IT'S A BIG MONTH!

Hi Friends:

It's been a very busy time - hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I wanted to blog about all the great shows I've seen lately, but all I have time to tell you is that if you have a chance to see Miles Phillips, Jason Wynn, Terese Genecco, Maureen Taylor, or Baby Jane Dexter - GO! All of their shows were amazing and they are kind and talented people.

Also, go see MILK with Sean Penn. In light of the Prop 8 debacle, it's frightening to see how far we haven't come, and also how far we have come. It's an important piece of history.

My thanks to performers Julie Reiber, Devin Richards, Ilene Kristen, Lee Summers, Musical Director Don Rebic, Bassist Tom Kennedy, Drummer Joel Rosenblatt and producer Scobar (Scott Barbarino) for an incredible debut of BROADWAY JAZZ ON BROADWAY. It was so successful, that Scott will continue to produce it with Don as Music Director and me, as Hostess! Our next show will be Jan. 27th - keep checking here and my website, http://www.raissa.info/ for more info. We got a great review already at http://www.cabaretscenes.org/ and there was a great interview at http://www.talkinbroadway.com/ if you click the cabaret link!

This Saturday, 11/29 at 4:30 p.m., you'll find me singing in LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND, a benefit performance for Zani's Furry Friends Animal Rescue, at the Metropolitan Room. Sunday, Valerie Lemon is performing her Marvin Hamlish show at the Metropolitan Room at 7 and after that, we'll head to the Algonquin Salon to join co-hosts Peter Napolitano and Bill Zeffiro as they host with the theme, "Around the World". Hope to see some of you there.

Wednesday night, 12/3 at 7 p.m. at the Metropolitan Room, I'll be a guest of Jenna Esposito in her Birthday Bash show! Thursday, 12/4 at 6 p.m., I'll be hosting the Tudor City Christmas Tree Lighting, featuring performers: Scott Barbarino and the Bev-Naps, Scott Coulter, Julie Reyburn, Lennie Watts, Susan Winter, and Musical Directors: David Caldwell, Mark Janas and Steven Ray Watkins - our special guest is SANTA CLAUS! Come join us in the South Park at Tudor City - 41st Street between 1st and 2nd Ave. In the event of inclement weather, we'll hold this in the community room of #5, the Windsor. Come enjoy!

On Sunday, December 14th at 2 p.m., I'll be performing at John Znidarsic's Holiday Songbook Series at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, 111 Amsterdam Ave. just south of 65th Street - phone: 212-870-1630. I'm debuting a special Christmas song called "All I Can Give" that was written especially for me by Composer Mark Janas, and Lyricist, Peter Napolitano! I'm incredibly honored that they have written me a song, and it's absolutely beautiful! For more info on this, go to www.artsandartistsatstpaul.com - their website is not yet updated, but it will be soon.

On New Year's Eve, I'm very excited to be a special guest of my friend, director and Broadway/Cabaret Star, Eric Michael Gillett, in his show, LIFE OF THE PARTY at the Metropolitan Room. Wonderful comedian, Richard Cramer, will be opening for Eric, and Broadway diva, Melanie Vaughan will also be a special guest. The charge is only $75 for the show AND open bar and midnight champagne toast! Better make your reservations now, as the seats are going fast and we'd love to ring the New Year in with our best friends!

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Love and light, Raissa