Not Edgar, but....

Erich Bergen!

The hot young star of TV's "Madam Secretary" and the movie of "Jersey Boys" first made his mark in cabaret and he was the sell-out main attraction at Birdland last night.

Billy Stritch, my date Nikka Lanzarone and Rick Hinkson wish Erich luck before his show.

with photographer to the stars Stephen Sorokoff

Eda Sorokoff and cabaret chantoozies Giselle Wolf and Jamie DeRoy

Honored!!

I am over the MOON to be included in illustrator Ken Fallin's EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCES of the 2014 FALL SEASON.

Here's the key:
1. NATHAN LANE in "It's Only A Play"
2. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
3. LYPSINKA
4.EMILY PADGETT & ERIN DAVIE in "Side Show"
5. HUGH JACKMAN in "The River"
6. TONY YAZBECK in "On The Town"
7. GLENN CLOSE in "A Delicate Balance"
8. MIA FARROW in "Love Letters"
9. TONY SHELDON in "The Band Wagon"
10. RODERICK HILL in "Stalking The Bogeyman"
11. BRADLEY COOPER in "The Elephant Man"
12. PATRICIA CLARKSON in "The Elephant Man"
13. MICHAEL CERA in "This Is Our Youth"
14. ANNALEIGH ASHFORD in "You Can't Take It With You"

An Aussie Visitor

Had a lovely lunch with Natalie Mosco (left) and Dolores Dunbar at Joe Allen restaurant this week. Dolores was in town with a large group of her performing arts students from Macdonald College in Sydney. The kids had already had a workshop learning the opening number choreography from ON THE TOWN with cast member Julius Carter, one of them was sitting in with the musicians for the matinee of IF/THEN with musical director Carmel Dean and they had all seen a performance of ALADDIN the previous night. What a treat!

More Saks 5th Ave

 

and...the Christmas windows! Fairy Tales

here are the "action shots"

Curtain Call!!

The Ghosts! with Bob Cuccioli & Don Darryl Rivera

 

with Musical Director extraordinaire John McDaniel

And we did it.

The Ghost of Christmas Present

Pre-show chillin' out: Don Darryl Rivera, Chris Sieber, John Bolton & Jen Cody

Doug Sills consults with choreographer Marcos Santana

Harvey Evans was my guest for the concert as he'd appeared on Broadway with Doug Sills in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. Harvey congratulates cast member Elizabeth Ward Land at the after-party.

Saks Fifth Ave Light Show

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol rehearsals

Rehearsals for the Actor's Fund benefit performance are fast and furious.

Enter the Ghost of Christmas Present

with the lovely Joshua Henry who plays Bob Cratchitt

with Erik Altemus, best known as PIPPIN's brother Lewis, at the orchestra rehearsal.

 We have 28 musicians playing the Jule Styne/Bob Merrill score onstage for the first time. it was written for an animated tv special in 1964. You can hear a couple of brief snatches below.

Erik, with Kendall Sparks behind

Doug Sills, Erik Altemus and John Bolton

Our brilliant Scrooge, the one and only Douglas Sills

Doug and Joshua Henry

Matthew Scott and Doug Sills

Doug and Bob Cuccioli ("Jekyll & Hyde")

Don Daryll Rivera, currently appearing as a baddie in ALADDIN

 Betsy Wolfe and Erik Altemus

Brian Charles Rooney

Jennifer Cody and Jeff Blumenkrantz

Betsy Wolfe & Jeff Blumenkrantz