| . | 11/23/2009
Jamie deRoy & Friends present “The MORE the Merrier DUETS & MORE……….”
By: Linda Amiel Burns
Recently I heard someone call Jamie deRoy “the doyenne of cabaret” and I looked up the word to see that it was defined as “a woman who is the most experienced and respected member of a group or profession” and this is certainly true of this multi-talented performer/producer who has been involved in every aspect of show business over the years.
Her recent Jamie deRoy & Friends variety show at The Metropolitan Room on 11/17/09 was entitled “The MORE the MERRIER – DUETS & MORE….. featuring an all star line-up with Lanny Meyers as musical director and directed by Barry Kleinbort. Jamie opened up the show with the funny “Jews Don’t Camp” accompanied by David Buskin of Modern Man on guitar, one of the writers of that song. He is now paired with Robin Batteau and together they performed another original “The Boy With The Violin” and a song about the eternal triangle, “Guinevere.” Next up was Philadelphia’s Eddie Bruce and Laura Munich who recreated the 1963 Garland/Streisand “Happy Days/Get Happy.”
Avenue Q is now playing off-Broadway and several members of the cast, Seth Rettbert, Cullen Titmus & Nicholas Kohn, playing Rod, Nicky & Brian, sang an hilarious parody of Cole Porter’s “You’re The Top” with gay lyrics as in “If Baby, I’m a bottom, you’re a top.”
Two terrific duets were performed by Broadway’s Barbara Walsh and Andrew Halliday from the UK singing the sarcastic “You Must Meet My Wife” from A Little Night Music and The Beatles hit “Here, There and Everywhere.” Scott Coulter was up next to sing a moving country duet with Jamie, “I Guess It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” followed by the group, Uptown Express, performing “Walk Like A Man” and a new song by Julie Gold called “Love Is Love Is Love” in four-part harmony. It was exciting to see Julie Gold come on stage and sing her Grammy-winning song, “From A Distance” with the group , not accompanying herself on the piano.
The show ended with the great country star singer/songwriter Larry Gatlin who told the amusing story of how he wrote the song “What Do We Do Now?” He ended the show with his big hit joined by the audience, “All The Gold In California.” Jamie is now involved as a Broadway producer in many shows and it is hoped that she will continue to present these wonderful variety evenings, giving audiences the opportunity to see and hear new and established performers.
Tuesday, November 17 at The Metropolitan Room
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