Friday, December 19, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . Mia Vassilev, who goes by her first name, made her 54 Below debut with her retro, high-energy Keys on Fire! on December 9. The pianist extraordinaire has performed thr…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:53PMTuesday, December 9, 2025
Every December, New York City overflows with holiday entertainment, from intimate cabaret shows to the full-scale spectacle of Radio City. Having seen more than my share—some mawkish, some…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 07:40PMTuesday, December 2, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . The New York Pops orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Steven Reineke, is one of the hippest and exciting orchestras out there, with innovative programs and darin…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:01PMSaturday, November 29, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . There probably isn’t a reader of Theater Pizzazz who has never seen some version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in film, television, or even animation (Mist…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 12:15AMTuesday, November 25, 2025
By Walter Murphy Every year the Christmas Spectacular Featuring the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall wows audiences. This year’s show, and its opening night, was even more spectacular …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:09PMWednesday, November 19, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . . “A playwright confuses her opening night and is faced with an audience expecting to be entertained. As she pulls ideas out of her ass, an array of compelling chara…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:44PMSunday, November 16, 2025
By Walter Murphy … Celtic Christmas – A Taste of Ireland, which ran earlier this month at the Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, offers a smorgasbord of Irish artistry, step dancing…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 03:30PMFriday, November 7, 2025
By Andrew Poretz Performer Kay Kostopolous is a highly accomplished Bay Area jazz singer for whom New York is her second home. She regularly appears at Pangea with her Black Olive Jazz quart…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:40PMThursday, November 6, 2025
Jackie Mason lives again in this riotously funny comedy based on a true story. The show features Jackie’s real life daughter comedian Sheba Mason, his striking look-alike Ian Wehrle, and…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 06:29PMTuesday, November 4, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . Back in 1968, an advertising poster for Blackglama furs featured a Richard Avedon photo of iconicc star Bette Davis with the tagline, “What Becomes a Legend Most?”…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 03:42PMThe Power of Women’s Voices is a soul-stirring celebration of prose, poetry, art, and music that honored the unapologetic brilliance of women over 40. The Triad had a packed house, and the…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 02:03PMMonday, October 27, 2025
Pianist-entertainer Chris Autore is marking an extraordinary 75 years in show business with a special performance of Look at Me Now on Wednesday, November 5 at 7 PM at Don’t Tell Mama. He�…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:17PMThursday, October 23, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . On October 21, the 36th annual Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention opened at the Frederick P. Lowe Rose Room (Jazz at Lincoln Center) on with The Best Is Yet to Come: A Ce…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 10:27PMWednesday, September 10, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . Photos by Melissa Griegel Photography (www.griegelphoto.zenfolio.com) Theater Pizzazz was on the scene to cover the Al Hirschfeld Foundation’s cocktail party and ope…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 06:37PMTuesday, August 5, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . . Guitarist and composer Sean Harkness is one of the most talented musicians you’ll ever hear, and a rather humble fellow with a sweet nature. An impeccable guitaris…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 08:29PMTuesday, May 13, 2025
Jazz singer Verena McBee unveiled her latest album, "Bird (S)Swing," at Chelsea Table + Stage on May 3rd.
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:42PMThursday, May 1, 2025
The City Center Encores! revival of the beloved 1953 musical is just too busy for its own good. By Brian Scott Lipton In the past few years, City Center Encores! has tried to make lightning …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:50PMBy Andrew Poretz . . . . The New York Pops closed its season back in March with a spectacular finish (see HERE). In the equivalent of a post-season bowl game, the Pops returned for its annua…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 12:29AMThursday, April 10, 2025
By Andrew Poretz. . . . Making it to 100 years old is quite a milestone. On April 1st, chanteuse Lynne Charnay joined this exclusive club, celebrating with two sold-out nights at Don’t Tel…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:33PMThursday, March 27, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . . Gabrielle Stravelli has long been a favorite of this reviewer. She recently completed a weekly residency at Birdland Jazz of early Saturday sets. This reviewer atten…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:15PMFriday, March 21, 2025
The New York Pops, after a diverse season of excellent programming and concerts, had its season finale on March 14 at Carnegie Hall with 100 Years of Film Scores. Unlike most of its programs…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:45PMMonday, March 17, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . Canadian singer/songwriter and pianist Laila Biali first came to this reviewer’s attention at the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) conference seve…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 12:16AMThursday, March 13, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . . Ella Mae Dixon is a 21-year-old jazz vocalist and cabaret singer based in New York City. She first came to this writer’s attention at age 18, when she appeared in …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:19PMMonday, February 10, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . . The very young cabaret singer Madalyn Matthews recently made her 54 Below debut with Fill My Cup With Blue. Madalyn first came to my attention at the Mabel Mercer Fo…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 06:14PMWednesday, February 5, 2025
By Andrew Poretz . . . The 35th Annual Kleban Awards took place on February 3rd at ASCAP’s (American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers) Manhattan headquarters.
The post The 3…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:18PMSunday, December 22, 2024
By Andrew Poretz . . . Danny Bacher died on December 16, 2024, but I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want to. (With apologies to John O’Hara.) New Jersey-born jazz singer and sopra…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 08:07PMFriday, December 6, 2024
Actress and singer Margaret Curry is a Bistro Award-winning cabaret performer. This reviewer saw her perform at the most recent Bistro Awards, and welcomed an opportunity to catch an encore …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 04:42PMMonday, November 25, 2024
Cabaret Review by Andrew Poretz . . . The Brick Room at Don’t Tell Mama was entirely sold out for Juliet Ewing’s second encore performance of her George Gershwin show, Rise Up Singing �…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:02PMSunday, November 17, 2024
It’s always exciting to find new talent. It’s especially rewarding to discover a young singer who is keeping jazz and the Great American Songbook alive. June Cavlan, in her early twentie…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 04:45PMWednesday, November 13, 2024
Concert Review by Andrew Poretz . . . The latest installment in cabaret great Michael Feinstein’s Standard Time series took an eclectic turn from his themes celebrating specific musical ic…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 10:09AMSaturday, October 26, 2024
Cabaret Review by Andrew Poretz … The three-night 2024 Cabaret Convention had a spectacular opening night, with Put On a Happy Face: A Celebration of the Music of Charles Strouse.For the f…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:22PM 
