By Marilyn Lester***What can you say after ten years of a theatrical creation of consequence? Well, brava and bravo for starters, to Doris Dear, alter ego of Ray DeForest. Dear, “America’s Perfect Housewife” came into being as a tribute to DeForest’s mother, Taffy, his lifelong inspiration, who had recently then passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. And with this launch of Doris, this devoted son was able to chronicle a splendid life growing up in Staten Island, referencing a family and a reality that built the man.
What’s emerged over the decade of Dear’s existence is a show that happens in “the Rumpus Room,” with all the accoutrements of entertaining in the 1950s: conversation with guests, performance and, of course, cocktails. When the pandemic hit, that party moved to the electronic arena with the creation of “Doris Dear’s Gurl Talk” on video. And as DeForest says about the creation of Dear, she was/is able to “carry on Taffy’s spirit, infusing her shows with the warmth, wit, and wisdom that had been her trademark.” And most significant on this ten-year mark is that Dear has also interwoven a modern sensibility of LGBTQ+ rights and women’s equality into her presentations from that platform of 1950s womanhood.
Taking the stage at The Triad Theater, Dear welcomed a rumpus room full of friends, supporters and partners who helped the evening achieve a luster that would have made Taffy and Dad Duke, very proud. But first there was song, with Dear offering an evocative “Maybe It’s My Turn Now”—and later on in the show, moving renditions of “Just a Housewife/Becoming My Mother” and “I’ll Plant My Own Tree.”
There were videos (including a tribute to Rick Jensen, Dear’s initial music director, and the hilarious Housework Doris) well-placed among the stream of guests. Dear herself (comfortably seated in a director’s chair, with a cocktail, of course) discoursed about her life (giving a living memoir) as she welcomed each guest to the stage. Conversation was a main feature of the evening, with interviews: Rose Messenger, Jack Viertel, hilarious polymath Leslie Carrara-Rudolph with an excedingly cheeky puppet, and Sandy Duncan and Don Correia.
Among performers, Meg Flather and Lina Koutrakos (Dear’s first director) delivered “If Mama Was Married,” and Lisa Yaeger, with Dear, sang a special “Happy Days.” Those Girls (Eve Eaton, Rachel Hanser, Karen Mack and Wendy Russell), noted for their close harmony, along with individual spotlight features, presented a dynamic “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” A special moment came with The 
daSilva Boys—Cooper and Connor, Dear’s talented teenage nephews—who were too cute for words, as well as talented, robustly singing “Doris Dear’s Gurl Talk Theme.” There is only one Sidney Myer, the most-loved man in cabaret, and with him, Dear sang “Together Again.”
Coming down the home stretch of Dear’s 10-year anniversary and celebration, it was time for the person behind the creation to appear. With the video screen rise, onto the stage strode Ray DeForest, who sang “Mack The Knife.” And then there was a “where it all began moment. More than a decade ago, DeForest met bandleader Terese Genecco and Scott Barbarino (publisher of NiteLife Exchange, who was booking The Iridium at that time). Barbarino 
had booked Genecco and her Little Big Band (who had a run of 1oo-plus performances), who in turn booked Dear. It was, as DeForest notes, an event that “changed his life.” With that, DeForest, Genecco and Barbarino presented a spirited rendition of “Kick in the Head.”
With thanks and gratitude, and a gathering of all guests on the Triad floor, DeForest offered this light-hearted riff on “If I Ruled the World” with a decidedly Doris Dear point of view. For ten years, DeForest has sought to bring joy to others as well as the joy of family. Mission accomplished. Now on to the next ten Doris-filled years!
Doris Dear’s 10 Year Celebration! was produced by DeForest Theatricals and written and directed by Ray DeForest. Musical director and pianist was Blake Allen, who also did arrangements and orchestrations. The band featured Katie Chambers – cello, Magda Kress – bass, Rob Guilford – drums and Mark Vinci – reeds.
Photos by John Fitzpatrick
