A busy week in town…

John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molasky (taking a night off from Sycamore Trees) appear inthe final Barbara Cook’s Spotlight at the Kennedy Center on Friday, June 4th at 7:30

Sycamore Trees, the new Ricky Ian Gordon musical premiering at Signature with an all-star cast including Judy Kuhn, Marc Kudisch, Jessica Molasky, and Tony Yazbeck only has a two-week run through June 13.

Broadway veteran Marc Kudisch who plays the father in Sycamore Trees is giving a vocal master class at Signature, June 4th & June 11th, 4:00pm – 6:00pm.

Jodi Benson, Michael Maguire and Debbie Shapiro Gravitte appear in Bravo Broadway with the City of Fairfax Band in a benefit for the Alzheimer’s Association.  Saturday, June 5th, 8:00pm.

 

Washington Balalaika Society presents Balalaika 2010!, a concert celebrating Russia’s three-string folk instrument and the 100th anniversary of one of Russia’s greatest composers for orchestras of folk instruments, Nikolai Budashkin.  Saturday, June 5 at 8:00 pm, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre,  Rockville, Maryland and Sunday, June 6 at 3:00 pm, Langley High School

Seth Rudetsky brings his singularly hilarious and informative deconstructions of Broadway musical moments.  Monday, June 7, 8:00pm.  Washington DC JCC

Renee Fleming is not a “crossover artist”

Showing that every genre has its quirks, the NYTimes reports on the opera diva’s new indie rock recording.

Next, look for Cecilia Bartoli’s brilliant version of I Shaved My Legs for this?

This Weekend at Germano’s

Good reasons to head to Charm City

Russ Moss Performs “Delicious Songs”

May 27, 2010 at 7:30 pm — The exciting jazz vocalist and musician, Russ Moss, performs his original cabaret “Delicious Songs,” including favorites by George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter and the Beatles. He is joined by jazz great Stefan Scaggiari on piano

Steve Glasser in “Broadway Baby”

May 28, 2010 at 7:30 pm — The engaging Steve Glasser sings Broadway hits including South Pacific, Kiss me Kate, Camelot, The Producers, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and many others. Musical Director, Dr. Bill Milner, will accompany him on piano.

Alicia Sweeney in “It’s Not Me…It’s YOU!”

May 29, 2010 at 7:30 pm — It’s not me… it’s YOU! (originally titled “I laughed,I cried… it was better than Cats!”) is an evening of stories and at times hilarious experiences of Alicia Sweeney’s journey out on the dating scene… only the names have been changed!

Germano’s Trattoria – 300 South High Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, 410.752.4515

Tickets and info

Stephen Holden on Yvonne Constant

The NYTimes on the chanteuse at the Metropolitan Room: “Ms. Constant’s approach to songs is wise, knowing and dry: not for her the anguished cry of Édith Piaf or the everyman vulnerability of Charles Aznavour. Her style of speech-song takes the long, dispassionate view of life, as if to say: “It is all water under the bridge. I was there, and now I’m here.””

Somewhere There’s Music at the Corner Store

We had two sold-out nights at the Corner Store with the benefit concert Somewhere There’s Music.  The audiences were terrific, and it was a total pleasure to watch the performances of my supremely gifted colleagues, Barry Abel, Kathy Reilly, Mary Reilly, and Eileen Warner.

Mike Repass took some photos, I’ll post them when he sends them to me.  And if you missed the show, we’ve been booked to do an expanded version of it at Germano’s on Saturday, July 24th.

Here’w what people sang:

· How High the Moon? (Morgan Lewis /Nancy Hamilton) — Barry & Kathy

· Corner Store Tribute — Ensemble

· Chicago (Jimmy Van Heusen / Sammy Cahn) — Mary

· There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon For New York (George Gershwin / DuBose Heyward) — Kathy

· New York State of Mind (Billy Joel) — Eileen

· We like to Be in Washington DC (Hugh Heller) — Michael

· It’s Not Where You Start … (Cy Coleman / Dorothy Fields) — Ensemble

· Lounging at the Waldorf (Thomas “Fats” Waller / Richard Maltby, Jr) — Ensemble

· Slow Boat to China (Frank Loesser ) — Mary

· Madeleine (Jacques Brel / Eric Blau) — Michael

· The Other Man’s Grass (Tony Hatch / Jackie Trent) / Don’t Sleep in the Subway (Tony Hatch/ Jackie Trent) – Eileen

· Chez Moi (Paul Misraki / Jean Feline)/ You Don’t Know Paree (Cole Porter) — Kathy

