This Is Your Night! Russ Weatherford

Metropolitan Room, NYC, May 12, 2015

Photos by Maryann Lopinto for Cabaret Scenes

It was a night filled with song and joy, laughter and tears. Family, friends and colleagues gathered together to honor photographer, playwright, actor, teacher and man-about-town Russ Weatherford for his support of the cabaret community and his years in show business. Hosted by Metropolitan Room’s Managing Partner Bernie Furshpan, the packed-to the rafters crowd was treated to a nearly three-hour event boasting 29 well-wishers. Ian Herman was the musical director for most of the performers. From Bernie’s biography of Russ (including a slide show of photos of him through the years, which opened the festivities) to Carole J. Bufford’s roof-raising “The House of the Rising Sun” to Valerie Lemon’s moving “I Believe” to Barry Kleinbort’s hilarious and touching tale of how he and Russ met, to Eric Rudy’s (Russ’s husband) emotional “The Impossible Dream” and even a recorded greeting and song from Marilyn Maye and Billy Stritch (with Marilyn’s trademark special lyrics, professing her love for and desire to marry Russ), the love and respect was evident. Here are those who entertained the crowd, in order of appearance: