Julie Wilson declares 'I'm Still Here' to Unveil Helen's Hideaway Room

If you're going to throw a party, and the grand opening of a new cabaret room in Chelsea is certainly a reason to party, you could not ask for a livelier hostess more capable of showing the gang a good old time than the evergreen Julie Wilson. Charging onto the stage from the back of the audience, boa feathers aflutter, exuding the joyful energy of a 7-year-old making her first appearance as an Annie orphan, Wilson understood the importance of her premiere engagement at the new Hideaway Room at Helen's Restaurant/Lounge/Piano Bar for the New York cabaret community. She was Babe Ruth happily prepared to smack one out of the park because that's exactly what was expected of her.

Times have been rough on the cabaret world, with several beloved clubs shutting their doors in recent years for economic reasons. But an upswing has been in progress with Helen's, occupying the same space as the now defunct Judy's, as the latest in a string of new venues that have popped up. What The Hideaway Room provides is a middle ground between the inexpensive, 2-drink minimum and no food spaces and the higher-priced upscale rooms. With, for the current engagement, a $25 cover charge and many menu selections falling within the $15 minimum, it's a place where, for less than the cost of a half-price ticket to a Broadway musical (minus the wait at TKTS) and a quick bite at a Times Square diner, you can enjoy a full meal in an intimate setting and be entertained up close and personally by an established cabaret star. The continental menu contains a variety of entrees ranging between $10 and $23, Four dollars gets you a tasty cup of Chelsea Oyster Stew, with many more appetizers under $10. There's even a burger menu (which includes turkey burgers and portobello mushroom burgers) for $9-$12. Although there were the understandable glitches in serving a packed house of 70 on opening night, the charming staff enthusiastically sought out to remedy all problems and keep spirits high.

At 79 years of age, the words "living legend" don't seem to comfortably fit Ms. Wilson. Not that she hasn't earned the title, what with numerous starring roles in Broadway and West End productions such as Kiss Me, Kate, South Pacific and The Pajama Game and a decades-long reputation as one of New York's top-flight, equal parts gutsy and gracious, nightclub performers. But there is always a sense of immediacy about a Julie Wilson performance that defies the nostalgia associated with the word "legend". No matter how many times she tingles to "Can That Boy Foxtrot" or relives moments when "The Music Went Out of My Life", there is always the high technique of a musical actress digging for interesting new lyric interpretations. Friday night's dangerously embittered character singing "Surabaya Johnny" was a sharp contrast to the heartbroken lilt she's used in previous performances, and perhaps Saturday night's audience heard another completely different interpretation. Julie Wilson can't be a legend for the simple fact that her work is continually in progress.

In her current show I'm Still Here (Even the title emphasizes the immediacy of her work.) Wilson presents a collection of her (and our) favorite songs from throughout her career, each sounding as fresh as a dewy white gardenia, the flower she wears over her left ear in tribute to Billie Holiday. Everyone will have their own choices as the highlights of the evening, as is appropriate for an act that's filled with showstoppers. My personal favorites, along with those mentioned above, was the wildly eccentric "Do Be a Darling", a Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields creation that strongly suggests Cole Porter's classic "Miss Otis Regrets", and an odd little parody medley written by Joe E. Lewis, complete with an impersonation of the the 1920's nightclub singer whose throat was cut during an attempted mob hit, leaving him with a raspy voice that he utilized for a new career as a comedian. But aside from the songs, a highlight of any Julie Wilson performance is to enjoy her connection with the audience. Whether she's winking at a handsome gent seated up front or sharing her affection for the late Peter Allen, her earnest pleasure in having you there covers you like a warm blanket.

Julie Wilson's I'm Still Here plays at Helen's Hideaway Room, 169 Eighth Avenue between 18th and 19th Street, April 8-10, with the strong possibility (as of yet unconfirmed) of an extension. Call 212-206-0609 for reservations and information.

For Michael Dale's "mad adventures of a straight boy living in a gay world" visit dry2olives.com

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