Exclusive Q&A with Sally Darling

Sally Darling can hide her Southern accent but not her Southern charm. She is, first and foremost, a lady, and exudes a lady-like air, even over the phone. She is a darling indeed. Here is our Q&A together. She will be back at Don't Tell Mama Dec. 13th and 19th to brighten up your holidays. Thanks to Richard Skipper for putting us together.
http://www.richardskipper.com


Buddy Beaverhausen: Let me start by asking you, Sally, where you were born.
Sally Darling: Thank you, Buddy. I was born and raised in Virginia. So basically, I'm a Southern girl. But, of course, in the theater, you have to get the Southern accent out of your voice. Also, I grew up emulating the stars in the movies when they spoke with mid-Atlantic accents. "Classy American" accents.

BB: What was your upbringing like?
SD: It was strange, because I grew up in a large house that my grandmother (my father's mother) owned and it was fabulous for playing hide-and-seek in. But there were also a lot of household do's and don'ts that were very stringent and tough at the time.

BB: What kind of music did you listen to when you were growing up?
SD: It was interesting because my dad loved theater and he loved show tunes. We had a piano and he'd play them and sing. My brother loved classical music. So I grew up hearing both!

BB: You were talking about stars with neutral accents, Who did you emulate in particular?
SD: I didn't really try to copy anybody especially. I just loved the "clean" accent of the studio-trained actresses of the day.

BB: Is Sally Darling your real name?
SD: Darling is real. My first name is actually Sarah but I've always called myself Sally.
BB: So it has nothing to do with the character from To Kill a Mockingbird?
SD: No, not at all.

BB: Tell us a little bit about your show "Perspectives," which will be at Don't Tell Mama, 5pm on Sunday, Dec. 13th.
SD: Well, I adore Sidney Meyer [club owner/manager] and his cabaret. I love playing that room! It's gotten to feel like home for me.
BB: I know Sidney from my old cabaret show days. He's just wonderful!
SD: I couldn't agree with you more.

BB: For "Perspectives," how do you select your songs? How did you make your choices?
SD: The theme for "Perspectives" is how we see things. How each of us, individually, sees things. And our reactions to what we see are filtered through our basic nature, our upbringing, et cetera.
BB: And how did you select the songs for this act?
SD: Well, I have to confess that, very often, when Matthew Martin Ward and I create a new show, we put together a group of songs we love and, hopefully, a theme will emerge. Once we get the songs we want, and we get them in the order we want, then I write the text that will add a structure, an order to it all.

BB: What songs might we expect from this show?
SD: Rodgers and Hart's "Falling in Love with Love," "Willow Weep of Me," Jerry Herman's "I Don't Want to Know" and a number of favorites from the Great American Songbook!

BB: You have a distinct gay following and, as my blog appeals to a large LGBT audience, I was wondering if there's anything you'd like to say to them in particular.
SD: I think people are people and I see my audience as individuals. Gay/straight, black/white, male/female. I think everybody deserves respect and equal treatment under the law. I'm very much in support of that.

BB: Sally, thank you so much. I look forward to seeing you at Don't Tell Mama on the 13th.
SD: Same here, Buddy! See you then. It was delightful talking to you.

On the Town with Buddy Beaverhausen: Songs of the 1950s, '60s & '70s @ the Metropolitan Room, NYC

L. to R: Andrew, Gretchen & Me

From the opening "Rock Around the Clock" medley, host Gretchen Reinhagen's A Celebration of the '50s, '60s and '70s at the Metropolitan Room was a polished doozy of a show from start to finish.

Sidney Myer, who runs the legendary Don't Tell Mama cabaret in midtown took to the stage early and performed with great gusto. He sang "A Pocketful of Miracles," theme song for the 1961 Frank Capra film starring Glenn Ford, Bette Davis and Hope Lange. In 1970, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles had a single release from their album of the same name.

Sidney followed that up with one of his favorites, Marlene Dietrich's 1957 "I May Never Go Home Any More," showcasing his camp sense of showmanship that is always refreshingly welcome as is his bravado, gentlemanly approach to his numbers.

Mark Cummings performed "O Solo Mio/It's Now or Never" and "How Deep Is Your Love" with admirable bravado.

Providing beautiful back-up vocals throughout the show, Karen Mack did a fabulous job on both "You and Me Against the World," a tribute to Helen Reddy, and Carol King's "One Fine Day."

Sidney Meyer & Me

Denise Spann-Morgan never fails to amaze and entertain with her charmingly raucous patter and belt-it-outta-the-ballpark voice. She covered "All in Love Is Fair" and "Boats Against the Current" with equally soulful aplomb. She can do no wrong in my book.

Gretchen returned with some amusing patter before doing her arrangement of "Afternoon Delight" before the show's musical director, Andrew David Sotomayor covered King's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word." Andrew is a combination of strong, sexy vocals, brilliant keyboard work and dark and handsome good looks.

After her tribute to '70s disco, the ensemble joined in to sing "Listen to the Music," a fitting finale indeed. If summer afternoon plans prevented you from being part of today's very enthusiastic audience, don't miss the next date for this series with its upcoming, equally spectacular line-up.

Tonight's stars

On the Town with Buddy B: Once in Love with Amy

Everyone loves Amy, or so it seemed Wednesday night at the event Once in Love with Amy when the cabaret community came together to benefit the singer, college instructor and New York sweetheart recovering from surgery after being struck by a car that ran a red light.

There were so many amazing performances starting with the benefit's organizer and our night's emcee, Mr Kevin Scott Hall, who opened the evening singing "If I Can Help Somebody." The line-up of love included multiple MAC and Bistro Awards winners; Broadway star Raissa Katona Bennett and Adam B. Shapiro of HBO's The Normal Heart. Mama's manager, Sidney Meyer, even took to the stage to entertain with a camp rendition of the Marlene Dietrich song, "I May Never Go Home Any More." Everybody's favorite cabaret accompanist/musical director, Darryl Kojak was masterfully on piano during most acts involved.

It was wonderful meeting many of these talented people after the show. So many highlights! Amy's Vocal/acting students fom Manhattan College's Wagner School of Music blew everybody away with their fresh-faced Glee-like rendition of selections from Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along.

Cabaret stalwarts Vickie Phillips (singing "Life Story"), Tanyas Holt and Moberly ("Laughing Matters" and Carole King's "You've Got a Friend," respectively), Donna Elliott ("Too Marvelous for Words"), Laurie Krauz's vampish/campish "Send Me a Man," Kailey Wynan's "Brave" and on and on! They showed up with heartfelt love and powerful pipes as part of this epic effort in support of Amy.

Cabaret critic Rob Lester delivered a comic monolog that was hilarious if a bit long-winded.

An amazing night of the stars of NYC cabaret paying homage to a clearly moved and grateful Ms Williams. More photo ops posted below:

Kevin and Vickie Phillips at left. Below: Raissa Katona Bennett, Ron Giles and I, Tanya Moberly, WTC Fans of Amy.

Buddy Beaverhausen Goes Where the Love Is with Kim Grogg

Kim Grogg is every bit the diva and, when she took to the stage at Don't Tell Mama in her light blonde bangs and bob cut, pronounced mascara and fire-engine red lips and flowing blouse, she came across as part Peggy Lee, part Dusty Springfield in an effervescent cabaret show that the packed house demonstrably enjoyed.

This was the second of four nights of her engagement (two remaining shows will be on Friday, December 5 and Sunday, the 7th) but it was grand. If this Tuesday night crowd pleaser is any indication, she will return.

In her introduction, Ms Grogg clearly explains her show is not necessarily about romantic love but largely about varied platonic forms of love. For her dog, for example, as she covers Nellie McKay's "Dog Song." Her self-penned "Go Where the Love Is" opens her act and sets the tone.

While the show is largely upbeat in a contempo pop/jazz style (at which this songbird excels), there is a very nice mix of more downbeat ballads. Drama! Like James Taylor's "Millworker" (exquisitely delivered) and "Almost Better." I would have enjoyed hearing Ms Grogg do a few more "serious" songs although the largely ebullient tone is distinctly something desperately needed in cabaret acts these days.

I could relate to Kim's schpiel about being a long-time Manhattanite who moved to Staten Island (I moved, after most my adult life in the Village to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (right across the Verrazzano Bridge) three years ago this month) before launching into "A Torch Song" about the Statue of Liberty.

There were several clever medleys, I felt, in this show: "I've Got No Strings" melded with "Call Me Irresponsible;" the multi-medley camp combo including "Killing Me Softly," "Torn Between Two Lovers" and "Turn the Beat Around;" Harold Arlen's "Happy As The Day Is Long" paired with Pharrell Williams' "Happy," and the encore medley of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" with Kim's cover of Bruno Mars' "Count On Me."

And then there are the boys and girl in the band, including two cabaret award-winners: musical director Steven Ray Watkins and Lennie Watts; plus a violinist and female drummer who provide an expert ensemble for the Mac Award-nominated vocalist.

Any artist who can get his or her audience to enthusiastically clap along to one of his or her closing tunes must be doing something right! I recommend catching Kim Grogg's show on the two remaining dates for this engagement. Go where the love -- and the talent -- is.

Special thanks to the show's promoter, Richard Skipper and Richard Skipper Celebrates. http://www.richardskipper.com/

Revenge of the First-Rate Lounge Act: Ronnie Giles

Ronnie Giles' "Revenge of the Third-rate Lounge Act" was a breezy afternoon treat that swept through a packed house at Don't Tell Mama with plenty of aplomb and no shortage of charm.

Ron's nonchalance and his smooth vocals made this a thorough Saturday afternoon delight. Bistro Awards founder, Sherry Eaker, was there as was Bistro Committee member and Edge NY's cabaret critic, Kevin Scott Hall. I was seated with Kevin and my friend, dance-diva Karin Nagi, here to address the United Nations as head of the organization, Voices for Children & Animals. We were entertained enormously by Ron's show.

Ron's quintessential showmanship and suave, classic crooner of a voice (that did not hit a false note throughout the performance) led us through standards like "On the Street Where You Live," "The Girl from Ipanema" and "I Get a Kick Out of You."

There is an endearingly '60s lounge-act quality indeed to Ron's schtick and he knows it. This show's title is Ron's response to a supercilious (and just super-silly) cabaret critic who used the term "third-rate lounge singer" to crudely dismiss Ron's act.

Ron did one of his Sinatra numbers ("The Tender Trap") and a tribute to Gerry Goffin ("Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?") before ending with "Witchcraft." He came back to the stage to sing "I Wish You Love," his encore.

Darryl Kojak, musical director and on piano, was outstanding, as always. The easy banter between Giles and Kojak made us laugh and added to the free-wheeling quality of the show.

Ron doesn't offer up snob appeal. Ron offers us a return to a simpler form of cabaret -- very focused on sheer entertaining. If there is a theme to Ron's show, it's to enjoy the nostalgic simplicity often missing from our current fare. I would love to hear Ron tackle a contemporary pop song with '60s stylings, a'la The Puppini Sisters.

Lounge singer? Yes! Why, I don't think it's a bad word at all! I love it. I think Ron Giles does, too. And I recommend you do NOT miss this first-rate lounge singer when he returns!

With Ron Giles at the Bistro Awards 2012

Vickie Phillips: A Class Act

Vickie Phillips is a tenacious cabaret performer who admits to being 80 years old this year. She received a Bistro Award this past March and has been performing in NYC cabaret since her first show at The Bushes of Central Park West in 1974. The Bushes are long gone but Miss Vickie is still standing, a true survivor and icon of the cabaret scene in the city.

It was indeed a pleasure to be at the premiere of her new show, "Keeping Alive the Summery, Breezy Side of Brel, Weill & Aznavour!" at Don't Tell Mama. With her kinetic energy, spot-on soprano and dramatic renderings vocally, facially and physically, she certainly knows how to put across a song, let me tell you!

She entered with the upbeat opening number, Brel's "Brussels," walking to the stage, down the aisle, and engaging some of her audience intimately, establishing a direct and warm connection with the house.

Vickie''s on-stage presence is solid and displays a mastery of showmanship. Her patter is down-to-earth but alternately funny, dramatic and always fascinating. The true-life saga of how she got the music sheet to sing Charles Aznavour's unpublished "Sailor Boys" is a captivating one that speaks of Ms Phillips' devotion to her craft. It was an especially welcome song to hear during Fleet Week.

The singer beautifully covered Weill's "My Ship" from the Broadway show, Lady in the Dark, and brought me to tears with both her renditions of Weill's "September Song" and Brel''s "Mariieke." Her encore, "If We Only Have Love," also by Brel, received a standing O. And her bliss-to-madness portrayal of his roundelay, "Carousel," was sheer performance-art brilliance.

Kudos, too, to the show's musical director, Gerry Dieffenbach, who accompanied Ms Phillips on vocals a well as piano.

Vickie Phillips returns to Don't Tell Mama with this fabulous cabaret experience June 7 and July 12 and 26. Not to be missed by discriminating New Yorkers and visitors alike.

Amy Beth Williams' Crazy Love

Amy Beth Williams appeared at Don't Tell Mama, the venerable cabaret on West 46th Street's Restaurant Row, in a new show entitled Crazy to Love You. The Leonard Cohen song of that name opens the act and deftly conveys the theme of love lost for her 17-song set. The numbers are sometimes saucy, sometimes sweet, both modern and classic, but always conveyed with sincerity and a crystal-clear coloratura voice that can be powerful or subtle, depending on what is required of the material.

The 2012 Bistro Award winner was at the top of her game in her recent act, whether singing "Autumn Leaves" in French and English or the clever "The Art Teacher" by Rufus Wainright. Her renditions of "That Old Feeling" and "I Cover the Waterfront" were extremely poignant, the latter 1933 tune in a medley with the 2009 "When the Wind Blows Up." Janis Ian's "She Must Be Beautiful" was especially heart-rending as interpreted.

Amy's gamut of emotions ran from camp hilarity to stirring sympathy throughout Crazy to Love You, and she was received enthusiastically by her audience that included dynamic NYC cabaret veteran (also a Bistro Award winner) Vickie Phillips (returning to Don't Tell Mama May 24, June 7 and two dates in July). The set included songs by Irving Berlin and by The Puppini Sisters, by Johnny Mercer as well as Melanie, mostly with great success. I felt that only "Can't Smile Without You," popularized by Barry Manilow and arranged very slowly here, misfired because it felt burdened by such gravitas. It's best bouncy.

Largely, the show was wonderfully arranged, however, by music director Darryl Kojak who accompanied Ms Williams on piano while Will Holshouser provided hauntingly soulful accompaniment on accordion. Bistro and MAC Award winner Tanya Moberly directed with aplomb, noticeably strengthening Amy's stage presence. Next time, a little more patter might matter as Amy is charmingly disarming when she engages us between musical numbers.

Be on the look-out, New York, when Amy Beth Williams returns with this show. She is a perfect model of why cabaret is one of NYC's most precious and lively arts. Her encore for the night was Pink's "Glitter in the Air." Indeed there was.

"Golden" Boy: Kevin Scott Hall

Kevin Scott Hall is a good friend of mine. He is also a true renaissance man. Singer, songwriter, author, critic, columnist, teacher, cabaret coach, he can -- and does -- do it all. Saturday night, July 21, he entertained at his final show at Don't Tell Mama on 46th Street in Manhattan.

Entitled "Golden," this was Kevin's intended swan song as an entertainer. Hopefully, it will be a farewell performance a'la Cher's or Barbra's, because he was too good not to come back to us onstage. This was Kevin's first show after an eight-year absence from the stage.

Kevin opened with "I'll Play for You" by Seals & Crofts and made his way through a tasteful and creative portfolio of tunes strung together by playful patter, proving he is also a charming raconteur. A discussion of his first colonoscopy somehow seamlessly segued into Alanis Morissette's "You Learn" and, while his stance on gay marriage received applause, it ironically gave way to Kevin's touching rendition of the Frank Loesser 1959 classic, "Never Will I Marry."

It is clear from his monologues that life has thrown a fair share of tragedies and bad luck Kevin's way. He spoke eloquently of the death of his dear friend, Maurice, and of his near-fatal stabbing by a serial attacker in the '90s. Kevin's penultimate number was a gospel-rousing rendition of Paul Simon's "Gone At Last," getting the crowd to its feet in joyful support, clapping in time.

Of course, it was the 12th song into the show that I was most invested in because, you see, it was written by me. It is a disco number I patterned after the Pet Shop Boys (no one song in particular), more homage than spoof, and it's called "No More Mister Nice Guy." Kevin wove the story of his stabbing and -- to add insult to injury -- the court appearances following, into the bridge of the tune.

I was in good company as songs by Stephen Schwartz, Julie Gold, Carrie Underwood and the show's musical director and pianist, Clare Cooper, were also part of Kevin's "Golden" set.

"This fellow sends you back out into New York with inspiration and dreams," wrote WNYX-TV of one of Kevin's earlier acts. Last night's show was proof that Kevin continues to inspire us all with his songs and monologues. I am proud to be his friend.

Excellent support by Steve Marks on bass, Bernice Brooks on drums, Allison Mickelson and Alexus Bertrand-Price on back-up vocals. Kudos all for such a wonderful and entertaining night out.