Review: HOT HOT HOT A SUMMER CONCERT Showcases Talent and Teaching at Don't Tell Mama

In a spectacular piece of poor advertising, the show calendar on the Don't Tell Mama website announced the following for July 13th:

SINGING STUDENTS OF Lina Koutrakos

ENSEMBLE CAST

$20.00 COVER CHARGE AND A $20.00 MINIMUM (MUST INCLUDE 2 DRINKS) PER PERSON

FOOD MENU AVAILABLE

CASH ONLY

SEATING FROM 6:15PM

APPROXIMATE RUNNING TIME: 70 MINUTES

The singing students of Lina Koutrakos, it turns out, are some of the cabaret industry's most valuable and visible talents. Why their names and some kind of artwork hadn't been made available to the cabaret-going, ticket-buying people of New York was a mystery, but a little amateur sleuthing turned up a cast list for the group show that featured names like Diane D'Angelo, Joanne Halev, Jamie Salzano, Susan Mack, Kati Neiheisel, and some other five or six artists and, within moments, this reviewer had a reservation. Seeing group shows made up of students in a cabaret class isn't something that one can invest energy in every time they happen and, with a respected teacher like Lina Koutrakos at the helm, the cast could be one made up of just about anyone, including teenagers and amateurs. When, however, the cast is comprised of these people: Go.

So, go, I did.

During her opening remarks for the program otherwise titled HOT HOT HOT a SUMMER CONCERT, Ms. Koutrakos actually touched upon the possible misconceptions to be found in naming a show Singing Students of Lina Koutrakos, referencing a group of children standing in a line across the stage, singing recital material, so at least the awareness of the importance of proper advertising was in the room. But the truth is that the evening's entertainment didn't need proper advertising because every single seat in The Brick Room was occupied. Lina's class recital could just as easily have played Don't Tell Mama's Original Room (which seats nearly thirty more people) and the performance would have been sold out. Apparently, once the word got out that this particular collective of singers would be performing, other members of the cabaret and concert industry had the same thought as this writer: Go. Looking around the room, through the sea of heads and shoulders and masks and hairdos, one could spot the likes of Sue Matsuki, Maria Corsaro, Deborah Stone, Sidney Myer, and Joanne Halev... which didn't bode well for the concert since Halev, one of the brightest new stars in cabaret, had been announced on the bill, but would, apparently, not actually play (insert frowning emoji here). Well, with or without Joanne Halev, the concert would move forward and members of the community were champing at the bit to see it.

Instructors in the craft of cabaret are important. There are those who do not agree with this philosophy, those who believe that, in order to sing cabaret, all one needs is a setlist, an accompanist, and a microphone. That would be, categorically, incorrect. Every actor working in the performing arts should continue to return to class, throughout their lives. There are famous actors, well into their dotage, who have continued to go to class, singers who will not abandon the work they do with their vocal coaches, and every ballerina will tell you that the mainstay of their artistry is returning to the barre. Cabaret, as one of the performing arts, is a living, breathing organism, continually evolving as an art form, and as a personal expression. The craftspeople engaged in the art of storytelling (musical or otherwise) within the cabaret community should always be open to returning to class.

The nine artists who appeared in last night's production at Don't Tell Mama are all gifted performers whose dedication to their craft and their coach has paid off. And, as they continue to attend classes (with any teacher they care to nominate, whether Koutrakos or a Master Class instructor), their ability at their craft will continue to grow, and, judging by their two numbers each last night, there is no reason why these artists shouldn't be appearing in group shows, solo shows, and award shows throughout the year (some of these performers are woefully under-represented at The Bistro Awards, the MAC Awards, and the Cabaret Convention, and one wonders why). With Musical Director Gregory Toroian at the piano for their eighty-minute program, the HOT HOT HOT company presented a wonderfully enjoyably (if a bit ballad heavy) evening of music.

