of December 12-13.
A distinguished jury led by two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage has selected three exceptional works by emerging playwrights.
Performers include Ann Dowd, Michelle Hurd, Moses Ingram, Harold Perrineau, Alicia Goranson, Jenn Lyon, Celeste Den, Mirirai Sithole, Trey Santiago, Garret Dillahunt, and Jasminn Johnson.
Nia, Discovered: December 12 at 3pm ET
Chibok: December 12 at 7pm ET
Nurse Cadden: December 13 at 7PM ET
3pm: Coffeehouse Chronicles Revisited: Sam Shepard By La Mama Originally presented on October 7, 2017, La MaMa will live stream Coffeehouse Chronicles #143 to honor the life and work of Sam Shepard featuring panelists, live performances and archival materials related to the legendary playwright and performer. Presented in the Ellen Stewart Theatre, audiences can now watch from the safety of their homes anywhere in the world.
Moderator: Jean-Claude van Itallie
Panelists: Jean Claude Van Itallie, Joyce Aaron Funk, Anne Militello, Charles Mingus, Evangeline Morphos, Angelina Fiordellisi & Sandy Rogers
Performances by Joyce Aaron Funk, Cary Gant, Mike Gorman, Michael Bowen Horn, Thomas Keith, Harry Mann, Wayne Maugans, Peter Stampfel, Leslie Silva, Clea Rivera
4pm–9:30pm: Marie’s Crisis Virtual Piano Bar Tonight’s scheduled pianists are Alex Barylski (@Alexander-Barylski) and Adam Michael Tilford (@Adam-Tilford-1).
6pm: Breathe Philicia Saunders wrote and stars in this one-woman live theater show portraying 20 characters, based on the life-changing personal journey towards activism after a chance trip to a Civil Rights monument during a tour in Alabama
6pm: How to Play Dreidel with Judah Maccabee Untitled Theater Company #61 $20 A 20-minute live show between 6pm – 9pm every night of Hanukkah, December 10 – 17, in which an actor from the company (Yael Haskal, Alyssa Simon, or Maxwell Zener).connects with you — via Skype, or Zoom or telephone — and tell you a tale about a kid who travels back through time in order to meet Judah Maccabee (the hero of the Hanukkah story.)https://www.youtube.com/embed/wk6T7HBXRPo
7pm: Home for the Holidays Tony nominee Liz Callaway will offer Home for the Holidays, a concert recorded at New York’s Bedford Playhouse, beginning December 11. The production will be available to stream through December 19, with proceeds going to a variety of regional venues around the country affected by the COVID-19 shutdown.
Audiences can expect a mix of holiday favorites and showtunes, stories about Callaway’s holiday traditions and career, and music from her new album, Comfort and Joy–An Acoustic Christmas (on which she’s accompanied by neighbor and guitarist Peter Calo).
Purchase tickets here, or directly through any of the beneficiary theatre organizations below. The stream is available to watch through December 19.
Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, New York
Blumenthal Performing Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina
H. Ric Luhrs PAC at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Marriott Theatre in Chicago, Illinois
Rochester Civic Theatre in Rochester, Minnesota
11th Hour Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Palace Theater in Waterbury, Connecticut
Bushnell Theater in Hartford, Connecticut
AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, Texas
The Smith Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
Temple Theatre in Sanford, North Carolina
Center Theater Group/Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles, California
Landmark Theater in Port Washington, New York
South Orange Performing Arts Center in South Orange, New Jersey
City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium in Morganton, North Carolina
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida
The Playhouse in Des Moines, Iowa
Best of Broadway Spokane in Spokane, Washington
Boch Center in Boston, Massachusetts
Straz Center in Tampa, Florida
Koger Center in Columbia, South Carolina
Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee
Artistry in Bloomington, Minnesota
Theatre By The Sea in Wakefield, Rhode Island
Broadway in Detroit in Detroit, MI
Parker Arts in Parker, Colorado
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, Florida
White Plains Performing Arts Center in White Plains, NY
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Buffalo, NY
Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California
7pm: Cock Play-PerView available through December 16. The play by Mike Bartlett about an unusual threesome features its original cast led by Cory Michael Smith under the direction of James MacDonald.
7pm: Hip Hop Cinderella – A New Musical Amas Musical Theatre in association with HipHopMusicals.com present Hip Hop Cinderella – A New Musical, a family-friendly intergalactic romp with a cool, hip-hop vibe, laughs, adventure and unforgettable songs.
