The Salon Wrap-Up for January 31, 2016 - "Breaking Cupid's Arrow - An Evening Venerating The Beginning, Middle & Death Of Love"

The Salon was oversold this week, so much so that we started a little early to accommodate our rabid singers! I wonder if it today's sassy theme drew them to us: "Breaking Cupid's Arrow; An Evening Venerating The Beginning, Middle & Death Of Love."

Mark Janas is performing in "Broadway and the Bard" with Len Cariou and couldn't be here tonight, so our amazing Guest Host/Pianist was Multiple MAC & Bistro Award Winner Steven Ray Watkins! As an actor he has appeared in THE LAST SESSION, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and in the national tours of BIG, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and SHOWBOAT. As a musician, he has worked as a session player, a musical/vocal director in the theater and arranger/musical director in cabaret with such names as Patti LuPone, John Turturro, Karen Mason, Amanda McBroom, Lennie Watts and Sharon McNight, among many others.

Guest Host Steven Ray Watkins

Our Co-Host was the charming and powerful, Amorika Amoroso - winner of the Mama’s Next Big Talent Competition held last summer. Amorika, taking no prisoners, shot our evening out of a cannon with the bluesy and gutsy, "Dr. Feelgood." For her mid-show set, she started with a roof raising, "Love For Sale." She followed that with a superbly acted version of "Foolin' Myself." The third song of the set was a gentle and yearning rendition, "Ask Me Now." To close the evening, Amorika gave us a deliciously bitter, "Mean To Me."

Amorika will be appearing in The International Cabaret Festival at Don’t Tell Mama – 343 West 46th St, NYC 10036 – February 19th at 7pm. For more information: www.donttellmamanyc.com

Co-Host Amorika Amoroso

Our Salon Spotlight featured 2-Time MAC & Julie Wilson Award Winner Marissa Mulder & Multiple MAC Award Winner Bill Zeffiro! Marissa & Bill will be presenting a preview from their upcoming show SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES – MUSIC FROM THE FILMS OF WOODY ALLEN.

To kick off their 3 song set, Bill and Marissa started with a hilarious "Two of a Kind" with some delightful ad-libbing (aka unexpected patter!) Bill then invited Marissa to sit next to him at the piano while she sang, "I Won't Last A Day Without You." They completed their set with a gorgeous medley of Gershwin songs including, "Someone To Watch Over Me," "Do, Do Do," "Rhapsody in Blue," and many others, in honor of their upcoming show celebrating songs from Woody Allen's movies.

Salon Spotlight Bill Zeffiro and Marissa Mulder

Bill and Marissa can be seen at La Rivista - 313 West 46th St, NYC 10036 - on most Wednesday nights from 8pm-12am and will be returning to The Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 West 42nd St, NYC 10036 – in UNCONVENTIONAL March 1st at 7pm. For more information about Bill and Marissa's upcoming shows, visit www.marissamulder.com / www.billzeffiro.com. 

Quick Wrap: Steven's Corner

When Steven started this segment, he joked that his Corner's simply give him a chance to sing the songs of his favorite songwriters and tonight would be no exception! He began with a lovely and nostalgic "A Sing For You" by Leon Russell. He followed that with, "All Is Fair" by the inimitable, Nik Kershaw. He finished Steven's Corner with a touching version of Peter Allen's, "Love Don't Need A Reason."


Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Steven Ray Watkins unless otherwise noted.

Amorika Amoroso
Bill Dyszel
Marie Sassi
Marnie Klar (with Steven Ray Watkins on vocals)
Mary Sue Daniels
Carol Sue Gershman
Richard Eisenberg (also on piano)
Nicholas Levin (also on piano)
Angela Leone (with Bill Zeffiro on piano)
Myriam Phiro (with Bill Zeffiro on piano)
Rob Davis
David Ballard
Donna Kendall Stearns (on piano, with Erin Cronican on vocals)
Erin Cronican
Adam Shapiro
Marissa Mulder and Bill Zeffiro (on piano and vocals)
Tanya Moberly
Sue Matsuki
Lynda Rodolitz
Ira Lee Collings
Barb Malley
Sally Darling
Zach Wobensmith
Anna Marie Sell
Steve Bustamante
Mark Cummings
Ellen Weiss (also on piano)


Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Steven Ray Watkins, Bill Zeffiro, Donna Kendall Stearns, Richie Eisenberg, Nicholas Levin, and Ellen Weiss.

