NiteLife Exchanges is a streaming video interview show, with hosts Scott Barbarino and Tony Javed. This week they welcome Ricky Ritzel.
On March 9 some years ago the ageless Ricky Ritzel made his first entrance into the world in Pittsburgh, PA. Since then his trajectory of appearances has been onto the stage and into nightclubs and cabarets where he has given joy to New York audiences for almost four decades. He was named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Cabaret by Nitelife Exchange, and with good reason considering his brilliant career. Ritzel—singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, arranger, actor, educator, TV host and producer—will to be given this year’s MAC Award for Lifetime Achievement. He has won more MAC awards than anyone on the planet—22 to date, in 10 different categories. He is currently on the Advisory Board of Directors for the Manhattan Association of Cabarets, of which he was President from 2006-2009. Among his first MACs was one for music direction for Julie Sheppard’s Judy Garland show, Julie Julie Julie. In January 2015 he entered the Guinness Book of World’s Records for the World’s Longest Variety Show, at the Metropolitan Room, New York City.
Listing Ritzel’s other credits, awards and honors would fill a proverbial book, but they include being named Outstanding Person in the Arts in New Jersey by State Senator, Brian Stack. He’s performed all over the US and internationally and has worked with stellar names such as Vivian Blaine, Ruth Warrick, Arthur Prysock, Julie Wilson, Bebe Neuwirth, Donna McKechnie and Karen Mason, among others. His performances of note include a turn as Jimmy Durante in Schnozzola! (produced by NiteLife Exchange publisher Scott Barbarino), which earned raves and numerous awards; and as half of the “Lounge does Top 40” duo, The Loungeoleers, which issued five CDs on the Emenar label. Most recently, Ricky Ritzel’s Broadway has been entertaining audiences at Don’t Tell Mama, where he currently mans the piano bar on Monday nights. Ritzel has also been an actor, with training at Point Park University and the Pittsburgh Playhouse. He’ll be fêting the city of his birth on March 30 at Don’t Tell Mama. Click here to learn more.
