Hi Friends:
Just a quick posting as I'm behind schedule, but I couldn't let this week go by without recommending 3 great shows:
First up - the last show of Cynthia Crane's "I'm Confused, Therefore I Am" at the Metropolitan Room, this Sunday at 4. Garrett and I returned early from CT just to see her, and boy are we glad we did! Her show flows easily and you love where she takes you. Her smooth and sultry alto is resonant with life experience and she looks absolutely beautiful. This lady really knows how to interpret a lyric. Some of my favorites were "People You Never Get To Love" and "You Believe in Me" - but I had many that I loved!
Then meet me on March 30th at 9:30 pm at the Beechman, when Eric Michael Gillett premiere's his newest show, WIDESCREEN! Don Rebic is Musical Director and commedian Richard Cramer is featured. This is the second to the last benefit for CABARET CARES, and the final one of the season is, oh for heaven's sake, well it's hosted by ME! That show is scheduled for April 13th, and I'll tell you about that closer to the event. Call 212-695-6909 and go to my website www.raissa.info to see the graphic - for some reason I can't upload it and I'm in a rush so....
Finally, you have until April 11th to catch KT Sullivan in her newest show DANCING IN THE DARK at the Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel (212-419-9331 reseservations). I got to see a "preview" of this show in KT's living room, and I can promise you a fantastic evening of entertainment. This is some of KT's and director Eric Michael Gillett's best work. And Tedd Firth is an amazing Musical Director. What a fun and fantastic learning opportunity it was for me to see him work with Steve Doyle on bass. I can't wait to see it onstage - we'll be there April 8th - hope to see many of you there.
More soon - Love and light,
Raissa
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
March is Cabaret Month, Hector and Taxes
Hi Friends:
The big
events on my calendar this week are:
events on my calendar this week are:Going to see Hector Coris at the Duplex in FADE IN, FADE OUT - a production of Opening Doors Theatre Company. I can't wait to see him in a whole new light!
Promoting Stu Hamstra's MARCH IS CABARET MONTH show at the Beechman on 3/10. There are still some tickets left for this amazing line up of talent. Stu does so much for the cabaret community - I hope you'll consider supporting him, not only by going to the show, but by doing whatever you can to help keep him promoting our craft.
Doing my taxes! Hence the brevity of this post!
This month, though, I can tell you that I'll be catching Marcus Goldhaber at the Iridium, Cynthia Crane, Nina Hennessey and Shawn Ryan at the Metropolitan Room in their respective shows, and celebrating the one year anniversary of the Algonquin Salon on 3/22. Check out the websites of these two clubs to see when these folks are doing their shows and while you're at it, see when Laurie Krauze and Terese Genecco are performing there - I've seen both of their shows at Iridium, and you gotta see these powerchiks do their thing!
I'm also performing at the Really Cooking Supperclub in Dallas, PA on 3/24, doing a reading of one of my favorite shows, AT THE BACK OF THE NORTHWIND in Fairlawn, NJ on 3/27, and seeing John McMahon do his first ever solo cabaret show for the SAVE THE GATEWAY cause at the Inlet Restaurant in Somers Point, NJ.
April 13th will find me hosting RAISSA AND FRIENDS - NOT THE USUAL SUSPECTS for Cabaret Cares at the Laurie Beechman. March 3oth, my friend Eric Michael Gillett does his WIDESCREEN show for this great cause. More info on my website: http://www.raissa.info/ and here soon.
April 15th is the gala return of THE NEW CONCERTS AT TUDOR CITY GREENS and we are doing it up big! Stay tuned for more info on that....
And, I'm really busy with some BIG projects that I'll share with THE WORLD as soon as the contracts are signed!
Have a great week!
Love and light,
Raissa
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Snow, renovations and Big Night Out!
Hi Friends:
What a week! Sunday, I was doing my show in Scranton, PA with my friend and musical director, Mark Janas. Garrett drove us there and back, thank God, as Mark and I really had to catch up on some sleep on the drive! Then, I bundled the dogs and my friend, Julie and her two dogs into the car and we headed up to CT to beat the snow. The next three days we were busy putting the house back together after the wonderful renovations Jimmy Little did, and I forgot how much it would be like moving in again. I'll post some before and after shots here once I figure out how! All this to say, that with regular "life" happening, I've been in withdrawal from seeing any cabaret.
However, I did get to see one of my best friends, Leah Hocking, perform the role of Mrs. Wilkerson, in BILLY ELLIOT on Friday night. As usual, she was fantastic and owned the role. Leah and I met....well, let's just say a loooonnnnggg time ago when we started out in summer stock together in Boothbay Harbor, ME! (taught her how to eat a lobster - she's from MI and they don't have fresh lobster there.) Anyway, it's always a proud moment for me and an emotional one, to see her jubilant on Broadway!