Crooner Dorian Woodruff was the right choice for kicking off the evening because Woodruff may have the most cabaret experience of the entire company, having been playing the club and concert stages since sometime in the Eighties, a scant decade or two back. Although the always elegant and confident Woodruff is well-known for favoring ballads, it was a welcome change of pace to have him start the show with the lighter, rolling, slightly swingy "Nice And Easy" and, indeed, it made this writer wish for an entire Dorian Woodruff show sans ballads. It's not likely to happen, but one can dream. Whether working on the jaunty opening number or presenting his unique spin on the Disco classic "Copacabana" two things stood out to this audience member last night. It's easy to forget how powerful Dorian Woodruff's voice is because he does sing all those tender ballads... but during this show, the boy singer was putting out such controlled force that his microphone was, at all times, at least one foot from his face, sometimes more. It was genuinely impressive. The other thing that stood out wasn't a surprise, and it isn't something easily forgotten, but it is something that one can always have a welcome reminder of: this is one of the truly beautiful voices. Where is our Dorian Woodruff CD?

Susan Mack was the perfect person for the crucial second spot in the lineup. With her easy-going and affable air (and a chic and playful white ensemble) Ms. Mack took the opening number energy and eased the audience into the body of the program, helping them to relax into what was certainly going to be a lengthy period of time sitting and listening to ballads. Between her comfortable personal demeanor and her innate elegance as a performer, watching Mack in action was like experiencing a Yin and Yang cabaret performer. Occasional visions would tiptoe through the mind of Mack, dressed in floor-length black velvet, giving out full torch singer realness, while the pure, pretty timbre of her voice conjured a longing for a blue jean clad Susan singing the folk songs of Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins. Working with an original composition by Steve Sieck titled "September's Not So Far Away" and one of the Bergman's lesser-known compositions, "Like a Lover" (written with Dori Caymmi), Ms. Mack showed some versatility in musical vocabulary, and that is not easily accomplished in ten minutes of a group show. It readies a person for her upcoming show in November, a show where anything could happen.

Although most people working in the small venues of the industry are simply referenced as singers, Ann Talman's skills demand the moniker storyteller. A perfectly lovely singer with a pleasing voice, Talman's particular gift is that every moment on the stage, every move, every sigh, every note sung, every word spoken, every raised eyebrow, half-smile, or lowering of eyelids is employed in service of the story. Whether sitting on a stool and cheekily performing the theme song to The Andy Griffith Show or weaving a family history through a Jerry Herman classic, Ann Talman has come to tell a story, with purpose, with consciousness, and without a single shred of random influence. In her work as a performing artist, Ann Talman always, first, surveys the lay of the land and, then, chooses that which will best tell the story she has come to tell. It is one of the things that will make her a cabaret storyteller audiences demand to see.

A new artist to this writer, Margaret Curry presented a sleek yet welcoming persona during her two numbers last night. Statuesque with cool Patrician beauty, there is every possibility that a person might find Ms. Curry a bit intimidating, like a swan too pretty to look at, lest you turn to salt. Nothing could be further from the truth - Margaret Curry's sophisticated beauty is a setting for a sweet-natured singer with a reedy voice as delicate as a filigree necklace. Amiable and relatable, Curry applied her pathos and passion to two musical theater classics from The Pajama Game and Finian's Rainbow in a manner that illustrates the potential a musical artist can have for discovering new shades in old corridors. Not content to simply stand on a stage and sing "Hey There" and "Old Devil Moon," as pulled from the music books from the musical plays, Ms. Curry made an exploration into the material that could yield a more tender, personal, approach to songs, perhaps, too often sung, rendering them fresh, interesting, and thoughtful.

The biggest surprise of the program for this writer, and the artist whose next solo show I will catch, at all costs, was Elvira Tortora. Why this artist has escaped my attention is beyond me, but the work displayed by this singing actress last night was so special as to be something originating from deep within. Koutrakos is a good teacher, but there are some things that walk in the door with the performer, and Elvira Tortora embodies, absolutely, what it is for an artist to bring their own personal gifts to their work. In back-to-back numbers that define what it is to be a cabaret storyteller, Elvira Tortora was completely connected to everything around her. The lyrics, the audience, the piano, the pianist, the melody - nothing was left in the air during Tortora's "Amore, Scusami" and "A Quiet Thing." Nothing escaped her watchful attention to detail or her insistence on staying in the pocket. Witnessing Elvira Tortora in the act of performance was both eye-opening and jaw-dropping. One to watch.

