Stage Left

The Stage Deli on 7th Ave has closed its doors after 75 years.

Unable to cope with rent increases this NYC institution has ceased hardening people's arteries forever.

Goodbye pastrami sandwich

Sorry, the "Elliot Gould" is off

TT and I ate here once a couple of years ago and we STILL haven't lost the weight.

Jamie & Friends

Had a most exciting night at the Metropolitan Room as a guest on Jamie De Roy's show.

I've been looking forward to this for months but was a little intimidated to find out I was on next to closing!

Jamie's stock in trade is performing very funny parodies and special material usually by Barry Kleinbort who also directed tonight's event. She was followed by the wonderful Mary Liz McNamara who is new to me but I'm now a devoted fan.

Mary Liz sang and played an hilarious song called "Bacon" which she wrote. I found a YouTube of Sharon McKnight singing the song at another cabaret event so you could hear the material.

Comedian Myq Kaplan is a vegan so he launched his routine as a disapproving retort to Mary Liz's song. His material is so fast you just blink and you've missed two gags, and breathtakingly risky in testing the audience's comfort zone.

Alison Nussbaum performed a role she will never play because of "excess arm fat". The Casa Rosada balcony scene from EVITA which she mostly played with her arms resolutely glued to her sides.

The magnificent Penny Fuller was a surprise guest with a preview from her new one woman show
13 THINGS ABOUT ED CARPOLOTTI with book, music, lyrics and direction by Barry Kleinbort.
Then Tony-nominee for AVENUE Q John Tartaglia brought the star of that show, gay Republican puppet Rod, to join Jamie for a duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside".

The next guest was pianist and composer Kenny Ascher who I had seen play with Christine Andreas at 54 Below. He repeated his Oscar nominated collaboration with Paul Williams, "The Rainbow Connection" but then I was surprised when he followed up with "You and Me Against The World" which he also wrote and was a hit for my aunt Helen Reddy. So when he finished his act and returned to our table I whispered a little family history into his ear and watched his eyes widen like saucers!!

I am very happy to say that my spot went like gangbusters and I was thrilled to discover afterwards that some celebs had been in the house such as Anita Gillette, Tony Lo Bianco,

 Lorna Dallas (star of the Harold Fielding SHOW BOAT with Cleo Laine) and our mate Richard Hillman along with some lovelies from the PRISCILLA Posse.

 Everyone was most complimentary and having also survived a successful audition earlier in the day I floated home feeling very encouraged.

With Richard Hillman and musical director extraordinaire Ron Abel

And now...THE ENTIRE COMPANY!!!!

Press Release: ST JOAN

Book of Mormon Tony Winner Nikki M. James Will Play Title Role in Reading of Saint Joan

By Andrew Gans
28 Nov 2012

Nikki M. James
Photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

The Project Shaw series will continue Dec. 17 with a reading of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan.

The reading at The Players Club in Manhattan will feature Nikki M. James as Joan; with Fritz Weaver as Cauchon; Tony Sheldon as The Inquisitor; Simon Jones as Warwick; Josh Grisetti as The Dauphin; Jim Brochu as Tremoille; Matthew Saldivar as Dunois; Robert Stanton as the Archbishop; James Beaman as Ladvenue; Rory Duffy as the Steward; Daniel Marconi as the Page; Conan McCarty as Coucelles; Ron McClary as The Executioner; Max Gordon Moore as Stogumber; Bruch Reed as Bluebeard; Jeff Ronan as Poulengey; Michael McCorry Rose as D'Estivet; Michael Selkirk as Baudricourt; and Brian Sgambati as La Hire. Roberta Maxwell narrates. Roma Torre of New York 1 will host.
Show time is 7 PM.
David Staller, the acclaimed singer-actor who has produced and directed all of the Project Shaw offerings, will continue to do so for the upcoming reading.

Written in 1923, three years after Joan was canonized, this is the play that won Shaw the Pulitzer Prize. The play, according to press notes, "employs Shaw’s more witty uses of irony in his storytelling. He takes us on a breathtaking ride from Joan’s first battle to rid France of the English, to her infamous trial. In Shaw’s hands, Joan becomes a fully human young woman determined to live life battling not only the English, but also the constraints men have placed upon women in society."
Past participants include Blair Brown, Mark Kudisch, Kerry Butler, Tyne Daly, Jonathan Hadary, Daniel Jenkins, Rebecca Luker, Michael Cerveris, Karen Ziemba, Michele Pawk, Bruce Vilanch, Jack Gilpin and George S. Irving.
The Players Club is located in Manhattan at 16 Gramercy Park South. Tickets, priced $30, are available by calling (212) 352-3101. For more information visit www.projectshaw.com.

New York Palace

I walked past this hotel on 5th Avenue last night and couldn't resist going in for a peek. It's gorgeous!

 

 

Probably a million bucks a night to stay there

He is pleased with me

My Lord & Taylor!

You've seen the photo...now watch the movie!

Same deal

And again

Big finish

 

Barney's

The window display at Barney's department store is a Disney cartoon. I missed the beginning but you'll get the gist. These three clips are continuous...

Melbourne oddity

(tt)  There are many weird new buildings in Melbourne which have arisen since the innovative Federal Square which is now ten years old. I like it. But not the ghastly imitations like the Rod Laver caterpillar or the bursting violent green entrails of a space bug which hivers over Storey Hall.
The following pics are at the Ian Potter space in Swanston St. It is really kitsch...but I'm fond of kitsch!!