PBL! Celebrates the Boston Cabaret Scene, Streaming on Tuesday, February 2

PBL! is proud to continue the long-established tradition of the piano bar—that special place where we can gather, entertain, support and create, as we connect with live music.

Join us this TUESDAY, February 2nd at 7:15 pm ET at www.facebook.com/PianoBarLive, on BroadwayOnDemand.com or on YouTube @PianoBarLive

Dubbed “Boston’s First Lady of Cabaret,” Carol O’Shaughnessy is the recipient of the 2018 Provincetown Lifetime Achievement Award for her body of work and appearances in such prestigious venues such as New York City’s Town Hall, Jordan Hall, The Regatta Bar and Scullers Jazz Club. O’Shaughnessy has staged one-woman shows Stuff In The Box … Provincetown The Early Years and Ring-a-Ding-Ding: The Music of the Rat Pack—both named as “Top 10 Best Cabaret Shows” of the 21st century. She has appeared with Joan Rivers at the North Shore Music Theatre and David Brenner at the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Theatre. She has also opened for artists including Herb Reed and The Platters, comedian Pat Cooper and Joan Rivers. O’Shaughnessy has three CDs to her credit and as an actress has performed as Matron “Mama” Morton in the Worcester Foothills Theatre productions of Chicago, directed by Susan Streeter. She currently enjoys a residency at Boston’s only “cabaret,” the Napoleon Room at Club Café.

Pianist-arranger-conductor Tom LaMark is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a degree in arranging and composition. After playing his first professional “gig” at age 13, LaMark made the music business his livelihood. In the 1970’s he lived and worked in New York City, doing everything there was to do in the business, from Broadway to the Rainbow Room. He has accompanied show business greats including Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin, Anthony Newley, The Smothers Brothers and more, plus jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods, Johnny Hartman and others. LaMark served as music director on seven consecutive world cruises of the Holland America and Royal Viking cruise lines, rehearsing and conducting a variety of shows. In October 2007, he played Carnegie Hall with soprano Karyn Levitt. LaMark is now active in the Boston area cabaret community as a musical director, arranger and CD producer.

Comedian Niki Luparelli “channels the gods of chaos—ageless, fearless, and possessing a utility liver, she will lull you with her classically trained, artfully abused chocolate voice and then sucker punch you with her witty patter.” Luparelli has appeared in the Santa Monica Westside Comedy Festival and the Women in Comedy Festival. She also hosts the Boston Comedy Festival semifinals yearly. Luparelli is known for her Bowie, Stevie Nicks and Haunted Speakeasy events and as one of the judges on Boston Drag Gauntlet. Follow her at Facebook.com/nikiluparellimusic or twitch.tv/spookyloopy to catch her weekly cooking and singing.

Poise’N Envy is a Worcester, MA-based drag queen who recently moved to the NYC area. She’s known mostly for her kooky humor and pop culture-based performances. Some of her notable routines include her Dobby the house elf burlesque, her Richard Simmons work-out number, a Lorena Bobbit number and her parody of Samara from The Ring. “Bizarre and fun, you never know which pop culture reference she is going to make her own next!”

Over the last 10 years, Cara Brindisi’s “powerful, yet ethereal” voice has been heard in venues big and small across New England. Opening for the likes of Adam Lambert, Chris Isaak and Tower of Power, Brindisi offers a variety of genre-bending influences that flow within her singer-songwriter arrangements. 

Boston’s Diane Ellis has run the gamut of gigs, including at the Playboy Club as an opening act for comics such as Don Rickles. She’s been a singer, voice-over artist, actress, model, dancer, Las Vegas showgirl and a clown. Ellis has starred in Nunsense at the Las Vegas Hilton and conducts a Glee Club for Seniors/Sings at Club Café.

Leslie Anderson performed for years in NYC piano bars and cabarets. Her work earned her MAC, Bistro and Nightlife awards.  She has also acted in theatre productions from Off-Off-Broadway to Broadway and appeared in various concert halls and clubs along the east coast. Anderson has worked with many pianists and fellow singer slingers at almost every piano bar in town, including 88s, Rose’s Turn, Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama, Helen’s and Brandys. Piano Bar Live’s very own Scott Barbarino was her bartender partner at Rose’s Turn with Joe Regan at the keys. Anderson also sings as an independent contractor in Tampa, FL at special events, senior facilities and other venues.

Jim Rice is a music director, arranger and pianist working in diverse styles. He has lately been hosting from his home a virtual “Cocktail Hour” on Facebook Live with his unique versions of songs from Noel Coward to Bruno Mars. Rice has performed weekly for the past 10 years with Colleen Powers at Club Cafe.

Gordon Michaels aims his performance as “an opportunity to experience a deeply personal expression of his soul through music.” He graduated from New York City’s Music & Arts High School, where he appeared in the original movie Fame. From there he earned a scholarship for opera from the Boston Conservatory of Music, obtaining his BFA in Musical Theater. Michaels is comfortable performing Broadway ballads, jazz standards, blues, R&B oldies and gospel, as well as country. He has won many singing competitions throughout New England and New York and was the 2009 Boston winner and ten-city finalist of the David Foster/Name Drop.com singing competition. He has performed internationally with Patti Labelle, Jennifer Holiday, James Taylor, Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, Cissy Houston, Keith Lockhart, Tramaine & Edward Hawkins and Natalie Cole, and was a special guest with Harlem Gospel Choir, performing for Pope John Paul II. Michaels is also the creator of the Original House of Blues Gospel Brunch. His latest venture is his cabaret series in Quincy, MA at the Fox & Hound Wood Grille and Tavern as well as running a singing competition called “DaVoice” for new and up-and-coming artists. gordonmichaels.com