Pick of the Week-2 Concerts: Friday at Metropolitan Room & Saturday at Feinstein's/54 Below, both with Brian Charles Rooney & a host of talent hosted by Scott Siegel -

BY ROB LESTER**** You aren’t seeing double, but a trio of guys—singer-actors Brian Charles Rooney and Paul Pontrelli and their presenter, Scott Siegel — are at variety shows on May 12 (a fundraiser) and 13 (54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits, a popular attraction that is just what its title suggests: fave songs from fave musicals.

First things first:

The Friday show is at the Metropolitan Room (34 West 22 Street) at 7 PM. That night promises Broadway songs and more, with performers and donors pitching in to help defray the costs of yet another of host/ producer/ creator/ director/ writer Siegel’s many, many, many, many projects — the Broadway Unplugged concert earlier this month. There are other impressive talents joining this ultimate multi-tasker and the spectacular-voiced concert artist/actor Mr. Rooney (pictured at left) who co-starred in Broadway’s The Threepenny Opera and has played a variety of roles from Che Guevera to Andy Warhol) and the up-and-coming young Pontrelli (one of those picked for the annual Broadway’s Rising Stars concerts, who’s been performing since he was a kid (Stephen Schwartz’s Captain Louie) and who’s appeared in nightclub/theatre presentations. They include: William Michals (male lead in Lincoln Center’s South Pacific, a consistent applause-grabber at many of Siegel’s Town Hall concerts and soon to be presented in the title role of his Man of La Mancha concert); a now rarely spotted MAC Award-winning cabaret singer and former club owner (Helen’s), Colm Reilly, of the Irish eyes smiling at you right here on your right, and singers who’ve caught my ear at other Siegel shows: Emily Iaquinta and Chelsea Wheatley.

54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits hits the ground running for a 9:30 PM Saturday night spectacular.with musical theatre pros, who’ve already knocked patrons’ socks off in earlier installments of this program that leaves audiences cheering, returning to the mic at Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54 Street) Joining the aforementioned three male gents are three formidable female talents: Morgan Weed (American Psycho), Kristen-Beth Williams (Nice Work If You Can Get It, Pippin) and cabaret favorite and star of Merman’s Apprentice and Hazel, Klea Blackhurst.

Also, I can report that also doing double duty, the versatile Ross Patterson will be behind the keyboard both nights, as he most often is when emcee Siegel is behind the mic and podium. He tells me that other singers are being added to both programs, so “check your local listings,” as they say. Pick either Pick of the Week, but be assured that this guy knows how to pick talent and pick up on new talent. “Come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway” and find that life is good when “Life is a cabaret, old chum.” Invite a few chums to come on along, too.