Almost exactly twenty-two years ago tonight, after submitting some samples of my skills to John Hammond at That New Magazine, Inc (the parent company responsible for TheaterWeek, Opera Monthly, Christopher Street, The New York Native weekly newspaper and the then-soon-to-be-revived Night & Day Magazine), I got THE phone call at the office where I was serving as staff support for my day job in the music industry at Warner-Levinson on 68th Street and Broadway.
Alysha Umphress got it backwards. You’re supposed to appear in Broadway musicals first, then become a gay icon. But Umphress had her gay following before she ever performed on Broadway. In 2005, still pretty new to New York City, she won “XL Star,” an American Idol-style singing competition at the now-closed Chelsea bar XL. Among her prizes: a monthlong engagement at XL and the cover of gay men’s magazine Next. She then began performing at other gay bars around town, including Splash, the Duplex, Vlada and Industry, as well as the Tides and the Ice Palace on Fire Island, and went on to be one of the original cohosts of the After Party, a weekly late-night show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre for the theater crowd.
It scarcely seems possible that bandsinger Kat Gang, already poised to become one of the nation's most rapidly-rising stars of the jazz genre in her weekly appearances at the Plaza Hotel's Rose Club and the Algonquin's Oak Room, among many others, could have possibly improved even further in just a few short months after proving herself a top-notch entertainer. But that is exactly what has taken place since establishing her alliance with musician Nate Mayland. And if their recent CD Release Party at Iridium (for their debut disc The Wishbone Project) is any indication of what the future holds for these two as well as their additional backing combo, it's safe to assume that they will soon emerge as the definitive new "Bright Young Things" of the nightlife circuit.
Singer/music and food entrepreneur, ELLEN KAYE, grew up in the nooks and crannies of the Russian Tea Room, which her family owned in its heydey from 1947 to 1996. Theater and movie stars populated her world along with socialites, political movers and shakers and all the eccentrics this great city has to offer. Her quintessential New York origins inform her fearless, layered interpretations of many favorite songwriters of the 20th and 21st Centuries as she performs "Ice Wine: songs for dark winter nights" at The Metropolitan Room in January and February. Music by Annie Lennox, Dar Williams, Bruce Springsteen and Rickie Lee Jones, among others, will be on tap. Joining Kaye will be Musical Director and arranger Ethan Fein on Banjo and Guitar; Benjamin Brown: bass; Claire Daly: saxophones, flute, clarinet; Cleve Douglass: vocals; Ricky Martinez; drums.
“ drown your sorrows the Kaye way with a serving of Ice Wine, in or out of season.” .... Rob Lester TalkinBroadway.com
Ellen Kaye’s newest show at The Metropolitan Room is a stunner. It is entitled Ice Wine: Songs for Dark Winter Nights. It was my first time seeing Ms. Kaye perform and I was absolutely floored. Her energy was bright and sexy at the same time. And, she was as comfortable singing Springsteen as she was with singing a love song by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin. Her voice has a slightly raspy yet appealing quality. One could compare her to Liza Minnelli, Janis Joplin, Taylor Dayne, and Melanie combined. Her vocal sound is unique and magnetic.
Paul Trueblood passed peacefully on January 16, 2012. A native of Evansville, Indiana, educated at Memorial High School and Northwestern University, Paul spent most of his life in New York City and was an accomplished musician, composer, musical director, arranger and vocal coach. Upon arrival in the city, Paul's talent was welcomed in a theatrical world, and he worked with Mary Martin, Elaine May and Mike Nichols. He went on to lengthy collaborations with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, legendary director Joshua Logan and the prolific partnership of Betty Comden and Adolph Green. He toured the world with Marianne Faithfull and appeared at Carnegie Hall with Michael Feinstein. Along the way, he was musical director/pianist for Elaine Stritch, Dorothy Loudon, Helen Gallagher, Carol King, Matthew Broderick, Diane Keaton, Julie Wilson, Nancy Dussault and Jose Ferrer, among other, appearing at the White House in October, 1989, with Judy Kaye. He was a Master Teacher at the Cabaret Symposium of the O'Neill Theater Center and the annual Cabaret Conference at Yale University. Paul also helped young performers prepare and perform their cabaret shows. His compositions have been performed in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall and cabarets everywhere. He leaves behind his sister Rosann Hoehn and her family. Funeral Service were Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at Ziemer Funeral Home, 800 S. Hebron Ave., Evansville, IN 47714. Memorial contributions may be made to Memorial High School, 1500 Lincoln Ave, Evansville, IN 47714 or St. Benedict Cathedral, 1328 Lincoln Ave., Evansville, IN 47714. Condolences may be made to the family online at www.ziemerfuneralhome.com
The American Cancer Society presents Joey Arias in ENCORE for Hope, hosted by Julie Gold, with New York City Gay Men's Chorus, The Ben Allison Band, Sherry Vine, 2 To Fly Aerial, Manila Luzon, Sahara Davenport & celebrity DJ choimatic. The event is an evening of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres & performances in support of the American Cancer Society’s efforts within the LGBT Community. ENCORE will be presetnted on February 13, 2012, from 6:30-10:30pm at Providence NYC: 311 West 57th Street.
