The 24th New York Cabaret Convention

Kevin Scott Hall
Written by Kevin Scott Hall, Mark Dundas Wood, Robert Windeler, David Munk Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center  –  October 7, 8, 9, 10 Gala Opening Night - by Kevin Scott Hall With stellar performances from both veterans and newcomers alike, the opening night of the 24th New York Cabaret Convention offered hope and promise for...

Joanne Tatham

Robert Windeler
"Soundtrack New York" Café Carlyle  -  October 3, 4, 10, 11 The Los Angeles-based Joanne Tatham is not so well known in New York, but that could change quickly as a result of this satisfying set at the storied Café Carlyle. Tatham's voice is both pleasant and powerful, and she is passionately committed to her...

Lady Day

Kevin Scott Hall
Little Shubert Theatre  (open run) The dynamic Dee Dee Bridgewater has had a celebrated career in theatre, having been acclaimed for a number of memorable shows and roles and garnering a Tony Award for her performance in The Wiz. When she turned her attention to recording, the acclaim was no less noteworthy: as a jazz artist, she's...

David Ballard

Mark Dundas Wood
"Having It All" Don't Tell Mama  –  September 24, 25, October 11, 12 In his show "Having It All," David Ballard and his director, Tanya Moberly, count on the musical selections to carry their narrative. After the opening song, Kate Bush's inscrutable "Suspended in Gaffa," Ballard informs us that the show is about a character...

Annie Ross

David Munk
Metropolitan Room  -  Tuesdays One of the beautiful things about the culture of jazz and cabaret music is that life experience, and the emotional deepening that it confers on its artists, is considered an attribute, not a reason to quit. The intimacy of hearing music in a small room is also conducive to one of...

Evangelia Kingsley

Mark Dundas Wood
"Dance Me to the End of Love" Metropolitan Room  –  September 22, 30 "Dance Me to the End of Love," Evangelia Kingsley's show at the Metropolitan Room (directed by Eliza Beckwith), brought to my mind the familiar image of the twin masks of comedy and tragedy, one paralyzed with hilarity, the other frozen in agony....

Tonia Tecce

Mark Dundas Wood
"A Cockeyed Optimist: Why We Believe the Songs of Richard Rodgers" Metropolitan Room  –  September 15, 26 Tonia Tecce, whose background includes performances with symphony and "pops" orchestras, makes her New York cabaret debut with her show at the Metropolitan Room. Her voice has a "legit" sound, which may be one reason why—in a program...

Sing This: The Songs of Jeff Cubeta

Kevin Scott Hall
Don't Tell Mama  –  September 6, 7, 8, 10 When Jeff Cubeta decided recently to showcase his own songs, he went all the way: with four musicians, three vocalists, and himself on the stage of Don't Tell Mama's small room, and a sold-out crowd in attendance, the atmosphere was more like a claustrophobic happy hour...

Shida

Mark Dundas Wood
Ars Nova – July 19 - August 28 The one-woman musical Shida—with book, music and lyrics by Jeannette Bayardelle, who also stars—might well be subtitled Daughter of Job. The title character of this 70-minute show seems to be a poster child for bad things happening to good people. (Spoiler alert: This review reveals the nature...

Gay Camp

Kevin Scott Hall
The Duplex – August 17, 22, September 5, 14, November 9, 15 Written by Philip Mutz and Susan-Kate Heaney, the play Gay Camp was an award-winner and crowd-pleaser at the 2012 FringeNYC. Now, the team behind it has re-imagined it for the smaller stage at the Duplex, and added some music to make it a bit more...