Honey-voiced Kati Neiheisel is building up a reputation for soothing, laid-back performances of ballads and pop songs that allow her to simply stand center stage, using that gorgeous (no, really, gorgeous) instrument to carry the audience away on a river of melody. When a person has a voice like this, they can tend to eschew emotions and lean into the glory of the sound, and that's fine, if that is where an artist wants to go. Neiheisel may still be finding her brand as an artist but after last night's spirited performance of the Seventies Barbra Streisand pop song "The Woman In The Moon," it is clear that there is more to Kati than those beautiful Carpenters ballads for which she has come to be known. The Williams-Ascher composition gave Ms. Neiheisel some chances for some real rhythm and impressive belting - it was enough to make the mouth water. Not one to disappoint the fans, though, Kati and Toroian, the MD and arranger for said Carpenters show, performed one of their most inventive treatments, "Close To You," proving why people want to hear Kati sing these songs, and one of this writer's favorite things to note is that Kati Neiheisel does not interrupt her storytelling to urge the audience to applaud Gregory for his pretty piano solo. Instrumental interludes are lovely and they are appreciated, but when an artist breaks out of the song to prompt the audience to applaud the musician, they have effectively stopped the storytelling action. Kati Neiheisel put the story first, and that's an elegant way to do cabaret.

And then came Geoff Stoner. And then came comedy. And then came a collective sigh of relief. The ballads are beautiful but comedy is key. Mr. Stoner's performance of George Winters' musical monologue "Eggs In The Rain" was a welcome respite from all the mooney emotions and sleepy rhythms brought on by too many ballads. Stoner was hilarious in his whimsical performance detailing a nightmarish experience involving a bus stop, a mugging, and a purse with unusual contents. The storytelling and demeanor Mr. Stoner possesses is so unique and individual that it led this reporter to scribble out the word "Aznavour" on a piece of paper. It isn't that Geoff Stoner sounds like Aznavour or performs like Aznavour - but his investment in the story being told and the skill with which he tells it is easily compared to that of the legendary French performer. Even when switching gears to the traditional R&H classic "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top," Stoner's artistic mission statement was crystal clear: originality and fancy, first and foremost. Mission most definitely accomplished.

Jamie Salzano is another artist whose work was in the spotlight for the first time, for this writer. And what a refreshing revelation this was. A beauty and a fashion plate, Ms. Salzano has a very particular sound to her voice, and it's one that some singers might allow to limit their work, but not Jamie Salzano. With a breathy, almost baby doll, quality to it, Salzano's voice is one that a person might think should be singing specialty material, but Jamie wisely chose to bust open that preconception with the aching and breaking "Good Morning Heartache" and the art of acting landed front and center. Without leaning into anything resembling grandstanding or showboating, Jamie Salzano stood in the bentside of the piano and kept everything from her emotions to her breath control completely in check so that the Billie Holiday torch song could be the star of her performance and, in doing so, Salzano made herself the star, after which she made the savvy choice of showing off her versatility with some up-tempo belting and a Rodgers and Hart medley. It was a well-planned set for the powerful and petite performer that casts a light on promising future projects.

And, finally, the evening was closed out by the engaging and enigmatic Diane D'Angelo, the evening's artist with the strongest relationship with the audience. Watching Ms. D'Angelo work the room during her two-song set was akin to watching the great saloon singers of the past. Reminiscent of women like Rosemary Clooney, Sophie Tucker, and Mae West, D'Angelo's beautiful face and blonde tresses shone like a beacon of light on a dark stage, until one realized that it wasn't the lighting, it wasn't the beauty, it wasn't the L'Oreal: this was all Diane D'Angelo. Brimming over with a perfect combination of talent, confidence, sass, humor and an absolute mission to connect with every person sitting in the seats out front, D'Angelo commanded the stage, she commanded the material, she commanded the art form of cabaret, and she commanded that the audience fall in love and follow her wherever she went. And they did. And they will, when she opens her new show at 54 Below this season. As astute a move as it was to open the evening with Dorian Woodruff, that is how cooly calculated a move it was to close it out with Diane D'Angelo. It rendered perfect the showcase of the singing students of Lina Koutrakos, an evening this writer might have missed out on but that the fates intervened in, and what a stroke of luck that was because these singing students should all be out singing for their supper, all year long, and not just during a Hot Hot Hot Summer Concert.

Find great shows to see on the Don't Tell Mama website HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

Visit the Stephen Mosher website HERE.

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