Raissa Recommends Reservations for April 13th!

Hello Friends:

Breaking news! I just got nominated for a MAC award in the Best Female Vocalist category along with three of my best gal pals, Jenna Esposito, Terese Genecco and Julie Reyburn! I'm pretty thrilled.

I hope you'll make your reservations today for Raissa and Friends - Not the Usual Suspects at the Beechman on April 13th at 9:30 pm. When producer Joseph Macchia asked me to do a show for him as a benefit for his wonderful organization, Help Is On The Way Today, (a division of BC/EFA), I was thrilled. Most of the friends that I have asked to join me are not the typical folks one usually sees performing in NYC cabarets. The show features Emmy nominated soap star, Tonya Walker Davidson, best known for her role as Alex Buchanan on OLTL, Kristin Huffman from the recent Broadway revival of COMPANY and a former Miss Ohio, Broadway veteran, recording and cabaret star, Rosemary Loar, Cirque de Soliel WINTUK star and a LES MISERABLES “Gavroche”, 14 year old Noah Galvin, Tavern on the Green favorite and CT producer/director/actress, Maureen Hamill, acclaimed regional theatre actress/singer Candy Benge, writer, director, actor and Bistro/Nightlife/MAC award winner Philip Geoffrey Bond, and “Broadway’s Beethoven”, deaf composer, Jay Alan Zimmerman. My Musical Directors for the evening is Bistro Award winner, Les Miz conducteor and Leonard Bernstein’s assistant/protégé, Mark Janas. I'm so proud to call all of these generous and talented people my friends and to feature them in this show, so you all can get to know them, too!

A mere 2 days later, Wednesday, 4/15 at 6 pm, we have our grand return to the CONCERTS AT TUDOR CITY GREENS! The hour and a half long program of music and comedy - themed “Make Our Garden Grow” - will feature performers from Broadway and the New York City cabaret scene. And what a star-studded line up we have - take a look! Here's the official press release:

The concert will be hosted by Tudor City resident, Broadway and cabaret performer Raissa Katona Bennett (Phantom of the Opera, Chess) and feature performances by comedian Richard Cramer, Eric Michael Gillett (Sweet Smell of Success, The Frogs; MAC-Award winner), Rosemary Loar (Cats), Roger Mapes (GLBT Hall of Fame: Singer/ Songwriter), Sarah Rice (Broadway’s original “Johanna” in Sweeney Todd, The Fantasticks), award-winning cabaret artists Scott Coulter, Hector Coris, Jenna Esposito, Rob Langeder, Tanya Moberly, Maureen Taylor, Karen Oberlin, Lennie Watts and cabaret newcomers Candy Benge and Tom Vaughn. The musical directors are David Caldwell, Mark Janas, and Bill Zeffiro.

The event will take place in the North Park of Tudor City Greens Park – enter at Tudor City Place between East 42nd and 43rd Streets, between 1st and 2nd avenues.

A free post-event reception with the performers will take place at 925 Lounge (800 Second Ave., between East 42nd & 43rd Streets.) The 925 Lounge has generously promised to donate a percentage of all drinks purchased during the 2-hour period following the show to the Tudor City Greens.

Doesn't the new poster look fantastic?! All thanks to the incredibly talented and generous Hector Coris, who you must catch this week, Tuesday, 4/7 at 8 pm, along with Jenna Esposito at TAINTED BLUE, 723 7th Ave. in the Penthouse. $20 gets you in to enjoy the music and an open wine/beer bar! What a deal! Also appearing are Brandon Cutrell, Maxine Linehan and Gabrielle Stravelli - talented folks all. I'll be there for sure!

And Garrett and I will be enjoying KT Sullivan in her new show, Dancing in the Dark, at the Oak Room, this Wednesday, the 8th @ 8:30 pm. She'll be there through 4/11. She is a must see!

I hope to see lots of you at all these events! Have a great week.

Love and light,

Raissa