I then ran over to catch Sheera Ben-David's late show at the Oak Room, but it had been cancelled :( However, not surprisingly, as it is directed by Eric Michael Gillett and because Sheera is so gifted, it got a rave from the NY Times, and I'm planning on getting there this week for her final week.
I'll be performing at BIG NIGHT OUT hosted by the fantastic Jennifer Wren and Bill Zeffiro, this Thursday, March 5 at 10 pm. BNO is featuring the music of Jay Alan Zimmerman this week in their composer series. Jay is one of my new friends and "finds". We met at the Songbook Series this past December, when we were both performing there and John Znidarsic had just christened him "Broadways Beethoven." Jay became deaf to speech, but can still hear some music below middle C. I noticed him because he was signing, and knowing ASL, I went over to "talk" with him. We've been working on some of his songs ever since and it's been a fantastic collaborative process, as Jay trusts my ears to let him know what works for me, etc. Very cool. I hope you'll come hear this amazing man - and he still sings gorgeously! Here's more info on him: Jay Alan Zimmerman is the composer/author of the stage musicals Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Incredibly DEaF Musical (named “Pick of The Fringe” by the Washington Post), My Café Cinderella, HoliDaze, and his current project I.M. — The Invisible Man Musical, as well as composer/author/director of the award-winning film musicals Love Burns and Pawns. He scored the plays Booth and Our Brutus, which were both Fringe First Award winners at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and had New York and London productions. Additional info at deafmusical.com, quirky videos at youtube/musicbyJAZ, and blog at http://www.jayalanzimmerman.com/.
Big news from my pal Jenna Esposito - she has her own column now at http://www.broadwayworld.com/! Go to the site and sign up for newsletter alerts - let's make this a big success for a woman who does so much for all of us in the cabaret world.
Thanks for stopping by and go see a show this week!
Love and light,
Raissa
What a week! Sunday, I was doing my show in Scranton, PA with my friend and musical director, Mark Janas. Garrett drove us there and back, thank God, as Mark and I really had to catch up on some sleep on the drive! Then, I bundled the dogs and my friend, Julie and her two dogs into the car and we headed up to CT to beat the snow. The next three days we were busy putting the house back together after the wonderful renovations Jimmy Little did, and I forgot how much it would be like moving in again. I'll post some before and after shots here once I figure out how! All this to say, that with regular "life" happening, I've been in withdrawal from seeing any cabaret.
However, I did get to see one of my best friends, Leah Hocking, perform the role of Mrs. Wilkerson, in BILLY ELLIOT on Friday night. As usual, she was fantastic and owned the role. Leah and I met....well, let's just say a loooonnnnggg time ago when we started out in summer stock together in Boothbay Harbor, ME! (taught her how to eat a lobster - she's from MI and they don't have fresh lobster there.) Anyway, it's always a proud moment for me and an emotional one, to see her jubilant on Broadway!
I then ran over to catch Sheera Ben-David's late show at the Oak Room, but it had been cancelled :( However, not surprisingly, as it is directed by Eric Michael Gillett and because Sheera is so gifted, it got a rave from the NY Times, and I'm planning on getting there this week for her final week.
I'll be performing at BIG NIGHT OUT hosted by the fantastic Jennifer Wren and Bill Zeffiro, this Thursday, March 5 at 10 pm. BNO is featuring the music of Jay Alan Zimmerman this week in their composer series. Jay is one of my new friends and "finds". We met at the Songbook Series this past December, when we were both performing there and John Znidarsic had just christened him "Broadways Beethoven." Jay became deaf to speech, but can still hear some music below middle C. I noticed him because he was signing, and knowing ASL, I went over to "talk" with him. We've been working on some of his songs ever since and it's been a fantastic collaborative process, as Jay trusts my ears to let him know what works for me, etc. Very cool. I hope you'll come hear this amazing man - and he still sings gorgeously! Here's more info on him: Jay Alan Zimmerman is the composer/author of the stage musicals Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Incredibly DEaF Musical (named “Pick of The Fringe” by the Washington Post), My Café Cinderella, HoliDaze, and his current project I.M. — The Invisible Man Musical, as well as composer/author/director of the award-winning film musicals Love Burns and Pawns. He scored the plays Booth and Our Brutus, which were both Fringe First Award winners at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and had New York and London productions. Additional info at deafmusical.com, quirky videos at youtube/musicbyJAZ, and blog at http://www.jayalanzimmerman.com/.
Big news from my pal Jenna Esposito - she has her own column now at http://www.broadwayworld.com/! Go to the site and sign up for newsletter alerts - let's make this a big success for a woman who does so much for all of us in the cabaret world.
Thanks for stopping by and go see a show this week!
Love and light,
Raissa
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