Irrepressible singer-raconteur, Ira Lee Collings, has yielded to the will of the masses! His show, NAKED – From The Neck Up is back by very popular demand, on Saturday, January 19 at 4 PM, at Don’t Tell Mama in New York City. The Gay Geezer again will dispense his usual sly patter and infectious enthusiasm in a very personal show, chock full of music and surprises. Collings promises to bare all one more time, from the giddy heights of success to the darker moments of sorrow – all with the wit and love of life that guarantee his audiences a truly feel-good experience.
With Music Director, John M. Cook, and under the direction of Sally Darling, Collings’ gambits on stage include never-before-told secrets, revealed and unfolding through a curated set of songs such as “On the Other Side of the Tracks,” “An Occasional Man,” “Mr. Wonderful,” Nothing Can Stop Me Now” and more. It’s a show the critics have loved as much as audiences have.
“There really aren’t superlatives superlative enough to describe this wonderful show and the lovely, self-proclaimed Gay Geezer who graced us with his terrific performance!” Michael Barbieri, NiteLife Exchange
“Ira Lee Collings is an octogenarian who remembers what it was like to be young and who projects how great it is to feel alive with every word he utters and every note he sings.” Myra Chanin, Theater Pizzazz
“For the record, I am a fan…a BIG fan. Ira has a way with delivering a sincere interpretation of the lyric that is so pure and unaffected. It is just so refreshing these days to sit back and be able to listen and just take in the music.” Sue Matsuki, Cabaret Hotspot
Naked – From the Neck Up is a story that could no longer be contained. After eleven years in the cabaret world, Collings decided, “If not now, when?” Whereas his homosexuality was a problem in achieving success before, in changed times he decided to embrace it and wear it proudly. “My art and passion come out of my gay experiences,” Collings says. Thus, the octogenarian determined he’d at last create this show, sharing his experiences as a gay man in the days when it was dangerous to be “out.” He’s come a long way to resolve guilt and lack of self-esteem – coping with beliefs in a false reality that being gay was a “sickness.” From his heartland career as a child performer to on radio to Chicago to New York and a retirement from show business to enter the business world to finally deciding to revisit his former career, Collings pulls back the layers of intense personal experience to reveal a humanity that everyone can relate to.
Naked – From the Neck Up reprises at Don’t Tell Mama on Saturday, January 19th at 4 PM. There is a $15 cover for all shows, plus a 2-drink minimum, cash only. Tickets are available at 212-757-0788 (after 4 PM) and at www.donttellmamanyc.com/shows
Don’t Tell Mama is located at 343 West 46th St., New York City.
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