One of the most telling aspects of celeb-psychic John Cohan's book, Catch A Falling Star, is that at one point he claims that he's never been in his line of work to make money. Which is a blessing, because if this book is any indication of his ability as a communicator on the printed page, he'll hardly be raking in the chips. Published by Black and White Enterprises (which the author claims to be a small publishing faction in the Pocono Mountains, although no information is available online or elsewhere about same),

In its latest in a series of free seminars for its members ($10 for non-members), MAC, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, will explore the topic of reviews and reviewers, with a panel of several of those critics.  “The Reviewers Speak Up!”-- It’s this Saturday afternoon, June 26, at 2pm at the Metropolitan Room.

Words, like blades, can cut you to the quick. And “quick” in adjectival form was the length of the limited run of Pen Knife, but its impact has stayed with me, and I’d love to see this intriguing drama return.  A pen knife can be a knife to sharpen a quill pen or a knife blade hidden in what appears to be a pen.  Either is appropriate for the world of those 19^th century French writers, Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, and their dysfunctional, competitive, addictive and abusive relationship, included injuries to the skin with that item that gives its name to the play.  And what a play it is: the toying of cat against mouse, the hope against hope, the rebellions against societal expectations.

The simple truth is, one has to hand it to a performer for having the gargantuan chutzpah to appear in a major club, in a major city where she's almost a complete unknown, and bill herself as a superstar. So it goes with Canadian cabaret artist Sharron Matthews. And if her show at Joe's Pub had ever faltered, just for a blessed minute, the outcome would have been unconscionable. It is, therefore, a joy to report that not only was this show a complete and utter triumph on all counts, but serves as testament to the fact that a chanteuse as riveting and brilliant as Matthews proved on this night should wholeheartedly be welcomed to New York and elsewhere with unabashedly open arms.

John Willis, editor of Theatre World and Screen World for more than 45 years, died  on Friday, June 25, 2010, at the age of 93, at his home in Manhattan, of complications from lung cancer. Willis, acknowledged as one of America's most important theatre and film historians, was also the longtime producer of the Theatre World Awards, given to actors for their outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway stage debuts. 

The Little Sisters of Hoboken are back where they started in this 25^th Anniversary revival of Dan Goggin’s celebrated musical.   After debuting as a cabaret show at the Duplex in Greenwich Village, it transferred to the Cherry Lane Theatre in 1985, where it currently has been reinstated as part of the theatre's Heritage Series. After a good ol’ Mt. St. Helen’s cheer, the impertinent, irreplaceable nuns are, once again, up to their antics of putting on a benefit to bury the four remaining sisters, from the original 52, who fell over dead into their soup, poisoned by Sister Julia, Child of God, while these five were off playing Bingo. The four deceased sisters are currently stuffed in a freezer awaiting their final resting place.

Chanteuse Gabriele Tranchina celebrated her CD, A Song of Love’s Color, at Feinstein’s on June 13, 2010. With her in the band were Joe Tranchina, pianist and composer, Santi Debriano, bass, Renato Thoms, percussion and Grammy-award-winner Bobby Sanabria, drums. Gabriele came onstage in the same bright red dress that she wore on the cover of her CD, and had a sparkle in her eyes as she sang the opening number in French, “Chante Comme Si Tu Devais Mourir Demain,” (“Sing as if you would die tomorrow”). Although she is German-born, Gabriele has no trouble singing in a variety of languages; hence, this music might be categorized as “World Music,” although it is heavily influence by a Latin beat.