Click here for tickets. This virtual theatrical experience is available on-demand through December 27, 2020. All proceeds benefit Amas Musical Theatre’s education programs.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, teenage Cinderella and her rapping robot companion Runka live on planet Zolla. They toil under the thumb of Cinderella’s stepmom, Lady Zurka, and her two social media obsessed stepsisters, Zig and Zag. The galaxy has lost its groove, and the Prince is throwing a Hip Hop Ball and Rap Competition to turn the beat around. Traveling via a quantum time warp, Cinderella transforms into “Ella C” and fights to win the competition. Upon returning to planet Zolla, Ella C is forced into a royal rap battle against Lady Zurka with a surprising result.
Directed by Christopher Scott, with musical direction by Evan Alparone, the cast features alumni students of the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy. They are: Alexis Aguiar, Cassandra Barckett, Jamiel Tako L. Burkhart, Brian Criado, Emily Lang and Lexy Piton. The stage manager is Benjamin A. Vigil and Nikki Wen is assistant stage manager.
7pm: Meet Me in St. Louis Irish Rep available through January 2
A holiday musical based on the MGM movie. With Shereen Ahmed, William Bellamy, Rufus Collins, Kerry Conte, Melissa Errico, Ali Ewoldt, Kathy Fitzgerald, Ian Holcomb, Austyn Johnson, Jay Aubrey Jones, Kylie Kuioka, Ashley Robinson, and Max Von Essen.
7:30pm: Weill’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht fashion a cynical tale of an imaginary yet plausible boom town peopled by fortune seekers, prostitutes, and shady businessmen (and women) where absolutely anything goes—except having no moneStarring Teresa Stratas, Astrid Varnay, Richard Cassilly, and Cornell MacNeil, conducted by James Levine. Originally broadcast November 27, 1979.
8pm: An Evening With Kelli O’Hara O’Hara’s next concert, presented by the University of Connecticut, will look quite different from the Tony winner’s typical fare.
With most performances venues worldwide shuttered in the wake of a global pandemic, An Evening With Kelli O’Hara will stream online using the platform OurConcerts.live, and O’Hara will be performing without a live audience.
O’Hara will infuse that deepened art into the set list for her upcoming streaming concert, which includes songs from some of her stage performances, holiday classics, and even some tunes that have taken on new resonance for the performer during the pandemic—O’Hara pointed to “Both Sides Now,” “Take Me to the World,” and “Tomorrow” as songs that have been on her mind more lately, along with the Christmas standard “O Holy Night.”
8pm: Broadway Princess Holiday Party Feinstein’s/54 Below. Available on demand through December 26 $28.50
A concert featuring host Laura Osnes, Susan Egan, Courtney Reed along with musical director Benjamin Rauhala, Adam J. Levy and Aisha Jackson.
8pm: Who’s Holiday through December 15 Matthew Lombardo’s Off-Broadway comedy Who’s Holiday!, starring Lesli Margherita, will stream to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Filmed during the show’s 2017 run at Off-Broadway’s Westside Theatre, this will mark its first streamed performance.
Who’s Holiday! tells the story of a middle-aged Cindy Lou Who—of Dr. Seuss fame—now residing in a beaten-down trailer in the snowy hills of Mount Crumpit. As she prepares to host a Christmas Eve party for her friends, she recalls her own perspective of that fateful night when she first met the Grinch, and the strange turn of events her life has taken for the past 40 years.
Who’s Holiday! was directed onstage by Carl Andress, with set design by David Gallo, costume design by Jess Goldstein, wig design by Charles G. Lapointe, lighting design by Ken Billington and Jonathan Spencer, and sound design by Bart Fasbender. The Off-Broadway run was originally produced by Whoville Theatrical, Scott and Jenny Beck, Jason Shaw, Ken Fakler, Drew Desky/Dane Levens, and Darren Bagert. The show was filmed by David Kane.
Margherita, an Olivier Award winner for her West End debut in Zorro, made her Broadway debut originating the role of Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda The Musical. After more than 1,000 performances, she crossed the street to The Helen Hayes to star as the diva Mona Kent in the Broadway premiere of Dames at Sea. She has had recurring roles on Homeland, Instinct, Seven Seconds, Transparent, and The Crew and will be seen in the upcoming film The Many Saints of Newark (the prequel to The Sopranos).
