The Midtown Cabaret Festival of Stars Announced

Producer John Chatterton, (in association with The New York Musical Theatre Festival & TRU) will present the Midtown Cabaret Festival of Stars. The festival will run from September 16th through October 4th at the EAGLES DARE THEATRE (347 West 36th Street, NYC - 212-858-4444 - http://www.smarttix.com/ ). The series will be presenting close to 20 different performers during its 19-day run, almost all of them MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs - http://www.macnyc.com/ ) and Back Stage "Bistro" Award winners. All told, the participants have close to two dozen such awards among them. The familiar names include Broadway veterans Jana Robbins and Ken Prymus, along with award winners Julie Reyburn, Joan Crowe and Vickie Phillips, plus the 2004 MAC Award winning female vocalist Jeanne MacDonald and male vocalist Marcus Simeone. Tickets are $20.00 in advance, $25.00 at the door. $5.00 off for MAC and CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE members. Use discount code CAB05.

A current list of Midtown Cabaret Festival Acts, in alphabetical order by performer, is as follows:

Aaron Lee Battle with Bobby Peaco
Simple Joys - a Celebration of Life and Broadway
Directed by Eric Michael Gillett
Monday, September 27th at 7:00 pm

Aaron Lee Battle is the recipient of the Back Stage "Bistro" Award for Outstanding Vocalist and a MAC nominee. He has performed in various cabaret rooms and theaters in New York City and has been featured at the Mabel Mercer Foundation's Cabaret Convention, both in New York and San Francisco. Battle has toured throughout the US, Aruba, Germany and Northern Europe in "Ain't Misbehavin." He has performed Off-Broadway in "The Ball" and in productions of "Hair" and "Side Show." He was also the resident guest artist at Gunay Restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey for two years. Bobby Peaco is the recipient of multiple Back Stage "Bistro" and MAC awards and has served as musical director for many shows. He has also performed as an actor/pianist in "Eric and the Snow Maidens," "Indigo Rat," (which he co-wrote), and the recent Off-Broadway Jerry Herman Revue "Showtune."

Marnie Baumer
Monday, September 20th at 9:30 pm
Thursday, September 23rd at 7:00 pm

A Nightlife Award Female Vocalist Finalist, and honored as "The Best of Cabaret" by Theatermania.com, Ms. Baumer has performed "Animato in G: A Tribute to Women in Animated Film" in New York City, Chicago, Grand Rapids MI, & Yale University. Cabaret appearances include: Town Hall and the "Cabaret Convention," as well as "Do You Know What I Mean?," "Marnie Baumer Mouths Off!," Francesca Blumenthal's "Places Please I & II," Bob Ost's "Not Quite What You Expected" and Erv Raible's "The Musical Response." See http://www.marniebaumer.com/ for information.

Joan Crowe
Bird on a Wire
Saturday, September 18th at 7:00 pm

Winner of the 2002 MAC Award for Female Musical Comedy, Ms. Crowe's Cabaret credits include The Emelin Theatre, The Cinegrill, Odettes, The Manor, Arci's Place, Judy's, Don't Tell Mamma, The Duplex, Teddy Cares, ASCAP songwriters' showcase, Westchester Conservatory, Asolo State Theater, The Phoenix Theatre, & the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention. A versatile singer with an extensive repertoire of jazz, standards, pop, rock, blues and folk, Ms. Corwe just released her first CD, BIRD ON A WIRE, and continues to perform with her Jazz band High Society Rhythm at such venues as The Rainbow Room, The Plaza Hotel, Trumpets, The Oak Room in Grand Prospect Hall, Zuppas and the Kennedy Center. See http://www.joancrowe.com/ for information.

