The week-long convention, which salutes the best of New York cabaret, will play Manhattan's Town Hall Oct. 18-24. Ticket prices for the convention are kept as low as possible with $25 seats available for all performances. Higher priced seats are available for $40 and $100. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the acclaimed convention, which is subtitled "The Festival of American Song."
The "Gala Opening" night performance, Oct. 18, will feature the talents of Barbara Carroll, Spencer Day, Christine Ebersole, Allan Harris, Maureen McGovern, Sidney Myer, Stefanie Powers (with The Page Cavanaugh Trio), Daryl Sherman, Theresa Tova, Marlene VerPlanck and Wesla Whitfield. Show time is 6 PM.
Family will be theme of the Oct. 19 evening, which is also set for 6 PM. Cabaret lovers can expect to see such family acts as Klea Blackhurst and Winkie Horman; Ann Hampton, Liz and Shirley Callaway; Heather, Sheila and Bruce MacRae; Andrea and Helen Marcovicci; Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart; and KT and the entire Sullivan family.
"Favorite Songs, Favorite Voices" is the title of the Oct. 20 evening, which will include songs rendered by Christine Andreas, Judy Barnett, Michel Bell, Opie Bellas, Eva Ladas, Jennifer Kruskamp, Karen Mason, Colleen McHugh, Beckie Menzie, Tom Michael, Phillip Officer, Sarah Partridge and Ida Zecco. The concert will begin at 6 PM.
The legendary Julie Wilson will be feted Oct. 21 in a concert titled "Julie at 80." Those celebrating the famed singer-actress will include Barbara Brussell, Mary Foster Conklin, Baby Jane Dexter, Lynn DiMenna, Natalie Douglas, Sammy Goldstein, Jeff Harnar, Rebecca Kilgore, Valerie Lemon, Sue Matsuki, Sharon McNight, Jeanne MacDonald, Todd Murray, Steve Ross and Joanne Tatham. Wilson will also be part of the birthday celebration, which begins at 6 PM. Bart Howard, who composed such songs as "The First Warm Day in May," "Let Me Love You" and "If You Leave Paris," will be remembered Oct. 22. The concert, titled "Fly Me to the Moon," will feature Howard songs interpreted by Joyce Breach, Barbara Carroll, Phillip Chaffin, Barbara Lea, Sylvia McNair, Craig Rubano, KT Sullivan, Lumiri Tubo and Ronny Whyte. The 6 PM concert will also include the presentation of the first Bart Howard Encouragement Award.
Andrea Marcovicci will host the Saturday afternoon concert Oct. 23. The 2 PM performance, titled "Young at Heart," will feature tunes for audiences ages 9 to 90. Singing works from the Great American Songbook will be Bobby Belfry, Judy Butterfield, Craig Carnelia, Daisy Carnelia, Jack Donahue, Sammy Horneff, Maude Maggart, Nancy McGraw, Mark Nadler and Stacy Sullivan.
The week-long convention concludes Sunday at 3 PM with "A Cabaret for Cole," saluting the works of the late composer Cole Porter. Among those taking part in the Porter celebration include Karen Akers, Nancy Anderson, Anna Bergman, Klea Blackhurst, Kent French, Jeff Harnar, Sally Mayes, Georga Osborne, Craig Rubano, Karen Saunders, Marian Seldes, Rebecca Spencer, Uptown Express, Bobbi Wilsyn and Faith Winthrop.
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Produced by the Mabel Mercer Foundation, the first annual Cabaret Convention was mounted in 1989. Since that time similar events have been produced in Chicago, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. In 2003 the Mabel Mercer Foundation presented a Convention in The Hamptons, and an expanded version of that program will be held this summer.
Those interested in making contributions to the Mabel Mercer Foundation, a non-profit organization, should contact Mabel Mercer's Executive Director, Donald F. Smith, [email protected].
Town Hall is located in New York City at 123 West 43rd Street. For more information about the upcoming convention, visit www.mabelmercer.org. Tickets are available by calling (866) 468-7619 or by visiting www.ticketweb.com.
