No fooling – Jamie deRoy began a new monthly cabaret series of her Multi MAC Award-winning Jamie deRoy & friends series at the Metropolitan Room on April 1.  Jamie opened the show with a clever parody by Barry Kleinbort to the “Start of Something Big” about the dating scene accompanied by Shelly Markham at the piano. Her first guest was Drama Desk and Olivier Award nominee Nancy Anderson who sang “Remembering You” and told a funny April Fool’s story about a joke she pulled off on the late Patrick Quinn, the former president of Equity.  Jamie has an eye for talent and invited a lovely young woman to the stage named Heather Bixler, who plays the violin, and her guitarist John Hicks.  The unusual thing is that Heather uses the violin like a fiddle, playing Irish music, i.e. jigs and hornpipes.  Heather and John were delightful and charming.

It was now time for a change of pace and Jamie introduced rising stand-up comic Michael Somerville (Glamour magazine’s new ‘Jake’).  Michael did an amusing set about his dating life and won the audience over.  Then Jamie performed another of Barry Kleinbort’s called songs “Duane Reade” (to the tune of “Downtown”) about the profusion of stores appearing in the city.

Next, multiple MAC Award-winning songstress Natalie Douglas wowed the crowd with her remarkable voice and delivery. She sang, “I Put a Spell on You” and a torch song that changed her life when she heard the Nina Simone recording, “You Can Have Him,” accompanied by Brian Nash.  Then the cast of the acclaimed Rendezvous…..An Evening with Piaf, Brel, Aznavour & Friend” (now at the Reprise Room at Dillon’s) was introduced. The cast was Shannon Polly, Philip Anderson, Carmen Lamar and Greg Purnhagen with Tedd Firth at the piano.  They performed “Brussels” and “If We Only Have Love” in perfect harmony.

The wonderful Shelly Markham performed a lovely song that he wrote with Jamie called “Wish on the Moon.”  The last guest was Broadway’s Teri Ralston who shared that Shelly played for her very first audition and she got the part.  This classy singer scored with “Colored Lights” from The Act and she sang a gorgeous rendition of “In Buddy’s Eyes,” Sally from Follies being her favorite role.

Jamie concluded the show with what has become her theme song, the hysterical “Jews Don’t Camp.” Overall, this was an exciting, well-paced and entertaining evening. 

Jamie’s next two performance dates are May 14 and June 11, bot at the Metropolitan Room.

Linda Amiel Burns
Cabaret Scenes
April 1, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org