Ludmilla Ilieva
"Milla: Unplugged and Unhinged!"
Musical Director: Paul Trueblood
Director: Margery Beddow
Thursday, September 30th at 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 2nd at 9:30 pm

Straight from performing in "Broadway Unplugged" at Town Hall (on September 27, 2004), jazz and cabaret sensation Ludmilla Ilieva rips the cords out of the walls once again as she performs a new, unplugged version of her critically acclaimed show "Do Re Milla." Last seen at the Iridium Jazz club, this style-spanning, wonderfully eclectic show mixes Broadway ballads, obscure comic gems and heart-tugging American songbooks chestnuts. "Do Re Milla," premiered at Dillon's Supper Club and Cabaret in August. Descended from old White Russian nobility, Ludmilla grew up a country girl in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Barbara Lea: Looking Back a Little (Her 3 Most Recent CDs)
Music Director Tracy Stark
Friday, September 24th at 9:30 pm

Dubbed "The High Priestess of Popular Song," Barbara Lea's taste and integrity and uncompromising standards, along with her devotion to lyrics and her deep musicality, have made her one of the most widely respected and admired interpreters of the classic American popular song. She has starred in the JVC, Kool, and Newport Jazz Festivals several times, and has performed concerts of the works of Rodgers and Hart, Arthur Schwartz, Cy Coleman, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, and the Gershwins, as well as cabaret appearances devoted to Kurt Weill, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, and Yip Harburg. She has over a dozen CDs currently available on the several different labels.

Quinn Lemley: The Glamour Girls of The Silver Screen
Piano, David Epstein
Saturday, October 3rd at 9:30 pm

With Hollywood glamour, sizzling standards and seductive arrangements reminiscent of lounges of the 40’s & 50’s and 60’s, by Bob McDowell and Keith Herrmann, Quinn and her "boys" seduce audiences with music known internationally from Cinema legends: from “Put The Blame On Mame” to “Never on Sunday” to theme from Valley of the Dolls.

Libra
Sunday, October 3rd at 7:00 pm

Libra is an international performer well known in Israel, Japan and the Netherlands. In New York she has been a featured performer at Sugar Hill in Harlem, along with the Marsalis Brothers, and has toured with her own act, "Libra Live!" She dedicates this performance to all her loyal fans who have remained with her throughout the years and especially to Shari Upbin.

Jeanne MacDonald
Sunday, September 26th at 7:00 pm

The 2004 Nightlife Award Winner and 2004 MAC Award Winner for Cabaret Female Vocalist, Jeanne MacDonald returns with a show that garnered her both critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience response when she brought it to NYC last March and April. A celebrated performer of both standards and contemporary music, the show features music of such songwriters as Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Hal David & Burt Bacharach, Michael Smith, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen and Rick Jensen, who is also her MAC Award-winning musical director/arranger. This past January, MacDonald received the 2004 Nightlife Award for Cabaret Female Vocalist at New York City's Town Hall, followed by the 2004 MAC Award for Female Vocalist in May. She has also earned a Back Stage "Bistro" Award and the prestigious MAC Hanson Award. In 1999, MacDonald was named one of the Ten Best Female Solo Acts in cabaret by InTheater Magazine and has been a Cabaret Hotline Online Critic's Choice for Female Vocalist.

Trudi Mann
with Guests Artists Laura Hull and Esther Beckman
Three for the Show
Musical Director Pat Firth with Saadi Zain on bass
Director Gerry Geddes
Friday, October 2nd at 7:30pm

Referred to as "A Singer's Singer," and "An Endangered Species,"...."whose hip no-vibrato swinging on snappy up-tempos and exquisite phrasing, makes her ballads truly her own," Trudi's extensive repertoire is filled with delightful surprises of obscure ballads, novelty tunes, clever vocaleses, and, of course, the all time favorite standards. In the New York area, she has appeared at Trumpets, Birdland and numerous occasions at the world renowned Village Gate; Trudy Heller's, Burt Bachrach's, Broadcaster's Inn, The Riverboat, Cleopatra's Needle, Chez Suzette, Jan Wallman's, Judy's, Harlem's famous Cotton Club, Yardbird Suite, Danny's Skylight Room, Arci's, and many appearances at the world famous St. Peter's Church Jazz Vespers and the Jazz at Noon Series. Her CD ....mmmmmm....TRUDI MANN! has been reviewed in England, and received play in South Africa, Australia, Germany, Poland and Japan. See http://www.trudimann.com/ and or http://www.laurahull.com/ for information.

