Hand Me a Club

Staten Island, that oft-neglected if rather large piece of real estate, is suddenly very much on the map — at least, for cabaret lovers. The Hilton Garden Inn, located somewhere in the wilds of that borough, has a brand new supper club called Lorenzo’s that makes many Manhattan boites look pretty crummy by comparison. Comfortably seating in excess of 150 customers, with excellent sightlines from anywhere and everywhere in the room, Lorenzo’s also boasts top-of-the-line sound and lighting designed by Matt Berman. And whereas seeing a show at some cabaret venues in the big city can cost a couple as much as a down payment on a snazzy automobile, the prices at Lorenzo’s are truly middle class, with entrees ranging from $18 to $30.

So don’t be a snob — and don’t be foolish. Where else in New York could you see two-time Tony nominee Christine Andreas do her stuff for a fraction of what it would cost at The Oak Room or the Café Carlyle, two clubs that she has played in the past? And what a show she offered for the supper club’s opening night on May 20: show tunes, Italian songs, French fare, and a personality so intoxicating that you could feel everyone in the room falling in love with her. Accompanied by her longtime musical partner Martin Silvestri at the piano, Andreas performed an utterly charming rendition of “I Remember it Well.” (Silvestri’s take on the Maurice Chevalier part was as poignant as it was funny!) She scored time and again with her soaring vocals and down-to-earth patter.

It’s true that coming from Manhattan via public transportation, you’ve got to get take the Staten Island Ferry and then, on the other end, catch a (free) mini-bus from the hotel will take you on the 20-minute ride to Lorenzo’s. But you can always say at the hotel overnight and take advantage of this resort-like complex that also offers jazz till 1am, a gorgeous Japanese tea garden, and plenty of other amenities. Frankly, even a couple of hours of travel are worth it to catch some of the shows former Eighty Eights owner Erv Raible has booked into Lorenzo’s for future Saturday nights: Dominic Chianese, Jason Graae, Heather MacRae, Karen Mason, Sally Mayes, Andrea McArdle, and Amanda McBroom.

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Considerably closer to our home, there is yet another new nightclub: The Metropolitan Room at Gotham, located in the old Gotham Comedy Club on West 22nd Street. (It’s owned by the folks who’ve now opened a much larger comedy club nearby.) The room is happily filling a need in bridging the gap between relatively inexpensive clubs with $15 dollar cover charges, like Don’t Tell Mama and The Duplex, and high end-rooms with covers that range from $50 to $125, like Feinstein’s and the Café Carlyle. The charge at the new venue will be an average of $30 for acts that have outgrown the smaller clubs but haven’t yet received entree to the ritzier ones.

The Metropolitan Room seats 125 in a comfortable space that has excellent views of the stage. There are ringside tables, cozy booths in back, and an elevated area off to one side that has its own appeal. There is no food except for some desserts) but plenty of talent will be served up by the club’s two managers and bookers, Lennie Watts and Kim Cea.

Billy Stritch opened the room with his critically acclaimed show about the life and music of Mel Torme, which will return for another short run beginning June 1. Karen Mason is performing there over the Memorial Day weekend, and Jamie deRoy will offer her popular variety show Jamie deRoy and friends at the club on the last Wednesday of every month, starting May 31. With these kinds of nameson tap, The Metropolitan Room could become an important anchor for the cabaret community.

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[To contact Barbara & Scott Siegel directly, e-mail them at siegels@theatermania.com.]