Here Comes 2012 - Cabaret Watch

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                                  It's a brand new year and it's not just the same old/same old wonderful performers returning. Sure, the greats are great – who wouldn't want to start January by running to another run of shows by the sensational Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan Room, singing some of her most requested numbers from the last few acts she's done that have won her award after award? Speaking of awards, as January winds down, excitement winds up for the annual Nightlife Awards show at The Town Hall (January 30), bringing back 2011's critics' picks to pick up their trophies and perform.

In February, it's no wonder that 2011's hit, One-Hit Wonder Woman, Kim Grogg's festival of here today/gone tomorrow fame returns to Don't Tell Mama. And forward march right into March for shows returning to celebrate “March Is Cabaret Month,” with cabaret classics and surprises. The hooplah is previewed the night before March begins (remember, it's Leap Year) with Stu Hamstra's cavalcade of performers at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, with more welcome familiar faces. That special month will culminate with cabaret's MAC Awards on March 29 to honor excellence in the past year. (The Bistro Awards show brings up the rear in April, after the Easter Bunny hops away hoping he, too, can carry a tune in a basket and make his cabaret debut and not end up with egg on his face.) But what's going on in the categories of “What's New?” and “Long Time, No See”? Here are just a few of those kinds of things we're looking forward to: 

Globe-trotting singing star PETULA CLARK finally gets to a NYC nightclub stage for a run at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in January and February. 

And the new series there on most Thursday nights, SCOTT SIEGEL'S BROADWAY HOOTENANNY is a new show each time, with a revolving cast of folks from Broadway and cabaret. Lower-priced cover and minimum for this late-night joy that just got off to a great, starry start in December.

Mr. Siegel, meanwhile, is gearing up for another series of BROADWAY BY THE YEAR concerts at The Town Hall, featuring numbers from a particular year with current Broadway performers. February 13 starts things off with 1946 revisited.

The postponed show of Johnny Mathis's songs, with FRANK DAIN's first full cabaret show in some years, still inches way forward to reality for 2012. Chances are you can get misty hearing him preview a couple with KATHLEEN LANDIS on piano on Friday and Saturday nights at Nino's Tuscanny Restaurant.

Another cabaret return after a too-long hiatus brings PARKER SCOTT to monthly ballad beauty at Don't Tell Mama.

Speaking of returns, rumor has it that there'll be a big doo-wop to-do: Due for a reunion sometime in 2012 are former members of the harmonizing BEV-NAPS group.

A somewhat younger and new vocal group that's caught my ear with their self-titled CD is ASTORIA BOULEVARD. I hear also that they're headed to Iridium, below Ellen's Stardust Diner. They know the (stair)way.

If you want to do some singing yourself and miss the METRO JAM Open Mic hosted by JENNA ESPOSITO and featuring a top trio of JOHN DiPINTO, RITT HENN & BOBBY SHER, expect an announcement about its new spotlight spot. This news and rebirth could come any day now, so keep your sheet music ready. Check our website for a press release announcement.

Here's some more good news: Birdland has the hot new jazz bird CYRILLE AIMEE and, on January 30, veteran actress/singer ANITA GILLETTE brings an act in to land.

OK, we admit we're gay-curious about two shows at The Duplex: Gay Meets Girl and Platoon Lieder: Songs of a Gay Soldier --- classical music with new lyrics based on real-life experiences and opinions.

And that reminds us of the news that, also singing to classical melodies with sharp comments of his own, we'd like to know more about what's described as a centuries-delayed cabaret debut for musical legend LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN in Ludwig Live! At The Triad.

The Winter Rhythms series in December at Urban Stages gave one-night sneak peeks at super new shows that will, happily, be back during the new year: Bistro winner JANICE HALL with a smart mix of strong songs, and a survey of the songs of composer/pianist BARRY LEVITT and lyricist/director PETER NAPOLITANO. And look for the much-anticipated act by sizzling TANYA HOLT. This current Cabaret Scenes Magazine cover girl. She's loaded with talent, besides booking it in her year-round job at Metropolitan Room.

How's this for a show title: Back from the Abyss. Expect humor, spunk and sass when old pals JAY ROGERS and KEITH THOMPSON get around to a reunion at Metropolitan Room on January 9.

We've closely covered that club's MetroStar Talent Challenge singing competition and are looking forward to new faces when it kicks up again this summer. Meanwhile, we know that 2011's talented winner, MARISSA MULDER, is readying her new act, with runners-up STACIE PERLMAN and FRAN LEONARDIS opening for her. And bubbly Fran, with a mischievous streak in her and a streak of pink in her hair, has her own solo show in the works. It will be her solo cabaret debut.

The prior MetroStar winner, T. OLIVER REID, is among the singers with new CDs with gems from the Great American Songbook coming out in the new year. TERESE GENECCO's album, recorded live at her NYC home base, Iridium, is about to drop. BARBARA FASANO, her most recent guest diva, announced she's working on another to come out sometime this year. And guess who else has recorded the standards from the Golden Age? It's PAUL McCARTNEY. Can't wait til February's My Valentine CD to hear him croon the classics like Irving Berlin.

If Mr. Berlin is your favorite songwriter, take note: on April 6, Oxford University Press will release not one, but two major new books about the man and his music. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from cabaret-hopping and curl up with a good book and an Irving Berlin recording (We'll assume you've had enough of “White Christmas” for the moment.) The same publisher has new books coming up about two others who knew their way around a Berlin song: Rosemary Clooney and Fred Astaire (and his sister Adele). Not a bad list for starters. As Mr. Berlin wrote, “There's No Business Like Show Business.” Let the shows begin! Happy New Year!