Sue Matsuki
A Tribute To The Gals Who Make Me Want To Sing - Ella, Peggy & Billie
Friday, September 17th at 9:30 pm

A Very Special One Night Only performance by the Mac Award Winner for Best Female/Pop/R&B Vocalist, singing the music of the great ladies of Jazz, Pop and Blues (The R&B of its day). A 1976 Miss Waterbury (CT), this 15-year veteran Cabaret/Jazz Singer/Comedian has been touring the East Coast in a show called "Jam N' Toast" since its opening in February 2002 at Arci's Place in Manhattan. She has performed in New York at such spots at Don't Tell Mama, The Village Gate, 88's, Judy's, Kelly's, Regents, Danny's, The Duplex, Chez Suzette's, The Triad, The Iridium Jazz Club and Caroline's Comedy Club. In January 2005 Matsuki & Gregory Toroian will celebrate their 10 year anniversary as a collaborative musical team and will revisit some of their highly acclaimed, original arrangements in this fabulous evening of jazz. See http://www.suematsuki.com/ for information.

Carolyn Montgomery
PReview
Musical Director: Rick Leonard
Friday September 24th at 7:00 pm

MAC and Bistro Award-winner (and nominated for 2004 MAC for Outstanding Female Vocalist) Carolyn Montgomery will perform selections from two of her upcoming shows: "Akimbo" and "Close to You," along with a review of Karen Carpenter's music, as well as several songs from her award-winning CD REVEILLE - chosen as Theatermania's Pick of the Month. Ms. Montgomery has played the Plush Room in San Francisco, Davenport's in Chicago, The Bullet Cabaret in Seattle and smaller clubs from Belfast ME to Miami FL.

MariEileen O’Brien
Evocateur
Original arrangements and music direction by Ross Patterson
Directed by Erv Raible
Saturday October 2nd at 4:30 pm

A MAC nominee, this spunky Irish redhead offers up an evening of songs both evocative and provocative.

 

Susan Peirez
All Grown Up
Thursday, September 30th at 9:30pm

Susan Peirez's cabaret debut show about her 'unique' family upbringing growing up in the 70's & 80's on Long Island, has already been getting a lot of buzz around town.

 

Vickie Phillips
A Musical Journey with the Songs of Jacques Brel, Kurt Weill
and Charles Aznavour
Music Director: Gerry Dieffenbach
Artistic Director: Bob Ost
Saturday, September 18th at 4:30 pm
Monday, September 20th at 7:00 pm
Friday, October 1st at 7:00 pm

Jacques Brel taught her the bitterness of life. Kurt Weill put her closer to her Jewish roots. Charles Aznavour rounded out a world view that was bigger, richer and more exciting than anything she had known. Join award-winning actress and cabaret diva Vickie Phillips on a trans-Atlantic roller coaster ride of emotion, music and self-discovery. Ms. Phillips is a Back Stage "Bistro" Award Winner for Excellence in NYC Cabaret, a MAC Award Nominee and a 2004 OOBR Award winner for her cabaret show "Songs Are Like Friends." See http://www.bestfriendsproductions.com/vickie/ for information.

Julie Reyburn
An Evening With Julie Reyburn
Featuring Musical Director Mark Janas and
Special Guest David Gurland
Monday, September 27th at 9:30 pm

Julie teams up with her long-time music director and collaborator, Bistro Winner Mark Janas, with an all-new show including special guest songwriters and performers from the New York theatre and cabaret scene and featuring arrangements from the American Songbook to contemporary pop. Julie is a 2-time MAC Award Winner and a Back Stage "Bistro" and Nightlife Award recipient. She has been named Top Female Vocalist by Theatermania.com two years in a row and "Best of Cabaret -- Top Show" by Cabaret Hotline Online. She has performed in numerous Cabaret Conventions sponsored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation in New York as well as in Chicago, Philadelphia and The Hamptons. Julie just returned from Odette's Cabaret in New Hope, Pennsylvania where she debuted a new duo show with David Gurland and Tracy Stark. See http://www.juliereyburn.com/ for information.

Jana Robbins
Gypsy In My Soul
Thursday, September 16th at 8:00 pm
Saturday, September 25th at 7:00 pm

Kicking off the Festival will be Broadway veteran Jana Robbins, who will reminisce about her experiences as Mazeppa and standby for Tyne Daley in Gypsy. Ms. Robbins has appeared on stage in "Good News," "I Love My Wife," "Romance, Romance," and "Crimes of the Heart." She most recently starred opposite Valerie Harper in the National Tour of "Tale of the Allergist's Wife"; and was the original standby for both Linda Lavin and Michele Lee. Ms. Robbins also performs around the country in cabaret and has a CD entitled JANA ROBBINS - FACE TO FACE. See http://www.janarobbins.com/ for information.

