Monday, May 7, 2018

The Salon Wrap-Up for May 6th, 2018: "Those Pesky Memories"


Tanya Moberly updated us about Mark Janas, who is in the UK as Musical Director of Kathleen Turner's show "Finding My Voice"; they just closed their show in London and are starting a 6 city tour before coming back to NYC to do the show once again May 22nd to June 2nd at the Carlyle. In Mark's place was MAC Award-Winning and "all-time degenerate" (Tanya's words) singer-songwriter-music-director-pianist Bill Zeffiro!

Way back in your memory, you may recall our Co-Host's voice bouncing in your head without knowing who it was! Warren Schein's voice has been heard on advertisements for TV and Radio spanning Nickelodeon and AMC to The History Channel, while his whole voice/face/body has been entertaining audiences across the Nation in Regional and Off-Broadway theaters. You can see his talents via his YouTube channel. Last night, Warren returning to Co-Host The Salon after having done it in duet with Dana Lorge many times before, and he knew her spirit was with him last night. Throughout the evening, Warren provided great comedy bits that had us rolling and groaning equally at his stories, jokes and insights. He began the evening with a little standup about the musings of his life, and then went into a jazzy and funny parody of "Memory" from Cats about how he's "a shorter...shorter singing Cole Porter," which fit brilliantly into the theme of "Those Pesky Memories."

In the Act II opening, Warren decided to go deeper into his past and sing a trio of songs he would often perform in his early days of entertaining, starting by crooning in his soft, velvety baritone on "That's All," afterwards appreciating Bill Zeffiro's piano stylings and comedic zingers. He then went into Mel Torme's arranging relationship for Judy Garland, and how Warren himself would go to Michal's Pub to watch Torme perform. In the spirit - but not in imitation of Mel Torme - he samba'd into "I've Got You Under My Skin." He then went into memories of listening to Johnny Mercer on the radio, and went into the classic tune "Come Rain or Come Shine," which also quoted "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." To close the evening, he asked us to take a special trip and "Come Fly Away With Me," with snazzy style and energetically smooth vocals throughout the journey.

Warren will be performing in May and June at The Provincetown Cabaret Festival, as well as at The Actors Temple in A Comedy Cavalcade on June 3rd at 7pm. Finally, he will sing at Ricky Ritzel's Broadway at Don't Tell Mama on June 29th at 7pm. Find more info/contact Warren via www.warrenschein.com.

Warren Schein
Salon Spotlight
We had a truly phenomenal phunnywoman as our Salon Spotlight: Kendra Cunningham has been seen across the world including performances in Boston, Australia, TV, Nickelodeon, Gotham Live and Last Comic Standing. Kendra, with a slight Boston accent.She had a great standup set full of stories about her relationships, moving from Boston to New York City, bringing food and hush money to her therapist, and honest funereal family dynamics. She has a wonderful honest ease to her standup, more like sitting down and listening to her with her over a beer rather than being talked to. She was very relatable in her hilarious jabs at the realities of living in New York City. Her show "This Could Be You" - Directed by Tanya Moberly - will be at Don't Tell Mama on May 17th at 7:00pm.

Kendra Cunningham


Quick Wrap - Bill's Corner
Bill Zeffiro took to the keys and microphone and explained that when he first thought about the theme of "Those Pesky Memories." First, he remembered trying his hand at songwriting for the first time, and sang a song that he wrote when he was 27, the swinging ditty "Dream Weaver." A love affair gone wrong is certainly a pesky memory, so Bill swung with biting lyrics into another of his early-written songs, "La Comedia E Finita," which was filled with Italian references and themes that had us all wanting to order Spaghetti with a shot of vodka on the side. Then, creating a new memory for all of us, he sang to us a brand new song about memories and how we process them, the liltingly sweet...bitter...bitter-sweet...ish..."Harbor It." Bill has a knack for twisting even the most innocent of rhymes into a witty and biting truth, often at the expense of his own self-worth. It was a pleasure to hear his old tunes and to have a new one revealed to us!

Bill's new CD of all-original tunes, "Better Than Nothing," is for sale on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby - read the review in Cabaret Scenes Magazine!

Bill Zeffiro
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 Bill Zeffiro unless otherwise noted.


