Raissa Recommends - June & July

Hi Friends:

Put this in your calendars now!

Hot off the presses, here's our next amazing line up of talent for the Concerts at Tudor City Greens free outdoor concert, being held Wed., July 8th at 6 pm. (rain date, July 9th). My guests include MAC, Bistro and Nightlife Award winners Spider Saloff, Julie Reyburn, Ricky Ritzel, Daryl Glenn, and Eric Michael Gillett (Broadway’s Kiss Me Kate, The Frogs). Also featured will be Broadway performer Nina Hennessy (Cats), guitarist Sean Harkness and Grammy nominee Philip Chaffin. The musical director is David Caldwell. (The cast/musicians subject to change.)

The concerts are being produced in association with the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) – an organization dedicated to the support and promotion of the art of live entertainment in NYC (www.MACNYC.com). Sponsored in part by 925 Lounge.

Special thanks to Phil Bond and the Laurie Beechman Theatre for donating rehearsal space and to Feinstein’s at the Regency for donating printing services.

The event will take place in the South Park of Tudor City Greens Park – enter at Tudor City Place between East 41st and 42nd Streets, between 1st and 2nd avenues.

Some recommendations for this week:

Tonight, I'll be at the Beechman seeing THE DISNEY DIARIES (see last weeks post).

Tomorrow, June 23rd, is my husband Garrett's birthday and we'll be celebrating by seeing Jenna Esposito SINGS CONNIE FRANCIS, at the Metropolitan Room at 7 pm. You can also see her show on 6/20, 7/7, and 7/14.

Then why not head over to Don't Tell Mama's and catch Ray Jessel's show at 9:15? That's what I'm gonna do if I have enough energy left. I'm a morning girl, and it's not easy to stay up late when you're up at 6 am!

Wednesday, June 24th at 9:30 pm, you can catch my pal and alumnus of Tudor City Greens concert, Richard Cramer, as the featured headliner at CAROLINES ON BROADWAY.

There is a regular $16.50 Cover Charge - but with a reservation it is only $8.00 Plus a Two Drink Minimum per person
Carolines also serves food and offers a full menu
Wednesday June 24th @ 9:30 “Darlene Violette's Comedy Relapse”
Carolines on Broadway - between 49th and 50th Streets
RESERVATIONS 212 757-4100

Thursday, I'll be seeing Mark Nadler at the Metropolitan Room at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday we're at a wedding in CT, and we top of the week with the wonderful Marcus Simeone (2009 MAC Award Winner) on Sunday, June 28th at 7 pm, at the Metropolitan Room.

Having trouble paying for all the shows you want to see? Check out www.theaterextras.com and www.play-by-play.com. For about $100 bucks, you can join these organizations and get deeply discounted tickets to Broadway, Off-Broadway, Concert and Cabaret shows. It really pays for itself, very quickly. Also, you don't have to be a performer to join MAC, or Cabaret Hotline, and most cabaret performers offer significant discounts to card carrying members of these organizations, so why not check it out? In addition, these organizations are major promoters of the art form, and it's great to support them, too. I'm just sayin'...

See you at the shows!

Love and Light,

Raissa

"Ultimate peace comes from within; when we find peace within, there will be no more conflicts, no more occasion for war." - Peace Pilgrim