8pm: Stars in the House Merry Murderesses from the original Broadway company of the revival of Chicago with Caitlin Carter, Denise Faye, Leigh Zimmerman, Mamie Duncan-Gibbs, Mary Ann Lamb, Bebe Neuwirth and Mindy Cooper Grenke
8 and 11pm: Christmas is Not Canceled repeats Sunday at 2 $20
Drag icon Jackie Beat’s 22nd annual holiday show, this time virtual, features Alan Cumming, Parker Posey, Michael Urie, Margaret Cho, Ross Mathews, Jackie Hoffman, Peppermint, Kate Flannery
8pm: TheSharedScreen Co.’s TAPE, by Stephen Belber. Out of isolation, a new and powerful form of live performing art has emerged—one in which the audience is virtually eye-to-eye with the players. TheSharedScreen Co.’s production of TAPE, by Stephen Belber, is a demonstration of the power and intimacy of this new art form. Following a successful run in September, TAPE has been extended to the first three weekends in December.
The TAPE experience is uniquely intimate. Imagine you have stumbled into a live feed of a video call. You become an invisible witness, unseen and unheard. The play is the call. The production is straightforward: a virtual venue, laptops, cell phones, and webcams. But it is live.
In collaboration with Tony- and Emmy-nominated writer/director Stephen Belber, TheSharedScreen recontextualized and adapted TAPEfrom three players in a motel room to three players in a Zoom call. A woman and two men (a high school love triangle) are forced to confront accusations and denials of rape. The production raises profound questions about coercion, consent, manipulation, and trut
10pm: Simple Gifts By TheatreWorks TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will ring in the holiday season with Simple Gifts, a joyful, multicultural celebration of beloved holiday songs and traditions from many diverse backgrounds.
Livestreamed December 10-27, 2020, with on-demand streaming available December 28, 2020–January 1, 2021. Live post-show conversations with members of the cast will follow every performance.
TheatreWorks Artistic Director Tim Bond directs his first virtual production with this world premiere work, crafted by Bond and a cast featuring a bounty of Bay Area theatre veterans.
These gifted performers will share beautiful music, meaningful memories, and take audiences on a journey through a variety of winter celebrations, including Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, Noche Buena, Diwali, Las Posadas, Winter Solstice, as well as exploring Christmas traditions from around the world.
To accompany Simple Gifts, TheatreWorks will spotlight local organizations that give back to their communities throughout the year.
What else – White Christmas, of course!
December is jampacked with great entertainment, so I hope you’re caught up on your shopping, because there are lots of treats for you this month. Here’s a stockingful of events that you shouldn’t miss.
If you’re looking for probably the most glamorous gift of the season, drop by Doyle Galleries to at least look at The Ellin and Irving Berlin Sapphire and Diamond Ring. Bidding is estimated to begin at $200,000 at the December 14th auction.
Jason Henderson kicked off the month reprising his highly acclaimed latest venture, Getting to Noël You at Don’t Tell Mama on the 4th. If you missed this evening, don’t worry – he’s back by popular demand—same time, same location—on January 24th and February 11th. It’s quite a curious and fast-paced ride he takes us on, and it’s one not to be missed.
The York Theatre has delivered a mitzvah–just in time for Christmas. Billed as a Musical Comedy of Biblical Proportions, The Jerusalem Syndrome certainly lived up to expectations. You must see it to discover the meaning of the title, which is fact, not fiction.
While this has been in development for several years, the skilled midwifery of the York brought forth a little bundle of joy that had the audience laughing at its humor and touched by its message. Sensitive to the current Middle East conflict, the York bravely went ahead with the project, which affords everyone a chance to marvel and understand the miracle that is Israel.
It’s running through the end of the year—visit the York website https://yorktheatre.org for more info.
Urban Stages has announced its “2023 Winter Rhythms” series, the award-winning music festival at Urban Stages Theater (259 West 30th Street – between 7th & 8th Avenues).
It began with a gala on December 6 entitled “Nights at the Algonquin: A Celebration of The Oak Room Supper Club,” featuring many legendary cabaret performers including Natalie Douglas, Boots Maleson, Steve Ross, and Daryl Sherman. Hosted by Michael Colby (author of The Algonquin Kid), the evening began with a champagne and wine reception followed by the show at 7:30 with a post-show gathering to follow.
On Sunday, December 10 at 3pm “Created at the Algonquin: Songs from Musicals Written at The Algonquin,” featuring performances by Craig Bierko, Shana Farr, Jenn Gambatese, Anita Gillette, Jon Peterson, Steve Ross and others. The program will be directed by Sara Louise Lazarus with Michael Lavine directing the music.
As part of the festivities, Shana Farr will reprise her glorious Barbara Cook tribute on the 16th. Ice Cream,. Anyone?