And thank you to Jared Gilmore on lights and sound, our amazing waitstaff who always handle the demands of a full house with grace and style, and Steve Bustamante who is providing video footage for people interested in that service!


Upcoming shows:

Monday, February 1, 2016 (7pm): Sue Matsuki is guest hosting at Sarah Rice's new open mic at The Harp, 3rd Ave at 46th St, NYC.

Thursday, February 4, 2016: Rob Davis encores his show, "Frank and Billie, and Me" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, February 4, 2016 (7pm & 9:30pm): Marissa Mulder is debuting a brand new show, "Marilyn and Me", at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.

Monday, February 8, 2016 (8pm): David Ballard is singing with the NYC Gay Men's Chorus in Alan Cumming's show "Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs with Friends" at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, NYC.

Saturday, February 13, 2016 (9pm): Myriam Phiro is appearing in "Meet Me in Paris" at Gemini & Scorpio Loft Douglass St, Brooklyn.

Sunday, February 14, 2016 (7pm): Adam Shapiro is appearing in "It's Only Love ~ An Evening of Broadway Love Songs" at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.

Friday, February 19, 2016 (7pm): Amorika Amoroso will be appearing in The International Cabaret Festival at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 West 46th St, NYC.

Saturday, February 27, 2016 (5pm): Rob Davis hosts "Cabaret Beats Cancer: Songs about Courage, Healing and Love" - a benefit cabaret to aid Erin Cronican with breast cancer treatments - featuring singers Adam Shapiro, Tanya Moberly,  Zach Wobensmith, Marissa Mulder  Rob Davis, Erin Cronican (and 7 cabaret favorites!) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, March 3, 2016 (9:30): Myriam Phiro is appearing in "Piaf@100" at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.

Sunday, March 6, 2016 (4pm): Bill Dyszel is appearing in "The Internet Ate My Brain" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, March 25, 2016 (7pm): Tanya Moberly is appearing in "Ricky Ritzel's Broadway" Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, April 17, 2016: Sally Darling is bringing her brand new show, "Totally Noel" (with music director, Matthew Martin Ward) to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, April 22, 2016: Sally Darling is bringing her brand new show, "Totally Noel" (with music director, Matthew Martin Ward) to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016 (7:00pm): Adam Shapiro is hosting "Gone Too Soon: A Tribute to Howard Ashman" with guest singer Erin Cronican at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.


We're off for the next two weeks, but we'll be back February 21 with the theme: "Next – Letting Go Of The Past & Embracing The Future." We're proud to welcome Guest Host Rick Jensen with Co-Host Scott Evan Davis.

Hope to see you there!


Erin Cronican
Blogette for the Salon

(Updates? Changes? Email me!)

The Salon Wrap-Up for January 24, 2016 - "Guilty Pleasures"

Winter Storm Jonas? Take this song and shove it! Diehard music fans wouldn't let a little weather keep them from warming at The Salon. We welcomed back a healthier Mark Janas, founder and host, who had been out with a cold. He introduced us to his co-hort, producer Tanya Moberly, who cheerfully gave us the Salon's rules, and we were off with the show under the theme, "Guilty Pleasures"!

Our Co-Host was Bistro & 2-Time MAC Award Winner Stearns Matthews! Stearns, sharp in a dress vest and crisp colorful shirt, kicked off the evening with a charming version of "King of the Road." For his mid show set he started with a contemplative and gentle, "Back To Before" from Ragtime. He followed that by singing a touching, "With One Look" from Sunset Boulevard after which he admitted that his true guilty pleasure is singing songs written for the ladies. With that, he finished the set with a powerful, "So Long, Dearie" from Hello, Dolly. To close the evening, he brought back a crowd-pleasing, "Sing."

Our Co-Host Stearns Matthews!

Stearns’ Award Winning CD SPARK is available on CDBaby.com & iTunes. For more information, visit www.stearnsmatthews.com

Our Salon Spotlight included no other than Bistro & 2-Time MAC Award Winner Raissa Katona Bennett & Kenneth Hartman! Raissa & Kenneth will be bringing 3 DECADES IN THE DARK – RAISSA & KENNETH GO TO THE MOVIES back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 West 42nd St, NYC 10036 – February 17th at 7pm & February 21st at 4pm.

