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When is the “cabaret community” like high school? I wondered that when I saw the musical Is There Life After High School? at a cabaret venue: The Duplex, where this highly recommended high school memory lane stroll has more performances April 15, 16, 17. (See review later in this article when you click on “Read more” even if “Read more” sounds like an admonishment from your high school English Lit teacher or school librarian or parents.) Perhaps cabaret is like high school in that it surely “takes all kinds” of people, but what’s important is CLASS and hard work and there’s much to learn. Still, there’s a Drama Club in both high school and cabaret.
What’s different is that high school, unlike cabaret and its awards, often turns into a popularity contest instead of focusing on the work. Hopefully, the various awards presentations and their buzz encourage the work and bring attention to it. Much work is on display, a step up from 
the high school bulletin board, all over with some lauded 2009 shows being reprised and nominees for awards from MAC, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, popping up at group shows and open mics like Sunday’s Salon described later in this column.
A few MAC nominees even appeared in my most recent dream! In the dream, I was at some cabaret event (yes, dreams can be like real life!) and there was Jenna Esposito – who is nominated for four-- count ‘em – four MAC Awards this year. She was charmingly chirpily cheerfully chatting with someone (yes, dreams can be like real life!) in her role as a performer and host of the event, and 
collector of info for her cabaret-writing that she does for the BroadwayWorld website and carrying her new CD (yes, dreams can be like real life!). After the crowd (which included Rob Langeder, and maybe you) dispersed, I found Jenna alone, sitting on a stool, strumming a guitar. Jokingly, I said to her, “I didn’t know you played the guitar. Well, there’s no MAC Award category for Outstanding Solo Guitarist.” Without missing a chord, she said that category had just been added for next year. “There won’t be that many people in the category,” she replied seriously, “I just have to beat out Sean Harkness.” Then I was awakened by the morning U.P.S. deliveryman buzzing my doorbell. So, I don’t know if the dream would have continued with Jenna then writing a song on the guitar that would be nominated for Best Song, or conducting a band and being nominated for Best Musical Director, or having a sex change 
operation and vying for Outstanding Male Debut. Back in real life, Jenna is the daughter of a guitar player, Fortune Esposito, who does lead her band, so maybe it’s not such a stretch. And Sean Harkness plays guitar at the MAC-nominated open mic, MetroJam, which is hosted by Jenna. She and the monthly event are both MAC-nominated. It’s at the ever-popular Metropolitan Room. Jenna reprises her Connie Francis tribute show on April 19th, also at the ever-popular Metropolitan Room. On Tuesday, April 13, she is a guest in the aforementioned Rob Langeder’s MAC-nominated show. It’s ALSO at the ever-popular Metropolitan Room. She was also at The Duplex several days ago, hosting the presentation of the MAC-nominated songs (she headed the committee) and was a special guest at the monthly Spotlight show at The Iguana this weekend, and performed at the Salon open mic on Sunday and is a regular at the Cast Party open mic at Birdland on Mondays. Perhaps you’ve seen her.
With the cabaret world’s annual MAC Awards show at BB King in Times Square just around the 
corner, it was smart and fun for the open mic around the corner (OK, two corners or so) to entertainingly work in a plug and a nod. Why not? After all, that open mic and its host-composer-pianist-bon vivant Mark Janas are MAC-nominated. The Salon, held at the restaurant Etc. Etc. on West 44th Street and they had as the night’s optional “MAC” theme. “MAC Attack," which meant that songs chosen could have something to do with MAC or some kind of attack, etc. etc. Guest co-host Sunday was Lennie Watts, director of the May 4th Awards festivities, a nominee in the Director category, President of MAC, singer and bon vivant. Well, this year’s MAC nominees were well represented as performers. MAC-nominated singers taking turns on mic included Joan Jaffe, Michelle Collier, Kathleen France, Rob Langeder and a member of the nominated vocal group Marquee Five --- Sierra Rein --- gleefully having her cake and eating it, too by “stealing” another of her group member’s songs, that ode to brownies, buns, brioche, etc., etc., “Sara Lee.” (Quick quiz: this comic Kander & Ebb number was originally introduced by a performer whose repertoire is celebrated in a MAC-nominated tribute show. Who is she? Hint: She has the same last name as the waiter at the Salon who has also shown his charm and talent on mic as a singer and having a birthday next week. Answer at bottom of column.)
Featured guest was Carole J. Bufford whose three-song set was stellar 
and nicely varied. (Each Salon evening has a guest who gets to sing more; two weeks ago it was the rarely-seen Jenna Esposito.) Two folks came in with cute parody lyrics to established songs, commenting on not winning MAC Awards or killing off the competition. The cameo role of the murdered competitor was played by Jenna Esposito. She also ended the first half of the evening, singing “Who’s Sorry Now?” making no “apologies” for her love of Connie Francis, and even offering her own trivia contest prize to someone who could correctly answer a Connie query.
Also participating was pianist-composer-lyricist-librettist-singer-open mic host-bon vivant Bill Zeffiro with one of his own songs. He’ll be at Etc. Etc. himself with his own open mic, the monthly Big Night Out, on Wednesday, April 14 at eight o’clock in the evening.
And now about that musical I mentioned in the beginning:
Opening Doors Theatre Company re-opens doors to our memories that 
never are shut very tight (no matter how hard we may try) with Is There Life After High School? Appropriately, Opening Doors also opens wounds that accompany those recollections of those character-forming days for us all. As characters looking back with vivid recall or wistfulness, the emotions are in the committed ensemble cast's every glance, stance, reaction and passionately sung lyric. This nuanced and thoughtful production exploring the years after the yearbooks and homework is a textbook example of acting while singing and making individual moments and words count. The kaleidoscope of snapshots snaps us back to our own past. As of one Craig Carnelia's precise and potent songs states, "All it takes is the slam of a locker." Ever a part of us, like a tattoo, we are marked by what we said, shoulda said, was said to us back then. Come for the catharsis and closure, have the humor and hope that come with hindsight as a 
bonus, or just come prepared to be impressed and entertained by the huge amount of talent on the tiny stage. Slickness would be anathema to anyone involved. Attending is a welcome "assignment."
Whether you were smart or not in high school, if you’re smart and are willing to let memories smart a bit, you will get tix at SmartTix and there’s a MAC discount! (The venue, The Duplex, does not do the reservations on this event.) The company is MAC-nominated for the series (that MAC connection yet again—I told you in the beginning there was something connected to high school and cabaret. In fact, MAC’s Vice President, Hector Coris, is Associate Artistic Director and Marketing Director and bon vivant. And yes, he is nominated for his own solo cabaret show. But that’s another story. Just see their website for more info—Opening Doors Theatre Company (ODTC) at ODTConline.org – Don’t try just odtc.org or you will get a dog obedience school and dot com gets you a program for people with emotional problems which of course could not be related to cabaret!!
ANSWER TO QUIZ: “Sara Lee” was introduced by Kaye Ballard, saluted in Special Kaye, which has been a K.O. for Gretchen Reinhagen, not only being MAC-nominated but winning Nightlife and Bistro Awards. If you guessed correctly, award yourself a Sara Lee chocolate pound cake without worrying about the pounds it might add.
Catch-Up on Cabaret is made possible by Jamie deRoy and friends.
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