368 stories by "Rob Lester"
Here are some singers of note whose first names happen to start with the letter "M" as in "Music." Ladies first: Melissa Errico and Meltem Ege, then three gentlemen: two West Coasters named …
OLD SONGS GET NEW LIFE FROM TALENTED YOUNG GUYS WHO ARE OLD SOULS Zip and zing with musical fizz and sparkle Hooray! They’re back!! Bryce Edwards—the mercurial, merry multi-talented, m…
WHO KILLED EDWIN DROOD? WELL, IT’S UP TO THE AUDIENCE The musical whodunit is done with panache by the reliable J2 Musical Theater Company The unpleasant fact about life is that everybody …
PUT THIS IN YOUR WHEELHOUSE A show that takes its audience on a ride, and shifts gears from drama to comedy and back The oft-heard practical advice to authors hoping that their stories, nove…
UNDER THE BIG TOP, A SMALL GEM ENDURES A tender revival of a vintage musical finds its strength in sincerity, not spectacle Poignancy, Pep, Pizzazz, and Puppets. If the age of 65 equals beco…
THREE LOVES, ONE ROAD A gritty, intriguing country-western musical with more implied than explained COMPOSER-LYRICIST/GUITARIST/PROTAGONISTA musician with three younger ladies to romance,two…
COMEDY TONIGHT— AND PLENTY OF IT A zippy, low-budget romp that lands big laughs When in ancient Rome,do as the ancient Romans—and moderns—would do:enjoy the kind of humor that never fe…
MIX, MATCH, AND MAKE IT UP An intergenerational troupe turns audience ideas into live musical theater Here’s a special recipe for success and entertainment. It’s all in the mixing and bl…
MIDDLE-AGED PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, IN THE MIDDLE OF ADVENTURES Jerry Herman's early musical still charms Through the magic of musical theatre, we're vicariously taking a guided tour thro…
Albums from Liz Callaway, Marilyn Maye, Claybourne Elder, Nellie McKay and more.
THE QUEEN OF CABARET STILL REIGNS A birthday-month run proves that Marilyn Maye at 98 remains unstoppable Memo to fans of solo singers who've been living in a cave for more than half a centu…
THE SONGBOOK LIVES ON Feinstein's Carnegie Hall "On the Town" concert celebrates classic songs and those who wrote and performed them with style, wit, and swing Like a party that keeps going…
A LEGEND STILL IN MOTION A radiant, nostalgic evening with a Broadway icon who continues to charm and connect Gracious, graceful, gratifying, glowing, glamorous. Some cabaret shows are every…
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL WITH A TWIST Julie Benko's Mardi Gras"flavored cabaret delights with energy and polish: a tasty Gumbo On a Monday night at Birdland Jazz Club, with a twinkle in her e…
TWO STEVES WITH LOVE, TWO TRIBUTES, ONE SUPREMELY SATISFYING WEEK From Schwartz to Sondheim, Callaway revisits rich collaborations with warmth, wit, and deeply felt interpretation Once upon …
GETTING OLDER NEVER SOUNDED SO GOOD A richly satisfying Maltby and Shire revue finds warmth, wit, and wisdom in growing older Lynne Wintersteller, Sally Wilfert, Allyson Kaye Daniel While it…
LORNA LUFT LETS LOOSE LUSTILY AND WITH LOVE A veteran performer pushes through rough patches with grit, gratitude, and plenty of show-biz heart There's plenty of energy and goodwill going ba…
PIANO MAN BY PROXY Tony DeSare salutes Billy Joel with polish, power, and plenty of affection Special thanks go to Billy Joel for changing the career path of the terrifically talented Tony D…
A BENNETT SONGBOOK WITH PIZZARELLI SWING The singer-guitarist and his trio offer solid entertainment and a nostalgic stroll through a legend's songbook There may not be many things you can c…
A SINATRA SONGBOOK REVUE RETURNS WITH STYLE, SWING, AND STAYING POWER The revue recalling the repertoire of "Ol' Blue Eyes" is a song-stuffed, sure-fire success (again) So, who doesn't love …
A FAMILY AFFAIR AT 54 BELOW Linda Eder shines, with a promising assist from Jake Wildhorn; like mother like son " both likeable Casual and confident, a smiling Linda Eder strode onto the sta…
WITNESSING WILDE'S WONDERFUL WIT IS ALWAYS WELCOME Storm Theatre delivers elegance and precision, if not always sparkle Lurking under the characters' control, courtesies and curtseys, calcul…
A HIGH VOICE, SOME HIGHLIGHTS, AND A HIGH-SPIRITED CROWD If you were shopping for the most versatile fantasy fabric for fashioning a fabulous outfit, imagine it by checking each of these box…
QUINTESSENTIAL QUINTIN Essential jazz, effortless swing, and a trio's genuine chemistry Jazz fans bid farewell to January with a smile at Birdland Jazz Club by settling into a sublimely sati…
A CONTEST AND A CONCERT The Mabel Mercer Foundation nurtures the next generation of cabaret artists Three cheers for the Mabel Mercer Foundation (MMF) and its ongoing commitment to introduci…
