A New Day Dawns for Metropolitan Room

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                  The only applicable word for what took place at Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street) on the evening of Thursday, December 8th, would be "magical." But it wasn't merely the night itself or the glorious party, it's what the future holds for the cherished jewel-box that is this club. Brothers Christopher and Steve Mazzilli, who possess the club (and Gotham Comedy Club on 23rd Street) along with minority owner Peter Leavy, have added a new partner, Bernie Furshpan, who is announcing a plethora of changes to spruce up what is already New York's most popular cabaret space.

The newly-hung chandeliers adorning the room along with the sparkly glass candleholders are but one small yet notable addition, and that's only the beginning of what Furshpan seeks to bring. The event also marks an important change; it was the club's 1st Annual Artist Appreciation Event, in which a host of entertainers already closely associated with Metropolitan Room were given the chance to come together in a glorious concert event that read like a Who's Who in Cabaret. And the list of new additions to the club in general are, very simply, dazzling.

The club's downstairs bar will now become the Metro Lounge. It will open nightly at 5:30pm with its own bartender, will feature music from the CDs of those soon to be performing at the club or there currently and hopes to serve as a hotspot to meet before or after shows as well as providing convenience for those waiting for the room to open for that night's entertainment. A second new feature are theatrical runs, where Metropolitan Room will nurture those performers who have demonstrated potential for longer engagements, and this will officially kick off with the resplendent Barb Jungr's Bob Dylan opus, The Man in the Long Black Coat, running in prime-time nightly from April 10th through 27th.

They are also adding late-night performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 11pm, which will be a hybrid between cabaret, jazz and standup comedy, and adding an upgrade to the popular MetroStar Tallent Challenge franchise in the form of recordings and additional media. Customer experience is being heightened greatly, by way of expanded online purchasing for seats to all shows, a brand-new menu of signature edibles, and original seasonal/themed cocktail offerings by longtime bartender Eddie Jacques. Cover charges are also changing, with the new range being between $20 and $35 per. And in the area of artist relations comes the most significant changes of all; the room is simplifying the booking and contract process, adding predictability potential for each show through spreadsheets including booking confirmation dates, comps, door deals, special needs and other income. In addition, artists will now receive specialized guidance on how to make the most of promoting their shows.

And if the performances from that night are any indication of what the future holds for the new phase of Metropolitan Room, it's a sure bet that Furshpan has officially created a Shangri-La. The packed-to-the-rafters house of seated guests included Cynthia Crane and Ted Story, Joi Danielle Price and husband Lyell Haynes, Quinn Lemley, Jane Burbank, Emily Swallows, Roy Sander, Rob Lester, Jan Wallman, Craig Pomranz, Bettina Paley, Kevin Scott Hall, Tracy Stark, Rob Langeder, Daryl Glenn and Joey Infante, and house band for the evening was comprised of Billy Stritch, bassist Ritt Henn and percussionist Bobby Sher, who got things off to a rollicking start with "The Man With the Bag." As expected, Baby Jane Dexter and KT Sullivan (accompanied by Bill Zeffiro) gave their customary serviceable performances, and both Yvonne Constant and Laurie Krauz were divine, as usual. But the standouts of the evening included Susan Winter singing "A Cockeyed Optimist," Emily Bergl with "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" Stacie Perlman's "Don't Rain on My Parade," MetroStar winner Marissa Mulder's seductive warbling on "Come Fly With Me," a performance of Joni Mitchell's "Chelsea Hotel" by Lauren Fox that was as electric as when Sally Kellerman used to play at Reno Sweeney in the 1970s, and a performance by Lorinda Lisitza on Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" that literally stopped the show cold.

In the engagement of Bernie Furshpan's services, Metropolitan Room has literally raised the bar in every conceivable way. Kudos to them, and heartfelt wishes for an even longer successful future.