For their three song set, they started with "Moving Right Along" with new lyrics by Lennie Watts. They continued with an stunning duet mashup of, "I Will Always Love You" and "I Have Nothing," both from The Bodyguard. They ended with a song from their "Wonderful World" show - a medley of "Put On A Happy Face", "Smile", and "Make Someone Happy."

Salon Spotlight Kenneth Gartman and Raissa Katona Bennett

For more information about Raissa and Kenneth's upcoming shows, visit www.raissakatonabennett.com / www.kennethgartman.com

Quick Wrap: Classical Corner

As a special treat this evening for Classical Corner, Mark welcomed pianist Markus Kaitila and violinist Sachiko Uchida to the stage to play some Prokofiev for us, a Russian composer considered to be one of the most prolific Russian composers, with 7 (or more) symphonies and many, many ballets. These talented musicians played the 1st and 2nd movements of the Violin Sonata in D Major, (written in 1943) to chilling perfection. Worth the price of admission, alone!


Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.

Stearns Matthews
Bob Diamond
Carly Ozard
Joel Harrington
Nicholas Levin (also on piano)
Patty Nieman (with Kenneth Hartman on piano)
Steve Bustamante (also on guitar)
David Ballard
Rob Davis
Erin Cronican
Kathleen France
Raissa Katona Bennett & Kenneth Hartman (Kenneth on piano)
Tanya Moberly
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Matthew Martin Ward  (also on piano)
Zach Wobensmith
Emily Briggs
Natalie Arneson
Richard Eisenberg
Lauren Stanford
Thaddaeus Abbott


Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Mark Janas, Kenneth Hartman, Markus Kaitila, Sachiko Uchida, Nicholas Levin, Matthew Martin Ward, and Steve Bustamante.

And thank you to Gil Alexandre on lights and sound, our amazing waitstaff who always handle the demands of a full house with grace and style, and Steve Bustamante who is providing video footage for people interested in that service!


Upcoming shows:

Sunday, January 31, 2016 (Victorian Tea at 1pm, Performance at 2:30pm): Bob Diamond and Stearns Matthews will be performing at Music at the Mansion's 5 Year Anniversary Celebration, Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center, Bloomfield, NJ.

Sunday, January 31, 2016: Natalie Arneson will be performing in Sondheim Unplugged at Feinstein's/54 Below, 254 West 54th St, NYC.

Thursday, February 4, 2016: Rob Davis encores his show, "Frank and Billie, and Me" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, February 8, 2016 (8pm): David Ballard is singing with the NYC Gay Men's Chorus in Alan Cumming's show "Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs with Friends" at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, NYC.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016 (7pm): Raissa Katona Bennett & Kenneth Hartman will be bringing "3 Decades in the Dark – Raissa & Kenneth Go To The Movies" back to The Laurie Beeckman Theatre, 407 West 42nd St, NYC.

Sunday, February 17, 2016 (4pm): Raissa Katona Bennett & Kenneth Hartman will be bringing "3 Decades in the Dark – Raissa & Kenneth Go To The Movies" back to The Laurie Beeckman Theatre, 407 West 42nd St, NYC.

Saturday, February 27, 2016 (5pm): Rob Davis hosts "Cabaret Beats Cancer: Songs about Courage, Healing and Love" - a benefit cabaret to aid yours truly (Erin Cronican) with her breast cancer treatments) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, April 17, 2016: Sally Darling is bringing her brand new show, "Totally Noel" (with music director, Matthew Martin Ward) to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, April 22, 2016: Sally Darling is bringing her brand new show, "Totally Noel" (with music director, Matthew Martin Ward) to Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.


We'll be back next week, January 31 with the theme: "Breaking Cupid's Arrow - An Evening Venerating The Beginning, Middle & Death Of Love." We're proud to welcome Guest Host Steven Ray Watkins with Co-Host Amorika Amoroso and Salon Spotlight Marissa Mulder & Bill Zeffiro.

Hope to see you there!


