Hello, NiteLife Exchange Readers!    It’s August.  You can almost hear the NYC nightlife and theatre community simultaneously slowing down and revving up at the same time.  Droves of performers are driving their bodies off to the beach or the country while the wheels of preparation in their minds are steadily turning towards new shows for the fall.  There’s still four weeks of summer left to share vacation time with loved ones and enjoy some solitude.

Hello, NiteLife Exchange Readers! And thank you. The fact that you are reading my words right now, instead of one of the countless other things you could be doing, is not something I take for granted.  We all lead busy lives, with a myriad of “stuff” out there, competing for our attention, our time.  You could be … Wait a minute!  If I remind you of my competition, you may stop reading and choose it!   Competition.

Hello, NiteLife Exchange Readers!  Before you read on, please look at the logo of this website.  You’ll notice the slogan “It’s All About Entertainment,” not   “It’s All About Cabaret.”  On this site, you’ll find Penny Landau’s irreverent column “The TV Junkie,” as well as reviews and articles about current plays, CDs, web sites, etc. This is a smart policy.  If cabaret is to take its rightful place on the entertainment food chain, it needs to mix with the other items on the menu! 

Hello, NiteLife Exchange Readers!  First off, I’d like to thank those of you who sent me comments on my first piece last week entitled Sondheim at the Cabaret.  The response was gratifying, and leads me to believe there’s a need for a column that puts the nightly events in the cabaret world in a larger perspective.  Please know that the blurb at the bottom of your screen is for real – if you have a strong (or weak!) reaction to my musings, I’d like to hear from you.  And do pass on the link to those you think might be interested.  Now, on to the show that’s my jumping-off point of the week.  Let’s hope the pool I jump into holds water!

Hello, NiteLife Exchange Readers!  After my first two assignments for this website that is “all about entertainment,” its publisher, Scott Barbarino, has invited me to write my own weekly column, entitled “What Was I Thinking?” expressing my unique viewpoint on varying topics related to the arts, usually using a current show or event as a jumping-off point.  You may very well ask, “What was Scott thinking?” 

This past Monday, June 28, it was well over 90 degrees, with the kind of humidity that frizzles the smoothest coiffure and defies anti-perspirants.  Periods of rain and thunderstorms were predicted.  At about 5:30, it did start to rain, a brief drizzle.  But at 6pm, undeterred, I headed over to 42^nd Street and Sixth Avenue, determined to attend the second film in this year’s annual Bryant Park Summer Film Festival,  Carousel.