· I Love a Piano (Irving Berlin) / A Handful of Keys (Thomas “Fats” Waller / Richard Maltby, Jr. & Murray Horowitz) — Ensemble

· Tschaikowsky (Kurt Weill / Ira Gershwin) — Barry

· On Such a Night As This (Hugh Martin / Marshall Barer) — Eileen, Mary & Michael

· Story Book (Frank Wildhorn / Nan Knighton) — Eileen

· Why Walk When You Can Fly? (Mary Chapin Carpenter) — Mary

· Moon in My Window (Richard Rodgers / Stephen Sondheim) — Eileen, Kathy & Mary

· Somewhere is Here (Peter Link / Jacob Brackman) — Michael

· Let’s Get Away From it All (Tom Adair / Matt Denis) — Ensemble

Stephen Holden on Barb Jungr

The NYTimes reviews the friend-of-this-blog now appearing at the Metropolitan Room: “Nobody but Barb Jungr, the brilliant British chanteuse who inserts sticks of emotional dynamite into songs of every vintage, would dream of connecting “Lazy Afternoon,” the Jerome Moross-John Latouche standard from “The Golden Apple” with the 1968 Small Faces hit, “Itchycoo Park.” And on Wednesday evening at the Metropolitan Room, Ms. Jungr found a powerful link. Prefacing the songs with a monologue about youth and age and how when you’re young you have time to burn, she showed how both are really about lying around and getting high.”

Stephen Holden on Mitzi Gaynor

The NYTimes on the South Pacific star currently at Feinstein’s: ”Ms. Gaynor’s show blends videos of her glory days as a song-and-dance diva with personal reminiscences, musical performances with a pop quartet and several costume changes courtesy of Mr. Mackie.

“Even in those days, Ms. Gaynor was never a vocal powerhouse, yet her singing conveyed enough verve and personality for her to carry off a glittering production number. But at Tuesday’s opening night show, her voice was little more than a wobbly squeak that sounded especially vulnerable when applied to a four-song medley from “South Pacific.””

Taking the Veil

While roaming around YouTube I found this song by David Evans and Stephen Cole, sung by the incomparable Klea Blackhurst.  It would be a great addition to a theater talent’s cabaret act.

DC Cabaret Network May Open Mic

The rain didn’t keep a number of intrepid souls from showing up at Atlas for the May DCCN Open Mic.  It was particularly gratifying to see some new singers bringing a fresh point of view and materials to the evening (not to mention seeing our vets who are always so terrific).  Incidentally, Jonathan Tuzman, who provided terrific piano support all evening long is going on in [title of show] at Signature tonight (Tuesday).

Here’s what people sang:

• Terri Allen
  • A Foggy Day
  • My Foolish Heart
• Ramon Atienza
  • Run Away With me
  • His Eyes*
• Julia Broder
  • Maybe This Time
  • No Reason at All
• Marianne Glass Miller
  • Cookin’ in the Kitchen
  • Good Night New York
• Michael Miyazaki
  • Danny Boy
  • If He Walked into My Life Again
  • Stars and Moon
• Byron Murray
  • Orange Colored Sky
  • I Wish You Love
  • It Never Was You
• Eileen Photos
  • Louise
  • Woman Be Wise
• Paul Pompea
  • Here’s That Rainy Day
  • What Can You Lose
  • Corcovado
• Kristen Varvaros
  • It’s Not a Love Story
  • Make Someone Happy
  • Perfect
• Maris Wicker
  • Blues in the Night
  • Wherever He Ain’t

One of the highlights of the evening for me was Kristen Varvaros singing a song, Perfect, from a show Edges: A Song Cycle that I had never heard of.  I found a YouTube clip of the song and the other material from the show seems to be worth checking out.

*Guessing at this title

This Weekend at Germano’s

Good reasons to head north…

Russ Moss Performs “Delicious Songs”

May 20, 2010 at 7:30 pm

The exciting jazz vocalist and musician, Russ Moss, performs his original cabaret “Delicious Songs,” including favorites by George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter and the Beatles. He is joined by jazz great Stefan Scaggiari on piano.

Gary Rubin in “Living Life”

May 22, 2010 at 7:30 pm

Celebrating the crooners of the past, Sinatra, Bennett and Martin, and the stylists of the present, Buble and Connick , Gary Rubin weaves his own personal story into the lyrics of these classic tunes, in a cabaret that is sure to make you smile. Brent Hardesty accompanies on piano.

Germano’s Trattoria – 300 South High Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, 410.752.4515

Tickets and info