Erin Cronican

Blogette for the Salon
(Updates? Changes? Email me!)

The Salon Wrap-up For January 17, 2016 - "New Years Resolutions"

The first Salon of 2016 is here, and Salon is better than ever! We were very sad to report that host Mark Janas was out sick for the evening, but as our luck would have it the inimitable Matthew Martin Ward was at the ready to step in as Guest Host. As his name was announced, I was secretly hoping that we'd get to hear some of his fantastic music and voice in Classical Corner - and he did not disappoint! You can see my recap of his performance below.

Our Co-Hosts were the effervescent soul sisters, Savannah Brown & Chase O’Donnell! They kicked off our evening's theme of "New Year's Resolutions" asking a few people what they're resolutions were. They then segued into a charming and fun original song called, appropriately, "New Year's Resolution" where they included some patter dedicated to their time as co-hosts at The Salon.

For their mid-show set they did a hilarious mock audition for the "All White Diana Ross and The Supremes" where they got to share their up-tempo and ballad audition pieces, dance 4-5 different styles in a 5 minute dance call medley, and then ended the piece playing hilarious backups singers left without their lead. It's a a master class in BRINGING the triple threat - what a fantastic treat!

To close the evening they invited Joshua Dixon to sing a parody of "Barcelona" from Stephen Sondheim's Company.

Co-Hosts Savannah Brown and Chase O'Donnell!

On January 25th at 7pm, Savannah & Chase (Too Blondes) will be at The Metropolitan Room - 34 West 22nd St, NYC 10010 & also at The Crazy Coqs in London on February 29th. For more information: www.metropolitanroom.com / https://www.brasseriezedel.com/crazy-coqs


Quick Wrap: Classical Corner

As Mark is not here this evening, this week's Classical Corner is lovingly renamed "Matthew's Corner." When it comes to New Year's Resolutions, Matthew said that he wants to write more songs. So he treated us to 3 songs that he'd written throughout his life, and we agree - more songs should be written! He started with a trunk song from his musical, The Last in Penthouse B - "Like A Child" (with lyrics by Peter Napolitano.) His second song, with hilarious and somewhat questionable lyrics by Stephen Cole, was "Dead Lovers Are Perfect." Incidentally - I remember this song from when our theme was, "Inappropriate Songs for Weddings & Funerals." Matthew is absolutely charming in his delivery! His final song of the segment was the powerful and gently sung ballad, "This Grey Day."


Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.

Savannah Brown & Chase O’Donnell
Rob Davis
Bobbie Horowitz
Michael Stromar
Joshua Dixon
Steve Bustamante
David Ballard
Erin Cronican
Zach Wobensmith
Tanya Moberly
Ira Lee Collings
Amy Beth Williams


Special thanks to tonight’s pianists and guitarists: Matthew Martin Ward, Chase O'Donnell, and Steve Bustamante.

And thank you to Kyle Konacek on lights and sound, our amazing waitstaff who always handle the demands of a full house with grace and style, and Steve Bustamante who is providing video footage for people interested in that service!


Upcoming shows:

Tuesday, January 18, 2016, 9:30pm: Joshua Dixon is singing in Kitty Skrobela's birthday celebration, "Kitty Skrobela Turns 75" at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 7:00pm: Erin Cronican is appearing in "Gone Too Soon: A Trinute to Howard Ashman" hosted by Salon regular, Adam Shapiro, at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.

Thursday, January 21, 2016, 7:00pm: Bobbie Horowitz's series, "It's Just a Number!" returns, with Rob Davis as this month's honoree. Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.

Monday, January 25, 2016: Savannah Brown & Chase O’Donnell are appearing in "Too Blondes: A One Woman Show" at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, NYC.

Thursday, February 4, 2016: Rob Davis encores his show, "Frank and Billie, and Me" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, February 8, 2016, 8:00pm: David Ballard is singing with the NYC Gay Men's Chorus in Alan Cumming's show "Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs with Friends" at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, NYC.


We'll be back next week, January 24 with the theme: "Guilty Pleasures" with our Co-Host Stearns Matthews and our Salon Spotlight Raissa Katona Bennett & Kenneth Gartman.


Hope to see you there!


Erin Cronican

Blogette for the Salon
(Updates? Changes? Email me!)