Jamie  deRoy & friends

Cabaret at Birdland Jazz Club

Birdland was bursting at the seams tonight, and not just with entertainment, but also with paying customers. The house was packed, and once again Jamie deRoy has knocked it out of the park with her glam, giggles, and lineup of ginormous voices.

There were some notable celebs in attendance…the iconic Art Garfunkel for one. And from “The Real Housewives of New York”, the lovely Countess LuAnn de Lesseps. But the real celebrities were not in the audience tonight.

Jamie kicked things off with a not so typical serious song, and proves she’s still got a set of lungs underneath all those sequins.

Haley Swindel was the first guest, who also has no shortage in lung capacity. She did an amazing take on an Adele song being sung by Judy Garland. Next Chad Kimball took the stage, and before he delighted us with his selections (one from a Broadway show he starred in, “Memphis”) he took some jabs at Bryce Pinkham for never accepting his facebook friend request. (Don’t worry Chad, he hasn’t accepted mine either). Joy Behar came on stage to enormous applause, and let the secret out the she and Jamie are lesbian lovers. Yes, it’s a joke…I think? The gorgeous and talented Hunter Ryan Herdlicka was up next. He did a
most heartwarming duet with Jamie of “Mutual Admiration Society” and then another song on his own. This kid has incredible range and there was clearly some concern that the roof may blow off. Bryce Pinkham currently starring on Broadway in “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder “ is now up at bat. Imagine we almost lost him to baseball? He talked about actually aspiring to be the San Francisco Giants 2nd Baseman or a Broadway Star. Well Bryce, we are really glad you took the Broadway route! He was silky smooth even if he did forget a few words. We all know that somebody has to forget the words at every show, and I know someone who is glad it wasn’t her tonight!

 

 

Nothing like Stephanie J. Block to finish things up. You really don’t want to be following that act because she is simply perfect. She is very pregnant, and sang “He Touched Me”. You can imagine there is a joke in there somewhere. Stephanie also told a great story about how The Actors Fund paid her bills and kept a roof over her head for two months when she was going through a difficult time, and it brought real meaning to this show being for the benefit of The
Actors Fund and highlighted some of the great work that they do for the theatrical community.

Jamie deRoy & friends shows are always so much fun. I don’t know how she finds people that are so incredibly talented, yet still have a very easy going, down to earth quality about them. You could just as well be sitting in your own living room with friends, than at a table in Birdland. Maybe that’s why she calls them “friends”. What a concept. But really, these are just people like you and me. They are funny and nice but just happen to be super talented. We
are so lucky that Jamie can deliver them up to us in one neat little musical package. 

Of course the show does not go on without a meticulous and amazing director,
Barry Kleinbort, the magical fingers of Musical Director, Ron Abel, and Tom Hubbard
pulling on the strings of our Bass.

Be sure to check out Jamie's upcoming events at her website www.jamiederoy.com
–thisbroadSway 09/22/2014