One of the most appealing things about “3 Decades in the Dark—Raissa and Kenneth Go to the Movies” (at the Laurie Beechman Theatre) is the easy camaraderie that performers Raissa Katona Bennett and Kenneth Gartman have with each other. The longtime f …Read more
Philip Barry’s 1932 comedy The Animal Kingdom — revived by the Hunger & Thirst Theatre Collective and directed by Jacob Titus — is less well known than Barry’s Holiday (1928) and The Philadelphia Story (1939), both of which became film vehicles f …Read more
For listeners like me with fond memories of Janis Siegel’s soaring, raucous gospel-jive vocals on Manhattan Transfer’s big 1975 hit “Operator,” the prospect of hearing her in an intimate setting like Jazz at Kitano was enticing. She did not disappoin …Read more
These days the worlds of stand-up comedy and cabaret in New York City may occasionally intersect, but mostly, it seems, they just sort of brush up against one another. The Duplex, however, is one cabaret venue where stand-up shows crop up fairly ofte …Read more
After only a few moments observing the Beaumont household in Ross Howard’s No One Loves Us Here (from New Light Theater Project), you realize you’re being asked to cast aside expectations about plausible human behavior. Washington (Anthony Michael Ir …Read more
In her first New York solo engagement, Celia Berk opened her Metropolitan Room show, “You Can’t Rush Spring” (directed by Jeff Harnar), with “I’ve Been Waiting All My Life” (Billy Goldenberg, Alan & Marilyn Bergman). This song’s title was clearly …Read more
Anyone who has spent much time attending cabaret shows in New York City in recent years will likely be familiar with Jon Weber, who has worked as pianist and/or musical director for a number of other performers. I’ve come to appreciate his musical ve …Read more
I first heard Anna Anderson—a recent arrival from Arizona—perform at the November 3 Gala show at the Duplex, where she was on the bill with a number of other performers featured at that club in 2014; that night she sang an appealingly saucy version o …Read more
Anthony Santelmo Jr. has a welcoming presence that can make you feel at times that he is singing especially to and for you. He’s a big guy with a big voice, a big personality, and, it seems, a big heart—and his talent is certainly abundant. The title …Read more
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 …Read more
