Jon Peterson

November 20, 2014

With his recent show exploring the life and career of entertainer Anthony Newley (at Stage 72 at The Triad), British singer-dancer-actor-writer Jon Peterson reminded the audience just how thrilling a well-executed tribute performance can be. In part the success of “He Wrote Good Songs” (a title inspired by Newley’s chosen epitaph) can be attributed to Peterson’s sharp and efficient playwriting skills and to intelligent, sensitive work from director Gwen Hillier and musical director and pianist Bruce Barnes. But mostly what made this show so engrossing and joyful was Peterson’s remarkable physical and vocal embodiment of the Newley persona. In short, “He Wrote Good Songs” was one of the finest cabaret shows I’ve seen this year.

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About the Author

Sherry Eaker has been the producer of the annual Bistro Awards since the awards’ inception in 1985. She is the former editor of "Back Stage" and, during her 30-year run, produced panel discussions and workshop events on an ongoing basis, including the programming for Back Stage’s annual Actorfest. She compiled and edited four editions of the "Back Stage Handbook for Performing Artists," and compiled and edited "The Cabaret Artists Handbook." She is a member of the National Theatre Conference and the American Theatre Critics Association (and produced eight of ATCA’s New York weekend conferences). She is an advisor to the boards of both the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and the Women in the Arts & Media Coalition.