CROWNS: The Gospel Musical, by Regina Taylor, is in rehearsal for it's Nashville premiere, Thursday, January 26th at Christ Church Cathedral as part of the Church's Sacred Space for the City series. I had a chance to converse with the playwright and learn a bit more about her career and the history of CROWNS.
FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed "Best of New York" byNew York Magazine and "an invaluable New York institution" byThe New York Post, will continue its 2011-12 season with the debut engagement of two time Grammy Award winning singing legend, actress and songwriterPETULA CLARK.Making her first New York nightclub engagement since the 1970s, Ms. Clark will perform her chart-topping pop hits like “Downtown,” “I Know A Place” and “My Love,” as well as highlights from her stage and screen roles inSunset Boulevard,Blood Brothers andFinian’s Rainbow. Ms. Clark’s show at Feinstein’s has been extended with shows to run Sat. Feb. 4th (8: & 10:30) - Thursday Feb. 9th (8pm) - Friday Feb. 10 (8pm) and Saturday Feb. 11th (8pm).
Kim Grogg returns to Don't Tell Mama this weekend with her One Hit Wonder Woman Show! Saturday, January 21st at 6pm, Sunday, January 22nd at 3pm and Monday, January 23rd at 7pm. Kim sings "One Hit Wonders" from the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. Lending their talents to the stage will be Wendy Russell and Rain Collazo as the Wonderettes. Special guest is the fabulous Sidney Myer. Steven Ray Watkins leads the band and Lennie Watts directs. Fans have been quoted as saying......"Fantastic Show!" and "Bring on Part Two of One Hit Wonderland!" Come and join the fun! NO COVER CHARGE for MAC and EQUITY Members! (2 drink minimum applies.)
Famous playwright Chris Durang launched a unique comic nightclub act in 1989 called Chris Durang & Dawne (John Augustine and Sherry Anderson) that became an immediate hit, coming back to play clubs all over the New York area for the next eight years until they made their last public performance in January of 1996. Now, sixteen years later, Nightlife Awards creator/producer Scott Siegel is re-uniting Chris Durang & Dawne (all of the originals) for the first time since this award-winning musical comedy revue disappeared from New York nightclub stages.
Video producer Bradshaw Smith, a fixture at theatrical events with his cable TV program "Broadway Beat," died on January 16, following a sudden and severe stroke. He was 57 and lived in Manhattan and Cherry Grove, Fire Island.
NiteLifeExchange continues to offer news and support of live entertainment via our i-spondent team of interviewers. Find all interviews here and check out any video where you see the YouTube icon.
Paul Trueblood passed peacefully on January 16, 2012. A native of Evansville, Indiana, educated at Memorial High School and Northwestern University, Paul spent most of his life in New York City and was an accomplished musician, composer, musical director, arranger and vocal coach. Upon arrival in the city, Paul's talent was welcomed in a theatrical world, and he worked with Mary Martin, Elaine May and Mike Nichols. He went on to lengthy collaborations with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, legendary director Joshua Logan and the prolific partnership of Betty Comden and Adolph Green. He toured the world with Marianne Faithfull and appeared at Carnegie Hall with Michael Feinstein. Along the way, he was musical director/pianist for Elaine Stritch, Dorothy Loudon, Helen Gallagher, Carol King, Matthew Broderick, Diane Keaton, Julie Wilson, Nancy Dussault and Jose Ferrer, among other, appearing at the White House in October, 1989, with Judy Kaye. He was a Master Teacher at the Cabaret Symposium of the O'Neill Theater Center and the annual Cabaret Conference at Yale University. Paul also helped young performers prepare and perform their cabaret shows. His compositions have been performed in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall and cabarets everywhere. He leaves behind his sister Rosann Hoehn and her family. Funeral Service were Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at Ziemer Funeral Home, 800 S. Hebron Ave., Evansville, IN 47714. Memorial contributions may be made to Memorial High School, 1500 Lincoln Ave, Evansville, IN 47714 or St. Benedict Cathedral, 1328 Lincoln Ave., Evansville, IN 47714. Condolences may be made to the family online at 
