By Wayman Wong
06 Mar 2006

ALL IS COLM, ALL IS BRIGHT
When Colm T. Reilly is singing, his Irish eyes are smiling, and so are his audience's. Beaming with boyish charm, the 5-foot-8 tenor is bringing back his acclaimed cabaret act, "Bein' Green: A Collection of Irish Songs," on March 9-11 and 16-18 to the Hideaway Room at Helen's. Reilly, who's also the Chelsea club's general manager and booker, can rattle off the names of all 107 of his relatives from the Emerald Isle to the tune of "The Irish Washerwoman." He can belt D. Jay Bradley's joyful jazz-waltz arrangement of "In Dublin's Fair City" and lead a spirited singalong of "The Wild Rover." Reilly, 33, says, "I love this show because these are the songs I grew up with. It's my life." Cabaret legend Julie Wilson says, "Colm's enormously talented. I've seen his Irish show, and I've never heard a better ‘Danny Boy' in my life."

As a kid in Manhattan, Reilly says his parents recognized his love of music, but "unfortunately" they sent him to organ lessons, instead of piano lessons. He jokes, "When I was eight, I liked to play with my organ." He also was "a mama's boy" who always knew he was gay: "I had a crush on Mowgli in the movie ‘The Jungle Book.' I wanted to see what was underneath his leaf." But at 14, tragedy struck. "Mom was in a taxi and got hit by a drunk driver. It was right after I did my first play, Pippin. Maybe it's sappy, but I've always believed I was led to theatre before she died, so I'd have something to help me survive that. I think God meant for it to happen that way."

In time, Reilly went to Straw Hat theatre auditions and got jobs that paid $200 a week in "podunk choruses" around the country. He toured 25 states ("I did Forever Plaid everywhere"), working with the Nebraska Theatre Caravan, the Southeastern Theatre Conference and the United Professional Theatre Auditions. While touring in A Christmas Carol, he met his future partner, Shane Mathews, in a club in Columbia, MO. Mathews, 35, a deejay from Indianapolis, recalls, "Colm was at the pool table, and it was love at first sight. I had a mad crush on him." Reilly says, "Shane was really cute, and he started following me around. And when I was in Alaska, he sent me flowers. It was really cool, and this December, we'll celebrate our 10th anniversary."

But first, they've got another date to celebrate: April 2, the second anniversary of Helen's, which Reilly lovingly named after his mother. His father, Patrick, who runs the Molly Wee, the Old Castle and other Irish pubs, is the owner. "I'm so lucky. My dad's been so supportive of us, and he treats Shane like gold." And Mathews is Helen's manager and Bistro Award-winning technical director. Reilly adds, "Shane's terrific with lights and sound. He's in touch with the emotions of each song."

Helen's opening headliner was Wilson, who says, "Colm and Shane have a great thing going, and they make everybody feel welcome and happy." This restaurant/piano bar also has been home to Heather MacRae, Baby Jane Dexter and Jeanne MacDonald. Reilly, who's co-vice president of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, says: "Shane and I dreamed so many times about opening our own place. I grew up in my father's bar business and was always drawn to theatre and music, so I never expected that something like cabaret could marry these two things so perfectly. When I got a job at Judy's Chelsea, that was great; I worked there for four years. But cabaret isn't easy. We've had times when we thought: ‘That's it. We're closing.' And then there are nights like Julie Wilson's 81st birthday, where it's just magic. It was electrifying. It's not just the show. It's the atmosphere, the food, the people. That's why we're here."

For more information, visit www.helensnyc.com.

WHERE THE GUYS ARE
There's so much to see in New York: Whenever Tim Di Pasqua croons his tunes, it's music to our ears. Stephen Schwartz calls him "one of the freshest and most melodic" songwriters in town, so catch him on March 18 at 7 PM at The Duplex, 61 Christopher St. (212-255-5438). Sample his sound clips at www.timdipasqua.com. … Platinum-selling composer-pianist Jim Brickman headlines March 20-21 at 7 PM at Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. (212-581-3080). Best-known for romantic hits like "Valentine," the Grammy nominee is a sweetheart of a performer. … TheaterMania critics Scott and Barbara Siegel love cabaret, but their undying support won't be going unsung. They will be saluted in "Roasts, Toasts & Tributes" on March 26 at 8 PM at the St. Clement's Theater, 423 W. 46th St. (212-868-4444). It's produced and hosted by Carolyn Montgomery, and singing their praises will be Nancy Anderson, Marnie Baumer, Scott Coulter, Milla Ilaeva, Julie Reyburn, Jay Rogers and Lennie Watts.

Got comments or questions? E-mail me at waymanwong@hotmail.com.

Until next month, let's hear it for the "boys"!

Wayman Wong edits entertainment for The New York Daily News. He has been a movie and theatre critic for The San Francisco Examiner, a writer for The Sondheim Review and a Drama-Logue Award-winning playwright.

Jarrod Emick; Colm Reilly and Shane Mathews at the opening of Helen’s.
photo by Ben Strothmann

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