Adam's Call: Charles Busch at 54 Below: Divine Tale

Charles Busch can do it all...acting, playwriting, screenwriting, and now cabaret star! Until tonight, I had never seen Charles Busch do a cabaret show, but I was thrilled to have this opportunity at 54 Below. If there is one thing Charles Busch knows how to do, it's entertain a crowd. And entertain he did!

Charles' show was a mixture of song, homages to Hollywood starlets, personal stories, and lots and lots of laughter. Assisting Charles was Tom Judson, Musical Director and Pianist. They did a wonderful duet together of The Carpenters' "Close To You." Prior to that, Charles opened the show with a great original song about what he should sing. The song consisted of everything that makes Charles Busch who he is...humor, imitations, and creative writing. One of my favorite song performed tonight was a great cover version of Gene Raskin's "Those Were The Days." I adore this song and was so happy to hear Charles sing it.

In between songs Charles delighted the crowd with readings from Conversations with Bette Davis and Conversations with Joan Crawford as well as Ask a Man: The Key To Feminity by Arlene Dahl as well as his own monologues performed as some of his favorite Hollywood starlets. Another great thing about Charles Busch's performance style the way he maneuvers from original work to reading others work while making it his own. He had the audience in stitches the whole evening with his comedic genius!

The best part about Charles' cabaret show was when he performed the original skit that inspired his Tony Award nominated play The Tale of the Allergists Wife. I had seen the play on Broadway, so it was a real treat to see the actual piece that led to the full-fledged production.

Photo Credit: David A. LeeCharles has found a wonderful niche with his cabaret work. I think this is the perfect venture for him to take in between his theatre and film work. He knows how to work a crowd and just looks so happy to be performing. From songs to monologues to readings, Charles Busch definitely tells a Divine Tale up on that stage. The next time Charles is performing his cabaret act, treat yourself to this delightful, wonderful, and hilarious evening!

That's Adam's Call and I Stand For Entertainment!

Libra Theater's Concert Songs You Should Know: Good Show

Adam's Call: Call Me Adam's "ON THE GO Review"...Libra Theater's concert "Songs You Should Know."

Behind The Scenes: Bobby Cronin's "The Concrete Jungle" CD Release

On Wednesday, March 6, 2013, "Call Me Adam" went behind the scenes with the concert cast for Bobby Cronin's CD Release of "The Concrete Jungle" at NYC's The Cutting Room. I found out why they all enjoyed performing Bobby's music and what they have learned from Bobby.

I also spoke with the man of the hour himself, Bobby Cronin, about what excited him for that night, why it was so special, and how he chose that cast to perform his music.

It was an unbelieveable night and I'm thrilled to be able to share this experience with all of you.

"The Concrete Jungle" is available on iTunes

For more on Bobby be sure to visit http://www.bobbycronin.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter!

Mama and Her Boys: Fun Family Gathering

A few weeks ago, I attended the opening night of Mama and Her Boys at NYC's The Underground, the new heartfelt and fun musical revue created by and starring Ethan Paulini, Christopher Sidoli, and Wendy Watson. Through song, Mama and Her Boys took the audience on a life cycle journey of the relationship between a mother and her two sons.

I have seen many musical revues that claimed to tell a story through song, but Mama and Her Boys, clearly told this story. They picked excellent songs to move the evening forward, hitting all the right notes and then some! The evening was a mixture of fun and recognizable songs like Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," "When You're Good To Mama" by Kander/Ebb, "Sisters" by Irving Berlin, " "We Are Family" by Nile Rodgers/Bernard Edwards, and "The Facts of Life" theme song by Alan Thicke/Gloria Loring/Al Burton as well some great songs that I had not been familiar with such as "Why Don't You Like My Man" by Bosco Mann, "Don't Mess With Me (I'm Somebody's Mother) by Sally Fingerett.

Intermixed with these fun songs were some wonderful heartfelt songs including Drew Overcash's "Imagine" and "By Your Side," "I'll Be There" by Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland, "Who Will Love Me As I Am" by Henry Krieger/Bill Russell, "You Could Never Shame Me," by Kander/Ebb, "Tell Mama" by Clarence Carter/Marcus Daniel/Wilbur Terrell, Dolly Parton's "To Daddy," David Yazbek's "Invisible," "Sweet Child of Mine" by W. Axl Rose/Slash/Izzy Stradlin'/Duff McKagan/Steven Adler, and "Rose's Turn."