Everyone’s favorite is Karen Mason, whose show Christmas! Christmas! Christmas! is one night only at Birdland at 7 pm on the 11th.
Stay tuned for Part II for Christmas romance, tradition, and good will!
As we head into the holiday season, The Algonquin Hotel’s December event lineup is open to both hotel guests and New York City locals. The hotel will spread holiday cheer with a variety of festive performances, cocktails, and experiences including:
- Cocoa and Carols Happy Hour: Daily, 5-8PM, Every evening this December, all are invited to enjoy Specialty Cocoa while Christmas carols chime at the Blue Bar. Drinks will include Mexican Hot Chocolate spiked with mezcal
- KT Sullivan Cabaret: December 5th, 12th and 19th, Sullivan will perform her iconic Christmas Cabaret. As noted by The New York Times, Sullivan is a thrilling Off-Broadway performer with over eight published albums
- Rocco Dellaneve’s Rat Pack Christmas: December 7th, 14th and 21st, Rocco Dellaneve will perform iconic songs from the Rat Pack Christmas album with special inclusions of Santa with Sinatra, Rocco of the Snow, Rudolph and the Rat pack
- The Serafina’s and Broadway Vocalists: December 8th, 15th and 22nd, enjoy the high kicking – precision line dancing Christmas tradition around The Algonquin tree. The Serafina’s will be available for pictures and autographs from 6pm to 7pm, followed by special Broadway vocalists
A portion of proceeds from all events will be donated to Toys for Tots.
Beyond the December events, The Algonquin Hotel is located in a prime position nestled in the heart of Times Square and Fifth Avenue, making it the perfect launchpad for a New York City holiday experience. The hotel is a historical jewel that emphasizes the importance of making unique, storied experiences. Since its opening in 1902, The Algonquin Hotel is famous for its timeless style and desire to honor the literary and cultural elite. The distinguished Round Table Restaurant and Blue Bar offer tasteful dining inclusions and curated cocktails that are sure to excite everyone.
Photo credit: The Algonquin Hotel, Autograph Collection
The atmosphere in The Boca Black Box was akin to The Sands Hotel in Las Vegas last night as movie/TV star Robert Davi (140 films and counting) swaggered onto the stage to sing and swing the songs of Frank Sinatra. His show, titled “My Kind Of Town” had all the elements of a Sinatra event thanks to Davi’s personality which radiates the same mystique and musical excitement that ‘Ol Blue Eyes” possessed. Robert Davi’s performance was not a great actor acting a role… this was Robert Davi, a great actor who started his career as a trained singer thrilling an audience singing songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, but with Davi’s own magnetism and vocal prowess. I don’t know if Sinatra ever played Boca Raton but Robert Davi turned Boca into ‘his kind of town last night” as he brought the musical substance and charisma of “the chairman of the board” to South Florida.
Davi’s had a long and distinguished career in show business and this Boca Black Box audience got to see a lot of the musical part of it last night. The tough guy movie actor sang the music of Frank swinging it “his way”
About Robert Davi:
Robert Davi, an American actor, singer, writer, and producer has played the roles of main villain and drug lord Franz Sanchez in the 1989 James Bond film License to Kill. He was FBI Special Agent Bailey Malone in the NBC television series Proflier. He played a Vietnam veteran and FBI Special Agent Big Johnson in Die Hard. Davi played the opera-singing heavy Jake Fratelli in The goonies, Hans Zarba in Son of the Pink Panther and Al Torres in Showgirls. His album, Davi Sings Sinatra—On The Road to Romance, hit #6 on the Billboard jazz charts. Praised for his voice, Davi debuted as a headliner at The Venetian, in Las Vegas.
ROBERT DAVI
ROBERT DAVI
ROBERT DAVI
ROBERT DAVI
BOCA BLACK BOX
SUNNY SESSA & ROBERT DAVI
SUNNY SESSA, EDA SOROKOFF, VALARIE CHRISTOPHER
This Christmas take a big scoop of classic Irving Berlin songs, have them sung by the ever sparkling Adrienne Haan, sprinkle in the voice of her musical director, Richard Danley and you have a festive feast for your ears. I have seen a number of Ms Haan’s shows at the Triad and each one includes something that makes it a step above a typical cabaret show. The first time I saw her there was an actual tuba on stage; the second a number of costume changes, other shows had duets with guest stars or choreography; this time hearing the singing voice of her long-time accompanist and musical director, Mr Danley. The two have bantered in the past but in this show Richard shows his vocal and comedic side with songs like I Paid My Income Tax Today and How About a Cheer for the Navy.