Bonnie Lee Sanders
Positive Influences
Special Guests: Helene Lantry and Ken Hatfield
Musical Director: Woody Regan
Thursday, September 23rd at 9:30 pm
Saturday, September 25th at 9:30 pm

"Positive Influences are still around, affirmative experiences can still be found.....a breeze can blow away a cloud that's hovered over you, and lighten up your darkest day when you feel blue".......that lyric kind of says it all for Bonnie Lee's show -- but even the saddest song of Edith Piaf's has been a positive influence for Bonnie because it has inspired her to express the darker side of her own life in song. The show is an exhilarating experience of New York cabaret, country and contemporary songs, along with Bonnie's "take" on the music biz. A Back Stage "Bistro" Award winner for Outstanding Singer/Songwriter and 2004 MAC nominee for Song of the Year, Bonnie's musical murder mystery, "Split Ends," co-written with Mark Barkan, is currently being produced at the Triad. For more information, see http://www.wizzdom.net/bonnie_lee.htm .

John Patrick Schutz
Tempis Fugit (time flies!)
Friday, September 17th at 7:30 pm

Returning to the New York Cabaret Stage after a break to do some concert touring, singer/comedian John Patrick Schutz reminds us irreverently and sometimes poignantly that if we're not paying attention, time can really slip away from us. A veteran of eight solo shows at NYC's Eighty-Eights and Don't Tell Mama, his special comedy material has received coveted MAC award nominations in two different years. He also appeared regularly at Decades in New York City in a Broadway/Cabaret revue. His concert work has lead to appearances at the China Club, the Russian Tea Room, the Waldorf Astoria, and the prestigious Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados and has allowed him to perform for Queen Noor and Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as the Prime Minister, Cabinet and Parliament of Barbados.

Mary Setrakian
Mary's Salon, The Concert
Musical Director, John Fischer
Director, Susan Campanaro
Sunday, October 3rd at 4:30 pm

"Mary's Salon, The Concert," consists of a variety of Broadway and theatrical songs including an excerpt from her critically acclaimed one-woman show, "A New York Romance." The Los Angeles Times raved "Chanteuse Setrakian is...dazzling!" Ms. Setrakian's Broadway and touring credits include "Phantom of the Opera," Les Miserables," Hello, Dolly!" and "Evita." Presently Mary is performing "Salon" around the country as well as giving concerts. As a voice teacher, Mary prepared Nicole Kidman for her Oscar nominated performance in "Moulin Rouge," and is presently preparing the stars of John Turturro's "Romance & Cigarettes:" Kate Winslet, James Gandolfini, Mandy Moore and Bobby Cannavale.

Thos Shipley
I am
Friday, October 1st at 9:30 pm
Monday, October 4th at 7:00 pm

A five-time MAC Award recipient for "Outstanding Jazz Vocalist," Thos Shipley is equally at home in the most intimate New York and international jazz clubs, from Paris to Singapore as well as the stately magnificence of Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall and The Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Described by Harper's Bazaar as "A link in the line of charismatic performers from Nat King Cole to Al Jarreau to Luther Vandross," Shipley's jazz and R&B vocal pyrotechnics have put him in a category that is singularly his own. His debut CD is entitled MY FAVORITE THINGS. See http://www.thosshipley.com/ for information.

Marcus Simeone
MATHIS
Saturday, September 25th at 4:30 pm

Since his sensational cabaret debut in January of 2000, Marcus has emerged as one of the most celebrated singers to grace the stages of Manhattan's nightclubs since the days of Streisand and the Bon Soir. Winner of the 2003 Bistro Award and 2004 MAC Award, (both for male vocalist), he is universally regarded for his heart-wrenching interpretations of ballads, red-hot jazz sensibility, and powerful pop flair. Simeone's musical genius is in evidence on his original material as well. Earlier in his career, this native of Brooklyn appeared on the original Star Search as well as Showtime at The Apollo. See http://www.MarcusSimeone.com/ for information.

Additional information on the Midtown Cabaret Festival of Stars can be found at http://www.johncpresents.com/ .

 

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