Though now Betsyann Faiella is known in New York primarily as a publicist, she came to that profession from two previous careers that contributed to her love of promoting creative people: as a working singer and as a media producer. She made her cabaret debut at the legendary Reno Sweeney. She was the lead singer in a band with Lewis Friedman, the impresario of both Reno Sweeney and s.n.a.f.u. Later she performed in such other iconic venues as Birdland, Blue Note, the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, and Ronnie Scott's in London. She appeared in concert with jazz legends Hank Jones and Paul Smith and performed at arts centers and universities around the country.
Scott Raneri is a good singer with an extremely likable stage presence. He has a rich concept for a show in Extra! Extra! The Extra Adventures of an Actor. He’s good looking and has a ‘60s nightclub entertainer vibe, slight and slick, nicely put together. Scott is fairly new on the scene: This is his second […]
The Randy Andys is a female vocal group with a rotating cast of singers. They harmonize tight, meticulously arranged versions of music ranging from the Great American Songbook, to Aerosmith (“Love in An Elevator” by Joe Perry, Steven Tyler; arranged by Tim Rosser), to Whitney Houston (“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by George Merrill, Shannon Rubicam; […]
Fully Vaccinated tackles all the themes of the pandemic with original music (with one exception) by Darnell White, who is also the pianist, a singer, and one half of the romantic and musical duo that makes up David LaMarr and Darnell White. White is a talented player, moving from jazz to pop and theatrical easily, and he […]
Leanne Borghesi’s first major outing since the pandemic, Borghesi’s Back!, landed at Don’t Tell Mama with a big bang and a million belly laughs. This mostly fictitious pandemic memoir/travelogue still allows Borghesi to bare her heart (in character) about missing and loving what she was obviously born to do. She had a busy 2020 planned, with engagements […]
Sally Morgan took the stage at Don’t Tell Mama looking great, with a twinkle in her eye that foretold a funny and mischievous streak. She was accompanied by pianist Frank Ponzio (except when she sat at the 88s herself); he played exquisitely throughout. She opened her show, Sally Rides Again, with an original song, “Peace […]
I was happy to see the debut nightclub act of a phenomenal singer-actress, Elizabeth Ward Land, who recently brought the show back to The Green Room 42, where it premiered last year. Land is clearly an experienced stage and screen performer, having worked on- and off-Broadway, in regional theatre and tours of City of Angels, […]
