Review: The Green Room 42 Gives Us All a VODKA STINGER & IAHHHHHHHHHHHHH'LL Drink To Vodka Stinger and The Martha Rayes In: THE BITCH IS BACK

Heigh-Ho, My Merry Rainbow Tribe! Bobby Patrick your RAINBOW Reviewer here. Putting the silent T in CABARET to bring you all the T.

To be honest, cherubs, Bobby had never heard of the Drag Queen Vodka Stinger (the creation of actor/singer/nightclub performer Garth Shilling) before last week, but after catching this saucy B!+CHES act at The Green Room 42 Monday night, WE shall never forget her. Why? You ask. I'll tell you... That voice! Oh make no mistake here my loves, Vodka Stinger is funny and her act is slick, professional, adult and cool (more on that in a minute,) but the voice on this Diva is indescribable. Trumpet-like is barely sufficient a descriptor. Powerful is a simple, accurate and dull way to try and convey what we heard. Sharp in tone, perfectly pitched and completely singular is getting closer, but before we fry our brains and your nerves trying to put it in print, we will simply say, you just have to hear it for yourselves, my angels. If Nell Carter and Andre De Shields could have had a child, this is the voice that offspring would have... OHHKAYYYY!

In a succession of 14 numbers, all expertly backed up by the duo The Martha Rayes (Dan Travis and Michele Foor) and her 3 piece band led by her long-time Musical Director, Frank Spitznagel, La Stinger DID NOT bring us a cabaret of crooning and drag conjuring. Instead, this show was a groovy, naughty NIGHT CLUB ACT with plenty of old fashioned belt and grind in the manner of Bette Middler at the baths. Indeed Ms. Stinger attributed Ms. Middler as a major influence and even source from which she liberally stole... uhhh borrowed. Following an outline that included:

THE BITCH IS BACK
BITCHES WHO KILL BITCHES (or Husbands)
&
TRASHY BITCHES

her songs moved from jazz to blues, to pop, & back to jazz and then an off-ramp to Broadway as her voice went from powerful belt to softly smokey to brassy boldness with never a sign of fatigue or misstep. Her range, phrasing, and intonation hinted at a lot of professional training that did not fail her all evening. In a beautiful tiger-striped pantsuit, big flaming red wig and FAB shoes she hopped up on the piano, glided across the stage, slinked down into the audience and executed perfectly timed unison choreo with The Rayes throughout the night keeping her comedy commentary mostly soft and subtle in a "You come to me..." stage presence that was indeed as sexy as Sharon Stone, to quote the Stinger. In a surprise turn to a moment of seriousness, the audience heard from the lady that there was a period of no performing for her, due to personal and professional downsides that caused her to pull away for a time. Thank the almighty spirit of Judy Garland for Jason Jude Hill and Daniel Sears of Grumpy Entertainment who had seen Vodka Stinger perform for a benefit and decided she needed a comeback because this diva is one who should always work. There are performers in all genres who are lights that illuminate and elevate their art forms and Ms. Vodka Stinger is one of those who are, quite simply, that special. Finishing her act with a number she claimed bombed at her 7:PM show, she picked up Sondheim's quintessential smokey diva paene to all things bored, rich and entitled tossed it in the air and hit THE LADIES WHO LUNCH squarely out of the park.

If you are like MOI and this is the first time you're hearing anything about Ms. Vodka Stinger, let MOI and all my rainbows assure you that this is a Diva to watch for and experience for yourselves in a nightclub setting or wherever drinks and gays in all their ways gather to FEEL the art of drag. For all this entertainment, fun and drag magic we give Ms. Vodka Stinger a hearty 5 out of 5 Rainbows.

Read a little more Broadway World Coverage on Vodka Stinger and Grumpy Entertainment: HERE

Vodka Stinger Has A Webby: HERE
Grab Your Vodka Stinger By Her Twitter: HERE
Inspect Her YouTubes: HERE

Stalk Her Insta: HERE

And Ye Olde FaceBooke: HERE

Grumpy Entertainment Has Their Webby: HERE

* All Photos By My Boss, Stephen Mosher

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