Featuring new performers with every show, the weekly, award-winning Piano Bar Live! (PBL!) streams this Tuesday, April 6 at 7:15 pm ET, with host Scott Barbarino and guests Mark-Alan, Fred Barton, Elena Bennett, Elaine Brier, Timothy Connell, Bobby Peaco and Rochelle Seldin, plus Mystery Guests and MORE!
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. Best of all, PBL! is the the unique chance to see veteran performers pass the torch to the next generation of blossoming young talent. The line-up always features a mix of veteran and rising star performers from the world of piano bars, cabaret and Broadway.
Join us this TUESDAY, April 6th at 7:15 pm ET at www.facebook.com/PianoBarLive, on BroadwayOnDemand.com or on YouTube @PianoBarLive
Mark-Alan began his piano bar/cabaret career in 1982. He started working as a bartender and cabaret waiter at the old Duplex at 55 Grove St. in addition to Don’t Tell Mama and Brandys on the Upper East Side. He later became booking manager for the original Duplex for 2 1/2 years. His first show at Panache Encore won him his first of four MAC awards and two Bistro awards. He left New York City in 2005 for Florida. He currently resides in Sarasota and is working on a cabaret festival for the fall of 2022 with his husband of three years Fr. Jeffrey Hamblin, M.Div.
Fred Barton is a renowned composer, lyricist, orchestrator, arranger, conductor and actor. His symphony arrangements are played regularly by the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and major symphonies throughout the US and Canada. On Broadway and in National Tours he has conducted Anthony Quinn in Zorba, Hal Prince’s Cabaret, Cy Coleman’s City of Angels and Robert Goulet in Camelot. Off-Broadway, Fred was the original Arranger-Musical Director for Forbidden Broadway (Tony Award, Drama Desk Awards), Spamilton, and Whoop-Dee-Doo! (Drama Desk Awards). He wrote book, music and lyrics for Miss Gulch Returns! (Bistro Award) and co-wrote book, music and lyrics for Creature From The Black Lagoon for Universal Theme Parks. Among many TV credits, Barton composed music for “The Magic School Bus” (Emmy Award). His Fred Barton Orchestra has won acclaim for his American Showstoppers song-and-dance concerts of Golden Age Broadway music.
Elena Bennett is an award-winning entertainer and producer. She has performed globally as a solo act, with combos and with big bands. For her many cabaret shows she is the recipient of the Manhattan Association of Cabaret’s (MAC) Hanson Award and a Back Stage Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist. She was named Best Piano Bar Entertainer of the Year by Theatre magazine; Cabaret Scenes magazine selected her as one of the Top Acts of the Century in January 2000. In 1999, she recorded her Big Band album, A Wrinkle In Swingtime, with arrangements by Fred Barton. That same year, she was chosen by the City of Sydney, Australia’s Manager of Cultural Affairs and Protocol, to be the guest star and co-judge of their Cabaret Convention. Bennett has also starred in the East Coast tour of the big band musical, Forever Swing and has twice appeared at the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention.
Elaine Brier is a singer/comedienne who has been entertaining people with inappropriate material for longer than she cares to remember. She started her performing career in 1990, singing in the piano bars and practicing the fine art of shtick. Elaine worked for many years at the much beloved Rose’s Turn Piano Bar and to this day, continues to work at Don’t Tell Mama NYC in the piano bar three nights a week. She’s been the recipient of various awards such as the Bistro Award for her one woman show, Jirque du Soleil with John McMahon and a MAC Award for The Mom Song, which she composed with Nate Buccieri. Brier has also received the MAC Award for Best Female Piano Bar Performer several times. Additionally, Brier has done voice overs, commercials, television, corporate gigs as well as birthing babies—she has three kids and someday hopes to write some songs that they are allowed to listen to.
Timothy Connell made his Carnegie Hall debut in May 2019 with the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s All The Things You Are at the 30th Anniversary Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He’s pleased to be returning to Piano Bar Live!
Bobby Peaco a respected member of the New York cabaret community for nearly 20 years, has garnered nine awards presented by the Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets (MAC) for his work in the piano bars and six Bistro Awards presented by Backstage. In addition to being the choice for such esteemed cabaret artists as Julie Wilson and playing in the European tours of Chicago and Ain’t Misbehavin’, Peacoh is also a composer, writer and featured performer in two acclaimed cabaret pieces, Erik and the Snow Maidens and Indigo Rat. Presently, he is starring in the new Jerry Herman musical revue Showtune,which opened in September 2002 in New York City and is currently running at the Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, California.
Leave a Reply