The New York City tradition of Cabaret is alive and well and thriving in West
Hollywood! The third Monday of every month, Eleven Restaurant & Club
becomes 88's Cabaret (the address is 8811 Santa Monica Blvd., get it?) with
a star-studded lineup of local and national talent.

Following last month’s unforgettable Stephen Schwartz tribute, which
featured about two dozen entertainers and a standing room only crowd,
last night was “back to normal,” and a wonderful “normal” that was.

Fewer singers performed, giving more chances to hear a second song from
many of them; scrumptious food was served, with excellent service; and as
always all this took place amidst the gorgeous surroundings upstairs at
Eleven.

Producer/host Ryan Black once again assembled a wonderfully eclectic
bunch of entertainers, beginning with cute and bubbly Melissa Fahn.  Fahn is
currently understudying Galinda in Wicked, a gig she had in the original
Broadway cast, but she’s also known to SoCal audiences for her work with
Musical Theatre Guild. She started out the evening with a bang, in Galinda
mode, with a version of the Wicked opening number specially reworked for
88s Cabaret. Fahn later returned to sing Avignon, from her new CD, and a
bluesy Keepin’ Out of Mischief.

88s regular, the luscious Brooke Wilkes, LA Music Awards Record of the Year
winner, sang a sensuous Cry Me a River, and (appropriately from Cabaret,
the movie) Maybe This Time.

Indy artist Amy Kuney (Sore Loser) brought her rich voice (and acoustic
guitar) on stage to sing two originals, the aforementioned tribute to
someone who doesn’t take kindly to being #2, and the ironic Would You Miss
Me Today if I Met You Tomorrow?

Craig Taggert (the best young "Brother Boy" ever—from Del Shore’s Sordid
Lives), amazed the audience with his country blues flavored Guilty.  Close
your eyes and it was almost Patsy.

Ty Taylor (CBS' Rockstar INXS, B'way Joseph, Grease, tour w/ Tina Turner)
wowed the crowd with a soulful Bridge over Troubled Water, and Jeffrey
Landman, late of Can-Can, showed he’s L.A.’s best reason to put on a full
scale production of Aherns and Flaherty’s My Favorite Year.  His wistful
rendition of the exquisitely touching Larger than Life brought tears to my
eyes.  Then Freddie Lara, whom I had the good fortune to see going on for
Wilson Cruz in Tick, Tick…Boom!, brought up his posse of three to back up a
stirring rendition of I’ll Cover You, from Rent (more tears).

Danny Calvert, the definitive Zanna in the currently running hit Zanna Don’t,
proved himself the Male Mariah (without the weight problem and slutty
wardrobe) not once but twice. First, he dazzled with Miss Carey’s Hero (can
anyone say vocal pyrotechnics?) and later bared his heart and soul with a
very touching dedication to a special someone in the audience, before out
Beyonce-ing Beyonce singing Listen, from the movie version of Dreamgirls. 
Stellar!

Dan Pacheco had the daunting task of following Calvert’s Hero, but the rosy-
cheeked “Mike” from Zanna Don’t did just fine, thank you, singing a beautiful
and moving rendition of I Think I Can Play That Part, from The Goodbye Girl.
BTW, be sure not to miss Dan (and Danny) in the best “intimate” musical of
the year, Zanna Don’t, now at West Coast Ensemble in Silverlake.

Cindy Robinson (who played Red Ridinghood on Broadway in Into The
Woods, garnered raves for this year’s Song and Dance in NoHo, and will be
starring in the upcoming Chess benefit for Broadway Cares), previewed the
concert with Heaven Help my Heart, from Chess. Rarely has such a big voice
come from such a petite package.

Finally, to top off this most memorable of evenings, Broadway’s Elphaba and
superstar on the rise Shoshana Bean, wowed the crowd with a preview of
Marc Shaiman’s upcoming musical  Catch Me if you Can, singing Fly Fly
Away.

As always, there was the ubertalented Brent Crayon on piano, backed by
Emiliano Almeida and Oliver Steinberg.

The next 88's Cabaret won’t be till October, Crayon having been invited to
work with Stephen Schwartz on his upcoming musical workshop, but host
Ryan Black encouraged those in attendance last night to support the
Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS Chess Benefit on September 17th.  
(Check out the main page of this site to buy tickets!)

After a great August 88's, I can't wait to see what's in store in October!

--Steven Stanley