The Ziegfeld Society, Kelley Karel, Fred Barton...and MORE!

You can do anything, but not everything.

—David Allen

Happy Monday, February 22nd, 2016!
It is the 53rd day of the year and there are 313 days left in the year. On this date in 1907, Sheldon Leonard and Robert Young are both born. A Happy Birthday For Legendary Basketball Player Julius Irving Today!
Today is also the birthday of actor John Mills and Don Pardo.
Bud Yorkin was born on this date in 1926.
It is Marni Nixon's birthday. HERE is a blog interview I did with her in 2012.
Ted Kennedy was also born on this date as was Robert Kardashian. 
This past weekend was an entertainment filled weekend. The weekend started out well enough. We went to the Ziegfeld Society to see PunchBowl of 2016. Director Mark York put several entertainers together to create the perfect punch! He succeeded! 
With a great line-up of entertainer's that began with Diane J. Findlay kicking off the afternoon with a rousing I Got Rhythm and ending with Walter Willison ending the afternoon with a rousing Liza (all the Clouds'll Roll Away) and a great story of how he came to sing the song on stage to Ruby Keeler back in the eighties. All the entertainers, mostly women, with the exception of the afore mentioned Walter Willison and Nathan Meyer were all wonderful. In addition to a great afternoon of

great entertainment, they rose to the occasion with such elegant dress!
Each gown was more stunning than the next. Not a pair of jeans and/or sneakers and/or grunge in style. THANK YOU!

I don't care who you are and whether you are doing a full appearance and/or a guest appearance (even at an open mic), for God's sake, DRESS TO IMPRESS YOUR AUDIENCE!
When people ask me how they should dress when guesting in any of my shows, I always tell them to dress the way they would like to be photographed.

A wonderful afternoon! Kudos to Mark York and the entire cast!

Also on Saturday night, we went to see Kelley Karel as Hillary Clinton at the Duplex. She has a striking resemblance to Hilary Clinton especially when the light hits her the right way  or she illicits perfect facial expressions.

Kelley Karel as the Singing Hillary Clinton!

Thanks to Miles Phillips, I met Kelley and Charles (her husband), several years ago. I am proud that

we remained friends. Kelley has been working on this show for several years and, of course, the timing couldn't be better.
As a matter of fact, Hillary had won the Nevada primary on Saturday afternoon. (I think some reference should have been made of that Saturday night!). I have to be honest, as much as I love Kelley, I went to this show with trepidation. The reason being, that when MOST people impersonate someone, sometimes because they are filtering THEIR idea of who these people are through their own ideas, the true essence of the impersonated gets lost in gimmickry. Yes, Kelley has a resemblance to Hilary. The question is Can she sustain a full show as Hilary. The answer is a resounding YES! We were part of a packed house last night. It was great fun to see songwriter David Friedman in the audience along with his life partner Shawn Moninger. David

contributed some of the songs performed in the show, some with special lyrics.
There were a few others that I knew as well, but many people from various aspects of Kelley's life.
I really enjoyed the show as well as the rest of the audience. I feel that with a little tightening that could be one of the best cabaret shows in town. The tightening WILL COME with repetition. We were, after all, at her FIRST show!
Kelley, be proud of yourself! Keep it up to date daily on the campaign trail and you WILL receive a lot of repeat business!

Chuck and Kelley Karel

Click HERE for tickets Hope you can go!
Kelley Karel as "The Singing Hillary Clinton"
HILLARY CONFIDENTIAL:A Heart-To-Heart Cocktail Cabaret
Her next appearance is Saturday, Feb 27, 2016 at 4:30PM
The Duplex Cabaret Theatre
61 Christopher Street (at the Corner of 7th Avenue)
$20 Ticket in Advance & a 2 Drink Minimum in the Cabaret Theatre
$25 Ticket at the Door (plus service fee)  and a two Drink Minimum in the Cabaret Theatre

In other Entertainment News
 Much success to Klea Blackhurst and the entire Hazel team as they begin in rehearsals today.

Angela DeNiro and Ron Aprea are starting their THIRD year of the Count Basie Tribute at Kristine Massari and Enrico Granafei's Downbeat award-winning Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair, NJ. Sunday Feb 28-Ron's All-Star Big Band will be performing at Trumpets.Two shows 7 and 9 PM.
Call for dinner reservations or hang at the bar with lovely Judy. Maybe get away from the political mud wrestling for a few hours and go down and check out this amazing 17 piece band. Click HERE for a sample!

Back Stage put out a notice that the producers of Hamilton are seeking union and non-union actors! Click HERE

Fred Barton created the Showstoppers series to pay homage to the great classic Broadway showstoppers, the composers and lyricists who wrote them, all performed by today’s talents who know how to stop shows with them. The Cole Porter tribute on March 4 will feature Beth Leavel, Lisa Howard, John Bolton, Paula Leggett Chase, Karen Murphy, and Damon Kirsche, among others, with dancers directed and choreographed by Scott Thompson.

The concert will be repeated Saturday, March 5, at the Leon Goldstein Performing Arts Center at Kingsborough Community College. ————

Barton’s evening features distinctive showstoppers from all phases of Porter’s career, from the Great White Way to Hollywood, including hit songs and hidden gems alike. Some selections will be heard with Broadway-style orchestration for the first time in New York since their debuts up to

Fred Barton and his 14-piece orchestra return for the 8th show music concert in his “American Showstoppers” series, March 4 at the Michael Schimmel Center at Pace University, downtown Manhattan.

90 years ago. “Porter came from a completely different background from most of his Broadway peers, and his wealthy background accounts for his unique and distinctive style and outlook,” commented Barton. “He delighted in bringing down his high society world a notch in his comic songs, full of keen satirical, sexual, and heart-breaking observations. His love songs showed an autobiographical empathy for the hidden plight of the well-to-do, full of sophisticated yearning and regret that humanized even his loftiest characters, revealing them to be just as vulnerable and feeling, deep down, as the man in the street.” - Fred Barton

Thank to ALL of the artists mentioned in this blog for the gifts they have given to the world and continue to give!

With grateful XOXOXs ,

 

 

Check out my site celebrating the legacy of Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly!

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.  FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!

Please do what YOU can to be more aware that words and actions DO HURT...but they can also heal and help!    

            

Here's to an INCREDIBLE tomorrow for ALL...with NO challenges!

Happy Birthday, George Washington

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Happy Birthday, Drew Barrymore!

Keeping Entertainment LIVE!
 

TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED DAY

Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Penny Fuller

WEDNESDAY NIGHT in NYC

March 2nd

FEINSTEIN'S 54 BELOW Anita Gillette and Penny Fuller return in a sequel to their critically acclaimed, Sin Twisters! This is Sin Twisters, Too! Directed by the incredible Barry Kleinbort with great musical direction by Paul Greenwood. They will take all of us on a great musical romp through their Broadway careers, which have criss crossed from time to time, resulting in confusing the two!...even though they don't look a thing alike! This show WILL sell out! So reserve today and be a part of their star studded audience! http://54below.com/artist/anita-gillette-penny-fuller/

Anita Gillette

Richard Skipper is the publicist for Sin Twisters, Too! For press reservations, interview requests, or more information, contact Richard Skipper at Richard@RichardSkipper.com or 845-365-0720