All stories by Andrew Poretz on BroadwayStars

Friday, September 23, 2022

Billy Stritch and Gabrielle Stravelli:  Mel and Ella Swing! by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … Mel Tormé and Ella Fitzgerald were two of the greatest jazz singers of the twentieth century, masters of singing and performance whose legacy continues long after their…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:30AM[SHARE]
Monday, September 19, 2022

Ann Talman by Andrew Poretz

"The Shadow of Her Smile" By Andrew Poretz . . . Imagine spending much of your young life constantly being told, "You look just like Elizabeth Taylor… in National Velvet!" The endless comp…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 08:15AM[SHARE]
Friday, September 16, 2022

Karen Akers: Water Under the Bridge by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz . . . The legendary cabaret chanteuse Karen Akers reprised her acclaimed Water Under the Bridge show to a near-capacity crowd at Birdland Jazz on September 12th. The Tony-no…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:56PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Donna Vivino: La Mia Famiglia by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … Actress and singer Donna Vivino is a successful performer since early childhood, and most notably played Elphaba in Wicked.  At 54 Below, Donna performed with her sis…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 10:31AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Mingus Dynasty by Andrew Poretz

Charles Mingus Centennial by Andrew Poretz . . . Hot jazz on a sultry Friday night in August.  That's what patrons of Chelsea Table + Stage received from Mingus Dynasty. There are a handf…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 03:30PM[SHARE]

Quintin Harris Quartet by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz. . . The Quintin Harris Quartet made their first appearance at Chelsea Table + Stage with a fine debut set. The Quartet was actually a trio. He was backed by Sam AuBuchon on…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 07:15AM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 4, 2022

John Lloyd Young by Andrew Poretz

Mostly Soul: Beloved Hits from Motown to Broadway . . . By Andrew Poretz … John Lloyd Young is a dynamic entertainer and actor.  The Tony and Grammy winner is also a multi-Platinum reco…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 07:25AM[SHARE]
Friday, September 2, 2022

Julie Benko and Jason Yeager in "Hand in Hand" by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … Julie Benko is having one hell of a year.  It would be fair to say that this is "The Year of the Benko."  Prior to 2022, you likely did not know the name of this e…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 07:49AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Jacob Khalil: Obsessions by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … Jacob Khalil and his trio returned to Birdland Theater on August 14th for two sets.  After a strong showing in The Lineup with Susie Mosher earlier that week, it was …

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 07:32AM[SHARE]
Monday, August 22, 2022

Miss Maybell & The Jazz Age Artistes by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … Ah, the Jazz Age of the Roaring Twenties, that romanticized, Great Gatsby era of music and mayhem, the days of hot jazz, ladies in flapper outfits and well-dressed men, …

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:29AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Mary Stallings at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz . . . Mary Stallings, a world-renowned jazz vocalist who has sung professionally since her teens in the late 1950s, returned to Smoke for a four-night stand to continue the …

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 08:10AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Drew Gasparini by Andrew Poretz

One Last Time (For Now) By Andrew Poretz … In a bittersweet night at 54 Below, the popular and insanely talented Drew Gasparini, a singer-songwriter, played his "last" concert at the club …

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 03:10PM[SHARE]
Saturday, July 30, 2022

T. Oliver Reid: A Sunday Kind of Love by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … Actor and singer T. Oliver Reid has a long history on Broadway having played some dozens of roles in some 13 shows, often as an understudy or "swing" performer.  He c…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 10:45AM[SHARE]
Saturday, July 23, 2022

Jaime Lozano and Mauricio Martínez: Hermanos y Familia by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … When two irresistible forces meet, the inevitable result is combustion.  At 54 Below on Monday night, combustion occurred when Mauricio Martínez, a star of Telemun…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 08:45AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Joe Iconis & Family by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz … Joe Iconis is a prodigious songwriter and playwright primarily known for his successful, campy musical plays, notably Be More Chill, and funny, if not silly, story-based…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:46PM[SHARE]
Monday, July 18, 2022

Jim Caruso's Cast Party by Andrew Poretz

Special Anniversary Edition Birdland Jazz Club By Andrew Poretz … Birdland is not only home to some of the greatest jazz performers.  The venue also hosts Jim Caruso's Cast Party every …

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:22PM[SHARE]
Saturday, July 16, 2022

Karen Oberlin by Andrew Poretz

Bewitched:  The Life and Lyrics of Lorenz Hart . . . By Andrew Poretz… Karen Oberlin, a longtime fixture on the New York cabaret scene and an award-winning performer, presented a one-of…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:32PM[SHARE]
Thursday, July 7, 2022

Ari Axelrod's "Ari's Arias," at Birdland Theater, Was Close to Flawless by Andrew Poretz

The name Ari in Hebrew means "lion." After seeing this encore performance of Ari's Arias, the definition ought to be "love""for Ari Axelrod is love personified. Love radiates from his voice,…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 05:03PM[SHARE]
Friday, July 1, 2022

Bill Charlap: Celebrating the Theater Songs of Leonard Bernstein by Andrew Poretz

By Andrew Poretz . . . The Bill Charlap Trio presented conductor, composer, pianist and music educator Leonard Bernstein's theater songs at the wonderful, nonprofit New Jersey Performing Art…

SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 04:14PM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off