The 36th New York Cabaret Convention

On the Sunny Side of the Street: A Cavalcade of Variety

Rose Theater, NYC, October 23, 2025

Reviewed by Bart Greenberg

KT Sullivan, the artistic director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation, assembled a fine cast for the final evening of the 36th New York Cabaret Convention. The absence of a through line for the evening unlike the first two nights which were devoted to the works of Cy Coleman and Jule Styne respectively, allowed for a wide variety of material and approaches. Two recurring themes were married couples performing together and pianist/singers.

After Sullivan, bedecked in an impressive outfit that suggested she might have been heading on to a production of Hello, Dolly!, gave a warm welcome, the first married couple took the stage. Mardie Millit and Michael Garin, making their Convention debut, offered a jazzy and energetic version of the title number of the evening, “The Sunny Side of the Street” (Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh), which showed a heavy influence of Mae Barnes.

Next, two young performers (both college students) took the stage. Ella Emberton, a winner of a Sullivan Family scholarship, performed “It Might as Well Be Spring” (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II) with fresh and eccentric phrasing. John Michael Pitera sang “The Ladies Who Lunch” (Stephen Sondheim), it was inappropriate in every way, but somehow his talent and taste made it unquestionably work.

More experienced performers were the divine Christine Andreas and her husband Martin Silvestri, who charmed with a delightful “I Remember It Well” (Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe), before Andreas soloed on a combination of “I Love Paris” (Cole Porter) and “La Vie en Rose” (Edith Piaf/Louiguy), which built to a thrilling climax. Following them was the legendary singer/pianist Steve Ross, who offered “an existential statement in three pages”—“Dancing in the Dark” (Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz)—with aching beauty. Red hot mama Tanya Moberly tore up the place with “New York City Blues” (Peggy Lee/Quincy Jones).

The next singer/pianist was the elegant Eric Yves Garcia, who offered a hypnotic version of “She Was Beautiful” (Stanley Myers/Cleo Laine). Stephanie Pope spread energy galore was spread with a Latin-flavored “Pick Yourself Up” (Dorothy Fields/Jerome Kern), complete with spirited choreography. Shifting the mood, Mark Nadler sat down at the piano to offer his favorite Charles Strouse composition (with lyrics by Lee Adams), a perfect “Once Upon a Time.”

Stopping by from New Zealand, Ali Harper offered a medley of the Judy Garland hits “You Made Me Love You” (James V. Monaco/Joseph McCarthy) and “The Trolley Song” (Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane) with energy and a clarion voice. Much gentler but equally passionate was Melissa Errico’s delivery of “You Must Believe in Spring” (Michel Legrand/Alan & Marilyn Bergman). Bringing the first half to a close, Lady Zen channeled Bessie Smith as she defiantly taking the stage with “On Revival Day” (LaVern Baker/Andy Razaf).

Kicking off the second half, Amra-Faye Wright, a veteran of Chicago around the world, channeled a different Liza role as she belted out “City Lights” (John Kander/Fred Ebb) complete with glittery bowler and dancing Fosse-like choreographer. Visiting from England, Sam Jewison, another singer/pianist regaled the audience with his peerless delivery of “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” (Eric Maschwitz/Manning Sherwin). Kelli Rabke, with husband John Fisher at the piano, sang the tragic tale about a copy of The New York Times in “He Knew How to Read Me” (Ben Schaechter/Dan Kael), a hysterical and unique moment.

Honored with the Julie Wilson award, pianist/singer Brian Eng proved why her was honored with his delivery of “Pennies from Heaven” (Arthur Johnston/Johnny Burke. Spouses Darnell White and Diva LaMarr dug into their soul for “Up Where We Belong” (Jack Nitzsche/Buffy Sainte-Marie). Justin Dylan Nastro, another debut artist, surprised us with a charming medley of “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” (Richard M. Sherman/Robert B. Sherman) and “You Can Fly” (Sammy Fain/Sammy Cahn), which he delivered with the lightest of touches. Another medley of two Michel LeGrand/Bergman songs was offered by the dramatic, passionate Marieann Meringolo with “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” and “Summer Me, Winter Me.”

Nic & Desi (Nicolas Dromard & Desiree Davar), the final married couple of the evening, gave out with an energetic song and dance routine based on a mashup of “Money, Money” (Kander/Ebb) and “Easy Street” (Strouse/Adams). Appropriately tapping into the legacy of Mabel Mercer herself, Phillip Officer offered a touching “Ballad of the Sad Young Men” (Tommy Wolf/Fran Landesman). Certainly the most comically bizarre moment came when Susie Mosher and John Boswell offered a mash up of mash ups, “Midler on the Roof,” which combined a tribute to Fiddler on the Roof with one to Bette Midler for chaotic fun.

Bringing the evening to a close, Sullivan accompanied herself at the piano with a gentle version of “Moon River” (Johnny Mercer/Henry Mancini) and a charming childhood memory that led into a song written by her sister Heather, “Carpet Ride.” Said sister came on, declaring her appearance to be “nepotism” before proving it was not with a raucous rendition of her own song “Empire State of Mind.”

The house combo for the evening included Yasuhiko Fukuoka on piano, Steve Doyle on bass, and Ray Marchica on drums. The other pianists who appeared throughout the evening were Christopher Denny, Ian Herman, Doyle Newmyer, and Jon Weber.