Whether on stage or TV, Joshua Warr sure knows how to make an impression. In the New York nightclub scene, the MAC Awards nominee is known for his emotional renditions of classics, which he makes sure to personalize so that they fit perfectly into th …Read more
Embracing the room with love, Broadway legend Donna McKechnie in her show “Same Place, Another Time” at 54 Below regaled us with stories and songs of a life well lived, in the theater and in New York from the 1970’s until now. Her adoring audience, w …Read more
Karen Oberlin comes on stage for “His Aim Is True: The Singular Songs of Elvis Costello” at Stage 72 wearing what looks to be an elaborate choir robe, fit for an early-20th-Century celebrity evangelist. But there’s one difference: her outfit is not a …Read more
In a one-nighter at Jazz at Kitano recently, Marlene VerPlanck reminded audiences of why she’s so greatly respected as a musician. Her singing has a kind of matter-of-factness, and yet it seems to befit a special occasion. There’s an effervescent qua …Read more
Charles Busch’s current show at 54 Below is called “That Girl/That Boy”—a title that points to something essential about his longtime approach to drag performance. Unlike some drag guys, Busch has retained his male identity when it comes to billing. …Read more
Centennial celebrations have already commenced for Frank Sinatra, the greatest popular vocalist of the 20th century, born on December 12, 1915. “Very Good Years: The Intimate Sinatra,” a wonderful tribute by acclaimed jazz baritone Richard Malavet, k …Read more
The title of Charlotte Patton’s Metropolitan Room show, “Celebrating Men (Bless Their Hearts),” captures the tone of the evening perfectly. Patton’s program takes a partly bemused but mostly amused look at the male animal. There are no songs about ho …Read more
His terrific current show at Café Carlyle, “Standards and Stories,” finds Tony Danza in a state of what I can only describe as grounded exuberance. This seeming oxymoron combines the wisdom and taste of an impossibly lithe man on the cusp of Medicare …Read more
Film composer Henry Mancini (1924-94) was able to adapt nimbly to whatever professional assignment was at hand. He could write music with a hip, cool sound—for instance, the themes from TV’s Peter Gunn (1958-61) and the big screen’s Pink Panther film …Read more
Composer tributes are a staple of cabaret shows, but in most cases the composer him- or herself is either deceased or otherwise unavailable to take part in such ventures. In his recent outing at 54 Below, directed by Sara Louise Lazarus, Alex Rybeck …Read more
