By Scott Barbarino***For transparency let me start by saying I’m a little biased since Eadie Scott is someone I’ve known for many years—and she’s become a close friend whose performances I’ve greatly enjoyed over those many years. I got to know her first as a coworker at (as they call it now) The Original Duplex, which was that little hotspot down in The West Village located then at 55 Grove Street. In those days it was so chock full of immeasurable talent it’s mind boggling. And with all that talent that pumped through that small but venerable place, one other thing was inevitably created and 
endured; aside from the stars that were born there, a cast of incredible characters who worked, performed and played there became a family… a cadre of merrymakers so to speak. At the center of it all, and its linchpin for decades, was Collette Black, who was a major driving force for all the good things the piano bar and cabaret community have since brought to our culture and society as a whole—including me. Collette mentored me in the business and directed my first show in 1987 called Grow’d in Brooklyn! You could say she gave me the bug.
In Collette’s June 2018 obituary John Hoglund explained her essence this way, “A skilled actress, Collette wore many hats over the years as director, technical director, singer, booking manager, bartender and club manager, as well as juggling a very respected teaching career. For years, she regularly instructed classes at the 92nd Street Y in the art of cabaret through a course called “Exploring Cabaret.” Nurturing newcomers became a passion and specialty of hers, winning Collette considerable respect among her peers. Numerous artists credit her as their inspiration to pursue dreams of performing. She was particularly noted for her unending patience, 
encouragement and instilling confidence where it was needed most.”
Accordingly, Collette as a driving force in the NYC cabaret community for decades spent the latter part of her years as the Founder of Manhattan Cabaret Arts, an organization with one major goal in mind: to create a cabaret family.
And then she was suddenly gone, yet the organization still exists. And that brings me back to the subject of this review: Eadie Scott. Upon the suggestion from one of her first agents “to get out to the clubs for more visibility,” Eadie ended up interviewing at The Duplex, which led to her becoming one of that aforementioned cadre of merrymakers, eventually becoming Collette’s long-time life partner and friend of so many in cabaret. I am in awe of the amount of performers, cabaret aficionados and newcomers that Eadie Scott has helped since she’s taken on the role of Artistic Director of Manhattan Cabaret Arts, where she’s now teaching performance workshops and voice, as well as directing individual shows.
Her work with this organization took her off the stage on which she was previously recognized as a musical theater belter and comedian, performing in many musicals including The Club, the highly successful 1976 Tommy Tune-directed Off-Broadway production that ran 19 months and won an Obie Award. The Club was remounted at The Duplex for it’s 2
0th Anniversary, along with revues such as What in the World and What’s the Point.
Now, after an eight-year hiatus, Eadie Scott has returned to the cabaret stage with her own new cabaret show called Listen to the Music. I was surrounded by a full house of adoring friends and fans. But this is a new Eadie Scott, who aside from throwing a belt in here and there in her patter, has returned with a whole new focus and sound. As her press release states: “In Listen to the Music, Scott shares personal stories about what Listening to the Music has done for her in her life. Eadie is funny, witty, charming, and soulful as she delivers songs by Billy Joel, John Prine, Shaina Taub, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Jerry Herman, Annie Lennox and more.”
And you know what? She performs her new adventure with confidence and style! Eadie’s put some tough years behind her and during the show lets the audience know where she’s been when she says in patter “I didn’t know if I could find the song in my heart again.”
Well she has and this heartfelt show should be seen by all!
Listen to the Music is under the musical direction of Jon Weber and directed by Lina Koutrakos
There are TWO more performances of Listen to the Music: on Friday November 10 at 7 PM and Sunday, December 3 at 6 PM at Don’t Tell Mama, 343, West 46 St., NYC.
Photos by Conor Weiss
