This Is Your Night!
Lynn DiMenna
Metropolitan Room, NYC, September 22, 2016
Reviewed by Marilyn Lester for Cabaret Scenes
The latest installment of This Is Your Night!, hosted by Metropolitan Room chief Bernie Furshpan, honored singer, recording artist, writer and radio personality Lynn DiMenna, a woman of considerable force in the world of cabaret and song. As is the blueprint for such fêtes, family and friends gathered to enthusiastically extol the many accomplishments of the honoree. DiMenna was soundly celebrated by family, with three of her four children paying homage.
Brian DiMenna, the only non-singer in the family, offered some stand-up, while his two guitar-toting brothers, Jay and Tom, each provided a beautiful serenades: Jay with a James Taylor-esque performance of “Big Times in a Small Town,” and Tom with “Castles in the Air” (with a little witty commentary to boot: “I’m used to playing in clubs where no one notices me,” he said drolly, in the spotlight).
It turned out that light moments and laughs were a meaningful part of DiMenna’s tribute. The irrepressible Sidney Myer sang “Pocketful of Miracles” as only he can, with a lot of sincerity and a pocketful of wry. With spiel and sly song, Bob Spiotto tickled with “Josephine Please No Lean on the Bell.” And Laura Slutsky, in disguise as Violetta Vermicelli, provided laughs and plenty of shtick with “Mambo Italiano.” On the more “serious” side, leading off this heartfelt tribute was DiMenna’s close friend, “sister,” and mentor, Linda Amiel Burns, who sang and then cheer-led a willing chorus of participants in “The Best of Times.” Margi Gianquinto performed a happy “A Cockeyed Optimist,” and Kevin Dozier offered a sincere “Grateful” (John Bucchino) while John Gabriel delivered “Make Someone Happy” with upbeat gusto. Karen Oberlin, who never fails to twinkle with a crystalline delight, resonated brightly with a perky “If I Were a Bell.”
At the piano for most of the evening was the one and only Billy Stritch, a last-minute replacement for Barry Levitt (absent due to a family emergency). Stritch can not only go with the flow on short notice, but never fails to give added oomph to the efforts of any performer. He did yield the piano, though, to Bill Zeffiro, who accompanied KT Sullivan on an intense, controlled and focused “Ave Maria” (Bach/Gounod). Paul Greenwood accompanied himself on “Both Sides Now,” singing a song he’d previously only sung as a duet (with DiMenna). And, of course, wherever she appears, Marilyn Maye, the undisputed doyenne of cabaret, is always superlative. She is an expert storyteller with a graceful demeanor and ever-glorious voice. She has a particular talent for weaving together a thematic medley—in this case, rainbows: “Look to the Rainbow”/”Over the Rainbow”/”Make Me Rainbows”/”Rainbow Connection.
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Finally, the spotlight came to the woman of the hour. Upon receiving her honor, DiMenna summed up her feelings with a heartfelt rendition of “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” capping off an evening filled with plenty of it.
