Richard Skipper Celebrates Richard Skipper Celebrates

Bette Midler today is a beloved legacy star, best known for her comic witch in Disney's Hocus Pocus (1993) and its 2022 sequel. She has also gained prominence for sentimental, anthemic ballads like "Wind Beneath My Wings," her initiation of green space projects in New York City, and tussling with Donald Trump on Twitter. Her profile is that of an articulate, civic-minded matriarch enjoying thoroughly mainstream stardom. But more than fifty years earlier she emerged from the steam of the subterranean Continental Baths as the Divine Miss M, the bawdy, campy, fearless alter ego she created in front of an audience of towel-clad gay men who came to the baths seeking not just sex, but a sense of community and safety from an often-harrowing outside world. "I was able to take chances on that stage that I could not have taken anywhere else," she later wrote. "Ironically, I was freed from fear by people who, at the time, were ruled by fear. And for that I will always be grateful." Overnight, Bette Midler became a much-loved icon of the gay community.

 

 

Danny Bacher is an award-winning singer, saxophonist, songwriter and entertainer in the fullest sense of the term. He’s not only a master of the demanding soprano sax, but combines his virtuosity on the instrument with a talent for comedy and narrative storytelling. He’s a smooth and cool individual who makes hot jazz and pop, cut fromthe cloth of the great Louis Prima and Mel Torme. With Lived Experience, JAMES BEAMAN returns to the cabaret stage for the first time since 2002, when he, Goldie Dver and David Maiocco received the MAC Award for Revue of the Year for their show Crazy World: Songs of Leslie Bricusse. Jamie came to New York in 1993 with his solo act, Bacall: By Herself (CaB Magazine Award). After headlining the world famous La Cage Revue at The Blue Angel, he created three shows as Marlene Dietrich, Queen of the World (Bistro Award), Marlene! Alive at the Café de Paris and Black Market Marlene, which he toured to San Francisco, New Orleans, and Berlin, Germany for the Millennium. His acting career spans three decades, including Off Broadway (The Road To Qatar!, When Pigs Fly, A Wilder Christmas, Howard Crabtree’s Whoop-Dee-Doo!) and regional theatres, from Goodspeed Musicals to The Kennedy Center. Jamie starred as Sir Robin in the First National Tour of Monty Python’s Spamalot, playing 62 cities and 700 performances, opposite stars Richard Chamberlain, Jonathan Hadary, Gary Beach and John O’Hurley. Tessa began acting as a teenager in Ionesco’s “The Bald Soprano” at the Washington Theater Club, and as Sandy in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” for the Chevy Chase Players before heading off to SUNY Purchase to study Political Economy and Film. 

Jim Wilson about his memoir Tuned In: Memoirs of a Piano Man: Behind the Scenes with Music Legends and Finding the Artist Within. “In Tuned In, I write about some of my favorite memories of singing Beatles songs with Paul McCartney, limo rides with Elton John, road trips with Carole King, and horseback riding with Dan Fogelberg,” Wilson says. Praise for Tuned In: “Tuned In is much more than I expected. With humor and insight, Jim shares his adventures and experiences with some of the world’s greatest music icons. His story is inspiring and relatable. Highly recommended.” Ray Romano, Emmy-winning actor “I adore this memoir so. A truly fascinating tale by a fascinating man.” Martin Short, actor, comedian, singer, writer Tuned In is an inspiring story of one man's relentless pursuit of a dream, and a revealing testimony to the power of music in all our lives. The unique confluence of Jim Wilson's two careers - piano technician/confidant to the stars and a globally successful recording artist - has led to extraordinary experiences with some of the world's most exalted music legends: singing Beatle songs with Paul McCartney, limo rides with Elton John, road trips with Carole King, and horseback riding with Dan Fogelberg. But beyond this everyman's unique telling of intimate celebrity tales, Tuned In is an inspiring story of one man's relentless pursuit of a dream, and a revealing testimony to the power of music in all our lives. Emerging from a troubled childhood in a broken West Texas home, a young man moves to Los Angeles to pursue fame and fortune as a singer-songwriter. He soon strays from his mission when his piano tuning sideline blossoms into a career as piano technician to the entertainment industry's biggest names.

The Snow Moon is the name given to the full moon in February. It is named after the heavy snowfall that occurs in the Northern Hemisphere during this time of year. In astrology, the Snow Moon is the full moon in Virgo, which is the final full moon of winter. It's also the first micro-moon of the year, and it's considered a time of transition and shifting energies. Send us your questions/comments/suggestions and we will try and incorporate into the show!

Join us for an hour of sparkling fascination and contagious joy as LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne, the 2023 Mama’s Next Big Act winner, takes us on an electrifying journey through their vibrant life. Daughter of O’Bryan, one of Soul Train’s pioneer artists, and raised in a creative family, she’s a nomadic visionary with a knack for chameleon-like transformations. Having earned their Master of Fine Arts from Wayne State University, LaRaisha is a multi-hyphenate artist, spanning Theatre, TV/Film, Voiceover, Music, and Dance. From soulful performances as Billie Holiday to rocking roles in RENT and American Idiot, she’s a storytelling powerhouse. Dubbed LaRadiant for her Chekhov-inspired radiance, LaRaisha believes in the healing power of storytelling. “Journey To The Center” is her creation, directed by David T. Loudermilk with music direction by Yasuhiko Fukuoka. The evening weaves together: life, hope, possible tears, and lots of belting into a unique tapestry of connections with the audience. Be renewed, grounded, and joyful as LaRaisha and some of her friends take you on a soul-stirring adventure. And don’t forget to check out her sophomore album, “Safe in Here,” available on all streaming platforms for a dose of musical magic!

In this episode, we say goodbye to 2023 and I'm bringing along five amazing artists to help me do just that! Saloon Singer Christopher Collette is a fresh face on the New York cabaret and nightclub scene. His most recent show, “Come Fly with Me: Songs of Travel, Trips, Tours & Treks” was an acclaimed success at The Laurie Beechman Theater in November. A classical pianist by training, he stepped out from behind the keyboard and took center stage in 2018 with his debut performance “This Could be the Start of Something Big: A Saloon Singer is Born” at the Beechman. Subsequent shows took the old-school crooner to Palm Springs, California where he staged multiple productions that celebrated the enduring tunes from the extensive catalogue of the Great American Songbook and America musical theater. Previously, Collette headlined at the Beechman with his revue of Stephen Sondheim’s works, “Old Friends: Merrily Rolling Along in the Meanwhile.” Additionally, this past summer he mounted a workshop reading of Kander & Ebb’s songbook, “One Good Break” and has been a guest at Jim Caruso’s “Cast Party” at Birdland. He studies voice with Neal Harrelson-Keyes and has participated in master classes with Marilyn Maye, Faith Prince, and Alex Rybeck Prince Fleet was born in Akron Ohio where he started his show business career at the age of 5 singing with a local orchestra. Fleet went on to appear in many musicals at the Goodyear Musical Theater. Prince Fleet was a ballet dancer in New York and studied at American Ballet Theater, Ballet Arts and master classes at Julliard. FRANK FERRANTE (Actor/Writer) Please visit his website: https://www.eveningwithgroucho.com/frank-ferrante

Kimberly Hawkey's Please visit her website: https://www.kimberlyhawkey.com/