From left to right: Christopher Sidoli, Wendy Watson, and Ethan PauliniFrom left to right: Ethan Paulini, Wendy Watson, Christopher SidoliAs wonderful as these songs were, it was the talents of Ethan, Christopher, Wendy and musical director William Demaniow that helped bring Mama and Her Boys to life! William's arrangements catered perfectly to each performers voice, allowing them shine bright. While William kept the sound of the songs close to what everyone is used to, he was also able to bring a freshness to the songs, which was quite delightful. When Ethan, Christopher, and Wendy sang together, the three of them sounded divine, singing perfectly in unison, but when they sang separately, they were allowed to glow brightly on their own. The talent of these three was very exciting to watch.

What made Mama and Her Boys extra special was that every week, there is a featured guest "family" artist brought in to make this show a full family experience. The week I had attended the show, the special guest was none other than Christina Sajous who's Broadway credits include American Idiot, Baby, It's You, and Spiderman, Turn of the Dark as well as her current gig in Off-Broadway's Forever Dusty. Christina was a great addition to this already extraordinary night of talent as she brought the house down with "Mama Knows Best" by Jessica Cornish/Ashton Millard. Christina's voice is like no other and she took to the maximum height. When Christina sings, people pay attention. It was great to add her talent to this exciting evening.

From left to right: Ethan Paulini, Christopher Sidoli, and Wendy WatsonIf you are looking for a fun and heartfelt show, take the train uptown to experience Mama and Her Boys at The Undergound (955 West End Avenue at 107th Street) every Monday at 9pm. It's a very enjoyable evening filled with timeless music and big talent! Be sure to visit http://www.ethanpaulini.com/mama-and-her-boys to find out more, including each week's guest artist. Click here for tickets and follow Mama and Her Boys on Facebook and Twitter!

Eric Michael Gillett: Careless Rhapsody at 54 Below: Perfection

The first time I had heard Eric Michael Gillett sing was in 2011 when he performed Cast of Thousands: Gillett Sings Carnelia at The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Two years later, Eric Michael has bestowed his magnificent talent upon 54 Below for a week of shows dedicated to the songs of Lorenz Hart entitled, Carless Rhapsody: An Evening Dedicated to the Lyrics of Lorenz Hart, with music direction by Don Rebic. I had the honor of attending his final night.

Eric Michael's voice is golden! He really knows how to use his gift perfectly. From the quiet moments to big belty numbers, Eric Michael delighted the crowd with so many wonderful songs. What I enjoyed most about this show, aside from getting to hear the glorious voice of Eric Michael, was this show brought out a comedic side to Eric Michael I had not previously seen. It was great to see Eric Michael add many comedic moments to several of the songs throughout the night. I could tell what a fun time he was having on stage and that transcended equally to the enthusiastic crowd. 

While Eric Michael scored big with the whole evening, some of my favorite numbers of the evening were "The Heart Is Quicker Than The Eye" (from On Your Toes), "You Took Advantage of Me" (from Present Arms), "I Could Write A Book" (from Pal Joey), "Falling in Love with Love" (from The Boys From Syracuse), "My Romance" (from Jumbo), "My Funny Valentine" and "I Wish I Were in Love Again (from Babes in Arms), "My Heart Stood Still" (from One Dam Thing After Another), "This Can't Be Love" (from The Boys From Syracuse), and the encore "Sing For Your Supper (from The Boys From Syracuse) which featured Eva Kantor, Bailey Means, and Marissa Mulder.

Carless Rhapsody may have ended its run, but there are plenty of opportunities to see Eric Michael around the city! First up is as director/host of The Amanda McBroom Project The Laurie Beechman Theatre on March 8, 9, 15, 16 all at 7pm. Then there is his new bi-monthly series We Lost It at the Movies also at The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Call 212-695-6909 for reservations and more information on these shows.

For more on Eric Michael be sure to visit http://www.ericmichaelgillett.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter!