BWW Award-Nominated Series NEW YORK CABARET'S GREATEST HITS Announces Eight New Shows for 2017 Season at Metropolitan Room

Cabaret Life Productions Owner Stephen Hanks has announced that NEW YORK CABARET'S GREATEST HITS, the BroadwayWorld.com Award Nominated monthly series at New York's Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street) he launched (with Associate Producer Fr. Jeffrey Hamblin, MD) in August, 2105, will present productions of eight Award-winning or critically acclaimed shows of the past during 2017. The series' new season will open on Monday, February 13 at 7 pm with Jenna Esposito's MAC Award-Nominated 2009 Connie Francis Tribute Show, Jenna Esposito Sings Connie Francis, followed by Adam Shapiro's 2013 MAC Award-Winning Guide to the Perfect Breakup on Wednesday, March 15 at 7 pm.

The rest of the 2017 New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits season will include (all shows at 7 pm; $20 cover charge plus $25 food/drink minimum):

May 13: Colm Reilly, Bein' Green-A Collection of Irish Songs; June 19: Sarah Rice, Screen Gems Songs of Old Hollywood; August 9: Alexis Cole, The Magic of Disney Love Songs; September 13: Billie Roe, Dangerous Women-Life in Film Noir; November 13: Mary Liz McNamara & Ritt Henn, Take That!; December 13: Pamela Lewis, Daddy's Little Girl.

"We're thrilled to presenting another season of wonderful shows that New York cabaret audiences may never have been lucky enough to attend," says Series Producer Hanks, who also serves as show host. "From the very first presentation, the series has really taken off and going into next year we will have offered 16 fabulous shows that generated enthusiastic audiences."

Metropolitan Room Managing Partner Bernie Furshpan approached Hanks in late 2014 about producing and hosting a series at the club. Hanks says he really didn't have a good idea for a variety show of any kind until he heard Julie Reyburn perform her Award-Winning 2000 show Fate Is Kind at a Bay Ridge, Brooklyn church where Fr. Jeffrey Hamblin was the pastor. "That's when the light went on," Hanks says. "I knew then that celebrating terrific past shows was the way to go. And, so far, every performer has raised their game and hit a home run."

"Stephen Hanks hit the nail on the head with this insanely successful series," Furshpan says. "Our audiences have raved about these shows and we're thrilled to have booked the series for 2017."

Julie Reyburn says she's honored that a show she (and her Musical Director Mark Janas) created 16 years ago inspired the series. "It's a thrill to see New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits flourish and expand," Reyburn says. "There are many special voices in this town and Stephen and Jeff Hamblin have created a platform to showcase and share them with the world."

Hanks says that five of the 16 shows extended their runs, including Meg Flather's revival of her 1993 show Portraits, and the offering from singer Laurie Krauz and her musical director Daryl Kojak (left), who presented highlights of their 25-year collaboration. Both shows received raves.

"Performing Portraits in the New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits series raised my game and changed my creative and professional life," admits Flather, who went on to do the show four more times at Don't Tell Mama during 2016. According to Krauz, revisiting her 25-year musical partnership with Kojak was "literally a transformative experience."

For more information about New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits, contact Stephen Hanks, Cabaret Life Productions, cabaretlifeproductions@gmail.com

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