Back in the saddle...

Well, last week was a little slow for me, but I'm slowly getting back up to speed! On Saturday afternoon, I went to see Chicago with my family, and I had a great time. I'd seen it in 2000, so it had really been a while and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it. The reasons for going were Bebe Neuwirth and Huey Lewis (my childhood FAVORITE!)...now, unfortuately, we saw Huey's understudy (who was really good, actually!), but Bebe was worth every penny! I didn't realize she was playing Roxie this time, so that was a fun surprise. It truly is a great show - highly entertaining, and a fabulous way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
That evening, I returned to the Oak Room to see the fabulous Andrea Marcovicci in her tribute to the incomparable Hildegarde. I'd seen the show in November and had a terrific time, so I was curious to see how it had evolved in the ensuing 6 weeks or so. I must say that, as much as I enjoyed it the first time, I enjoyed it even more this time. Andrea was so charming and so very, very entertaining. The show was like a refreshing sip of really good champagne - bubbly and sparkling, and leaving you desiring more!
On Sunday, I went to the 92nd Street Y to see a tribute to my idol, Rosemary Clooney. The show was called "The Last Girl Singer: Rosemary Clooney and Her Way With Words," and the stellar cast featured Karen Ziemba, John Pizzarelli, Paula West and James Naughton and Rosemary's daughter-in-law, Debby Boone. John Oddo, Rosemary's musical director, was the musical director for the show and it was Rosemary's band onstage. It was a great show and a wonderful tribute to one of the all-time greats.
So...I had a very full, very entertaining weekend!
And then, of course, I went to Cast Party last night! It was my first time in three weeks, so it was good to get back! It was a really fun night, with some of my favorite regulars (Christine Lavin, David Goldman, Sue Matsuki, Maureen Taylor, Hilary Kole, Ben Rauch, and Lari White, to name a few) and some great newcomers!
I'm looking forward to heading to the Metropolitan Room to see Lorinda Lisitza tomorrow night in her show, "Triumphant Baby: The Songs of Iconis & Maddock. It ran for a few nights before the holidays, and I'd really wanted to see it, so I'm glad I've got another chance!
That's about all for now...more updates soon!

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone! I'm back from my vacation and ready to go see some shows! The last show I saw was on Wednesday, December 20th. It was Karen Mason's Christmas show at the Metropolitan Room and it was fabulous! With Christopher Denny at the piano, she put on a terrific show that provided a welcome respite from the holiday madness. I've been meaning to write about it since the night I saw it, but the aforementioned holiday madness prevented me from doing so. Highlights for me included a fun, grown-up reading of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Joni Mitchell's "River," which was hauntingly juxtaposed with "Joy to the World," and one of my favorite Karen songs, "The Sweetest of Nights and the Finest of Days." It was such a great show, I can't wait until Karen's 2007 Christmas show!
I'm easing myself back into things this week, and am hoping to catch Andrea Marcovicci's Hildegarde show at the Oak Room one more time before it closes. There's also a Rosemary Clooney show at the 92nd Street Y I'm planning to see. It's called "The Last Girl Singer: Rosemary Clooney and Her Way With Words" and features an amazing lineup - Karen Ziemba, Paula West, John Pizzarelli, James Naughton and Debbie Boon! I'm really looking forward to seeing it.
That's (amazingly!) all for now, but look for more updates soon!
Happy 2007!