Hi..
I attended Raissa Katona Bennett's CABARET CARES benefit concert at the Beechman room at the Westbank Cafe this Monday evening.
I went because my friend's neice had a friend, Noah Galvin, singing in it.
My partner Jeff and I wanted to support our friend's neice Tessa and her friend.
We knew nothing about the charity or the benefit.
What we got was an evening filled with extraordinary talent and loaded with heart.
I had worked with Raissa a while ago and was charmed by her wonderful voice and intense joy and verve.
She applied all that into this wonderful evening.
The ladies and gents that sang and performed were outstanding.
I was blown away by the dynamic levels that were parading in front of us and delighted by discovering singers and talent I never would have known.
We were so pleased when Noah opened his beautiful voice and soared into the musical stratosphere. It gave me great satisfaction to see someone that young and that talented.
And that Professional!!
That was the key to the evening. It connected to the audience and kept us enthralled and engaged.
When Raissa told me it was thrown together I was stunned. BRAVA Raissa and all involved.
The evening was balanced with great humor, syle and sensational singing.
The evening was a grand success; From the Zany antics , amazing vocals and humorous original songs written by SUNSET BLVD colleague Rosemary Loar, the twisted fun of ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE delivered flawlessly tongue in cheek by Kristin Huffman to the poignant and heartfelt renditions by Tanya Walker Davidson, Candy Benge and Maureen Hamill along with a grand fun sparring turn of GLITTER AND BE GAY by Raissa and Candy that left us in hysterical laughter; we couldn't have asked for more!
All that was topped off by some wonderful and talented gents who did comedy, sang and took us to some terrific stories of hearing impaired problems and pet perfect purrings.
This is a show that should be performed more and should be shared with a wider audience.
I certainly will be there again!!
Break the Leg and ALL THE BEST to Raissa and her wonderful dedication to this charity and to DAMN GOOD PERFORMING!!
They are doing a TUDOR CITY concert tomorrow April16th at 6PM
GO GO GO.
It has been a few since I sat and wrote a Hello to all.
Have been busy and also been determined to get back to the Gym. I have to now as I have been diagnosed with High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure. JEZ!! I am told that also is a part of the 15 + pounds I have gained over the years.
So I bought a bike and went to the gym Monday.
Now if the WEATHER would actually SPRING forth then I would be out and biking along daily.
So I guess I am TAXING myself as my actual TAXES are being scrutinized now in the IRS stream. I hope it all is for the good!
We saw some theatre. OUR TOWN which we thought a manipulation and not innovative was a disappointment.
We found that most thought it revolutionary. I found it not at all to my liking.
Thought it put the audience away from the piece and it was not as engaging or intriguing as I thought it should be. I admire Deconstruction of material. But this was a disengaement of it.
That's my feeling.
We left after the Second Act. We were told the THIRD Act really made the first two Acts mean something.
I am curious and NEVER walk out of a show. But when I saw that the same Director did THE ADDING MACHINE musical at the Minetta Lane Theatre last season, people walked out of that in the first half hour and I didn't, I realized I was not alone in my take on this very celebrated man's work.
I was also NOT a fan of John Doyle's deconstruction , and to my eye, disorganized version of SWEEENEY TODD.
If you had no prior knowledge of the story of SWEENEY TODD you didn't get the story..It assumed you brought your knowledge into the theatre,,WRONG. you didn't get taken through the tale. I had no idea of OUR TOWN in stage form..I know and love the wonderful film. What I got was a treatment that had nothing to do with the charm, style, wisdom and Americana evident in the film. This show was more about the sparse and minimal idea of theatre. The audience actually intruded into the cramped acting area. As for the period 1901..It ws nowhere in view or in essence.
Pantomime was ubiquitous. The audience was privy to Mrs. Gibbs frantic actions in her invisible kitchen pantry; cooking and compiling ingredients and using phantom kitchen tools with the alacrity of a juggler on speed.
So the audience was willing to suspend the use of Props as well as scenery. However then we go to Mrs Webb's kitchen.
- Mrs Webb brings out an actual colander and pot full of actual green beans which she, and the agile Marcel Marceau-like Mrs Gibbs, actually snap and clean. So much for the suspension of props and pantomime.
There was contemporary clothing and contemporary schoolbooks..(again not pantomimed)
and a general casual contemporary approach to the acting. There was an atmosphere of in your face defiant "WE DARE YOU" to not think this is REAL and innovative!
Needless to say I felt this configuration a misfire and mistreatment-- more Thorny than Wilder.
We went to the METROPLITAN MUSEUM on Easter Sunday.
It was a Sunny beautiful day. But very cold. Walking through a Central Park that was struggling into Spring we were surprised to see so many people along the paths and roadways. Especially after the News had said so many people left the city for the Holiday.
The Met was also full of culture seekers of all ages. So, many young kids. Some of them sprawling on the floors of exhibit rooms and being frowned upon not only by the Museum Guards and the patrons but also the glaring Portraits hanging grandly on the walls.
We saw some amazing Art and some inspiring works.
My grandfather painted. He was self taguht and although I never met him, I had seen his oil paintings in my Aunt's house.
I inherited a couple of paintings. One was of an Italian Peasant woman leaning over a fountain and drinking from the dripping spout. I remember it well as I took a school trip to the Met when I was a kid and saw the same picture he painted hanging in the Museum
It was a full length version of the picture my Dad's Dad painted.
I returned it to my cousin Diane after her Mom, my Aunt passed away. She wanted it for her grandkids. It was a special thing and although I hated to part with it I felt it was better served in her hands.
Casually walking through the Met on Sunday I stumbled upon the Orignal Work. I have included it in the accompanying photos.
It was painted by French Painter Leon Bonnat in 1875. It is called A ROMAN GIRL AT A FOUNTAIN.
Go see it if you are ever in the Met.
We wound up having Easter Dinner at 9PM at REGIONAL THAI on 22nd and 7th Ave. With friends Oscar, Jeff and Wayne. Not a Ham, Bunny or Colored Egg in sight!!
My friends had Family Dinners and Seders and all sorts of sumptious feasts.
I have had many of those over the many years. It was kind of fun to quietly sip a Lemongrass Ginger Martini and indulge in Vegetrian Spring Rolls and Shrimp Dumplings.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.
XXX
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