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A CurtainUpFeature
The 2010 Night Life Awards
For the eighth year, Scott Siegel has offered his salute to New York 's night life at Town Hall, with what he calls an "Awards Concert"— just performances with announcements and thanks kept to a minimum. What the audience gets are some of the best live entertainment around, in cabaret, jazz and comedy, by award winners and by guest artists.
This year the show was hosted by outrageous funnyman/writer Bruce Vilanch, introducing himself as "I'm Chastity Bono". He was off from there and not surprisingly, humor wove its wacky way through the evening, including his hilarious memories of Moms Mabley. Also memorable was Tovah Feldshuh's irrepressible showmanship, spoofing Golda Meir, the former Israeli Prime Minister, garbed in a boa, decorative headdress, cigarette dangling from her mouth, belting and tossing out Jewish jokes. So the jokes were old. Tovah brought them to life, proving the adage, "Politics is not so far from entertainment."
Bassist Jay Leonhart, remembered a plane ride with Leonard Bernstein in his wry tune"Me and Lennie." Comic winnersSlovin and Allen each read a segment of a serious book that influenced him and made it funny and new.
Other standout moments included effervescent Christine Ebersole opening and closing the show with "I've Got Five Dollars " and "The Music That Makes Me Dance." Cheyenne Jackson, sang, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" although he is certainly not singing the blues, having recently appeared in Finian's Rainbow and in cabaret with Michael Feinstein in The Power of Two. James Barbour was powerful in his rendition of " Measure of a Man." Bandleader/singer Johnny Rodgers roused the house for Act II with "The Birth of the Blues, " tying for vocalist award with Baby Jane Dexter's " Love Hurts/Not a Day Goes By. " Another tender moment came when Martin Vidnovic saluted songwriter Ervin Drake in the audience, with a beautiful rendition of Drake's song, " It Was a Very Good Year."
Kurt Elling, Sheila Jordan, Anne Steele> Nellie McKay and Gretchen Reinhagen were all notable as were power couples, John Pizzarelli- Jessica Molaskey and Eric Comstock- Barbara Fasano. There was dancing too with Noah Racey and company tapping away "On the Sunny Side of the Street. "
See the end of the production notes for the running order of the songs presented, and a list of this year's winners. To check out our features on Scott Siegel's other shows, see our omnibus pages on The Broadway by the Year series and The Broadway Unplugged series.
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201- Nightlife Awards
Conceived and Produced by Scott Siegel
Director: Scott Thompson Musical direction: Tedd Firth Lighting Design: John Gordon. Production Stage manager: Michael Wilhoite Sound Design: Murph Technical Superviser: Wlliam Dehling Running Time: 2 hours plus intermission The Town Hall: Town Hall at 123 W. 43rd Street. Reviewed by Elizabeth Ahlfors Running Order of Songs Act One "I've Got Five Dollars"-Christine Ebersole "The World is Waiting for a Song Medley"-John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey "Fell in Love/My Foolish Heart"-Anne Steele "Voice Lesson"- Jim Caruso and Miranda Sings "Embraceable You"- Kurt Elling "I Wish I Was Married to Your Wife"-David Rasche "I'm Here"-Gretchen Reinhagen "Love Hurts/Not a Day Goes By"-Baby Jane Dexter "Toto Dies"-Nellie McKay "Measure of a Man"-James Barbour < Act Two "The Birth of the Blues"-Johnny Rodgers "As Long as I Live"-Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano "Me and Lennie"-Jay Leonhart "It Was a Very Good Year"-Martin Vidnovic "Autumn in New York"-Sheila Jordan "When It Rains "-Howard Fishman and Nellie McKay "On the Sunny Side of the Street "-NYTE "Golda Meir Spoof"-Tovah Feldshuh "Don't Get Around Much Anymore;-Cheyenne Jackson "The Music That Makes Me Dance" - Christine Ebersole Night Life Award Winners Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist In A Major Engagement: Christine Ebersole Outstanding Cabaret Duo Or Group In A Major Engagement: Michael Feinstein & Cheyenne Jackson Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist (Tie): Baby Jane Dexter, Johnny Rodgers Outstanding Cabaret Comedy Or Characterization: Gretchen Reinhagen Outstanding Cabaret Duo Or Group: Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano Outstanding Piano Bar Entertainer: Anne Steele Outstanding Jazz Vocalist In A Major Engagement: Kurt Elling Outstanding Jazz Vocalist: Sheila Jordan Outstanding Jazz Soloist: Hank Jones Outstanding Jazz Combo: Bad Plus Outstanding Comedian In A Major Engagement: Louis Ck Outstanding Comedian: John Mulaney Outstanding Comic Duo Or Group: Slovin And Allen |
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