Co-Host: Warren Schein
Bobbie Horowitz
Andrea Axelrod
Adam Shapiro
Jen Bradley
Richard Eisenberg
Charles Baran
Sally Darling and Matthew Martin Ward (with Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Matthew Martin Ward (self at the piano)
Angela Leone
Joan Jaffe
David Ballard
Sierra Rein
Marnie Klar
Salon Spotlight: Kendra Cunningham
Bill's Corner
BREAK
Co-Host: Warren Schein
Tanya Moberly
Brian Sommers (self on piano)
Steve Bustamante (self on guitar)
Encores:
Sierra Rein and Bill Zeffiro
Joan Jaffe
Angela Leone
Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Adam Shapiro (with Matthew Martin Ward at the piano)
Co-Host: Warren Schein

Special thanks to tonight's pianists: Bill Zeffiro and Steve Bustamante. Also to David Ballard on lights and sound, the amazing waitstaff and management at Etcetera Etcetera, and our videographer, Steve Bustamante.

Performances coming up by guests of this evening's Salon:

Ongoing Shows

Monday nights (7pm): Opera Open Mic at Shanghai Mong with Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward, 30 West 32nd Street, NYC.

Every Tuesday (6pm-7pm) : "Peaceable Hour - Music to soothe the spirit and restore the heart" with Sarah Rice, Mark Watson, and Janice Hall. FREE at Saint Clements Church and Chapel, 423 West 46th Street, NYC.

July 19th thru August 13th, 2018: New play "Aunt Jack" will feature Charles Baran, presented at the Empire Stage, 1140 North Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Upcoming Shows

Sunday April 21-May 13, 2018 (various times) - Erin Cronican is appearing in the one woman play, "My Name Is Rachel Corrie" and is also directing the play "I Am My Own Wife" - both with The Seeing Place Theater @ the Paradise Factory, 64 E 4th Street, NYC.

Saturday, May 12, 2018 (2pm): Sierra Rein's final performance of her debut show, "Running in Place" with Music Director Bill Zeffiro and Director James Beaman, at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd St, NYC.

Thursday, May 17, 2018 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Kendra Cunningham in "This Could Be You" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, May 18, 2018 (7:30pm): Amy Beth Williams and others perform in "All The Way: The Music of Jimmy Van Heusen" at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, 154 West 57th Street, NYC.

Friday, May 18, 2018 (9:30pm): Marquee Five (feat. Sierra Rein) will perform as part of "Sondheim Unplugged" at Feinstein's 54 Below, 254 W 54th Street, NYC.

Friday, May 18, 2018: Charles Baran will perform at the Broadway Comedy Club, 318 W 53rd Street, NYC.

Saturday, May 19, 2018 (8pm): David Ballard dances while the NYC Gay Men's Chorus sings at a concert at The Skirball Center, 566 LaGuardia Place, NYC.

Thursday, May 24, 2018 (7pm): Andrea Axelrod will present her show "Centenary" with Music Director John M. Cook & Tom Hubbard on Bass at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, May 27, 2018 (9:30pm): "The Songs of Thomson and Desmon" features Adam Shapiro at Feinstein's 54 Below, 254 W 54th Street, NYC.

Thursday, May 31, 2018 (7pm): Hostess with the Mostest Bobbie Horowitz celebrates her birthday while hosting the latest installment of her series, with Musical Director Matthew Martin Ward and including Marnie Klar, in "It's Just a Number," at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, May 31, 2018 (7pm): Andrea Axelrod will present her show "Centenary" with Music Director John M. Cook & Tom Hubbard on Bass at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, June 3, 2018 (4:30pm): 
Andrea Axelrod will present her show "Centenary" with Music Director John M. Cook & Tom Hubbard on Bass at Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, June 15, 2018 (7pm): Marquee Five in "Marquee Five Sings Sondheim" at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd St, NYC.

Monday, June 25, 2018 (7pm): Sally Darling brings back her show "Sally Darling Sings Beatrice Lillie" with Matthew Martin Ward to Don't Tell Mama, 345 W 46th Street, NYC.

NEXT SALON! - Sunday, May 13th, 2018:
Think outside of the box for our theme of "Pure Imagination" this coming Sunday, May 13th. Our  Guest Host/Pianist will be the dextrous Steven Ray Watkins with sweet candy man Co-Host Stearns Matthews and as Salon Spotlight, the beautiful and sultry Karen Oberlin!

- Sierra Rein
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