The man at the piano can sing
Of course Adrienne blew her audience away with her renditions of There’s No Business Like Show Business and Blue Skies; but, hearing the usually silent man behind the piano was a surprise to me like Teller taking the stage from Penn and his baritone was as shocking as hearing the bumbling Gomer Pyle turn into the rich voiced singer, Jim Nabors. The two of them created a wonderful celebration of Mr Berlin’s musical catalogue with a combination of solos and duets.
They really enjoy each other
Entering the theater, as the holiday season begins, and a show title of White Christmas at the Triad Theater, one would expect to hear 90 minutes of Christmas songs; but, read the second line on the program and you realize that it is really a celebration of the man who wrote one of the most recognizable holiday songs of all time, White Christmas. Not only will we hear the music of Mr Berlin but we will get some insight into his life as Adreinne celebrates his 130 year anniversary of his arrival in the United States. From Europe to Broadway to Hollywood; in military songs, love songs or holiday classics the trio of Haan, Danley and Berlin take us on a historical journey of a life well lead.
Adrienne has a number of costume changes – First up New Years Eve dripping in “ice”
Opening the show in a festive seasonal outfit ready for a New Years Eve celebration with “ice” dangling from her ears and around her wrist Adriene introduces us to some well-known Berlin tunes Alexander’s Ragtime Band and Let Me Sing and I’m Happy. One of the treats of her shows is that she does a lot of research into the music she sings and she has done her homework telling us about the life of Israel Beillin, immigrant from Imperial Russia, the country now known as Belarus. He only spoke Yiddish when he landed on Ellis Island so Ms Haan sings Ofyn Pripetchik in his native tongue and then follows with Berlin’s Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – a tribute to that wonderful Statue in NY harbor. She finishes this section of the show with Marie from Sunny Italy which gives her the opportunity to show her strong vocal ability with a long strong belt of a song.
Army songs
Berlin came to America in 1893 at the age of 5 which means he was drafted into the army during World War 1, where he wrote the famous anthem Oh How I Hate to Get up in the Morning and which Ms Haan sang in military uniform. A number of tunes that Berlin wrote for both World Wars followed as the two singers alternated songs and Adrienne gave us some more tidbits about the composer. The song I Paid My Income Tax Today sung by Mr Danley is actually owned by the IRS. (I wonder is THEY have to pay tax on the royalties they earn when it is sung.)
When she sings some of Mr Berlin’s wartime songs she dresses for the occasion.
Ms Haan is a proud Luxembourger and as life imitates art, or vice versa, Mr Berlin’s Broadway and film musical, Call Me Madam is based on the life of Perle Mesta who was the Ambassador to Luxembourg from 1949-1953. Haan again showed she’s the singer with the zinger when she sang The Hostess with the Mostes’ on the Ball from that show as well as the tribute to the fictitious country in that show Lichtenburg. As far as art leading to reality it is interesting to note that Mr Berlin’s home, 17 Beekman Place, was purchased by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 1990 a year after Berlin’s death.
She is one performer who uses every part of the stage
Berlin wrote over 1,500 songs in his 60 years of composing so to highlight all of the numbers Haan sings is too long a list; but, the jaunty I’ve Got the Sun in the Morning, They Say that Falling in Love is Wonderful, Cheek to Cheek and Blue Skies show her range of interpreting music. The love song Always was a particularly important song to Berlin and Haan did it justice as this song was written to Berlin’s wife, Ellin Mackay, on their wedding day.
Hittng high notes
Of all the show tunes, patriotic anthems, and love songs performed in this show I have to give a special shout out to the Haan/Danley duet of You’re Just in Love. I have seen it sung by a number of Broadway stars, Merman, Stritch, Donald O’Connor and Larry Blyden, (and for the newer generation, Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana) in the past; but I’ve never seen the male singer play the piano at the same time. WOW!
Facial Expressions bring life to her Songs
It is the holiday season, remember, so Ms Haan’s third costume change is a beautiful red gown that fits the time and she finished the evening with the traditional songs of the Yuletide spirit, including Happy Holiday, I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm and of course White Christmas.
This is not a traditional Christmas carol singing show but Ms Haan never is one to follow the norm. This was a wonderful tribute to Mr Berlin with added surprises featuring the excellent wit and talents of both Adrienne and her musical director and accompanist of 22 years, the unsung (until this show) singer Mr Richard Danley.
A second show is at the Triad on Tuesday, December 5 at 7PM. It will get you smiling and into the holiday spirit.
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