Sue's Muse: An Interview with Raissa Katona Bennett -

SPECIAL POST!!! Today I spoke with this amazing woman not about the superstar that she is but about yet another pot that she has her beautiful hands in…the Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk (MTC). Their annual series, Hot Summer Nights begins THIS SATURDAY…TOMORROW…June 21 at 8:00 PM opening with the incredible Christine Andreas and Martin Silvestri. The series goes through to my show with David Maiocco (full disclosure) on August 23.

CT peeps who don’t like to drive into Manhattan: THIS summer series is the way you can see five Broadway stars and all multi-award winning singers right in your neighborhood. I am totally honored to be on this bill this year but you also have Sally Mayes with Billy Stritch; local icon, Frank Mastrone and the incomparable Craig Rubano. This is a series not to be missed. If I lived in CT I’d get a season pass…seriously…you are not going to find a series like this anywhere else in your area.

So why am I not speaking with co-founders Kevin Conners or Jim Schilling? Well, it’s because this gal is the official cabaret liason for this series and pretty much curated it this year so meet Raissa Katona Bennett…

Purchase your tickets here. You can also make a donation to support this theatre and all the good works they do here

Find out more about Raissa here.

I will definitely interview Raissa about her own merits soon, and I thank her for speaking with me today about this event. She is a remarkable lady, a leader of our community and, of course, an amazing talent.

About Sue Matsuki 75 Articles

SUE MATSUKI is an award-winning singer and songwriter, producer, open mic host, educator, columnist and the author of So You Want to Sing Cabaret. She is a Bistro Award winner for Outstanding Collaboration with her Musical Director, Gregory Toroian; she is the very first recipient of the Julie Wilson Award given by the Mabel Mercer Foundation; and she is a multi-award-winning MAC Award winner (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs) for Jazz Vocalist, Special Events, and Songwriter and has been nominated 11 times in 8 different categories. Matsuki is a Cabaret/Jazz singing veteran who has played every NYC Cabaret room including: Feinstein’s at the Regency, 54 Below, Town Hall, and several major Jazz Clubs including: the legendary Village Gate, Birdland, The Iridium and Sweet Rhythm. She’s even played Carnegie Hall and appeared in five seasons as a Diva Double at the Metropolitan Opera. She plays many theaters across the country and has appeared at Crazy Coqs in London. As an educator she has taught Cabaret and performance/business classes at: Mac-to-School, Cabaret Hotspot! Cabaret U, The Ridgefield Theater Barn, Peddie Town School (Town Heights, NJ), UCONN’s Osher’s Lifelong Learning Institute, the Vancouver School of Performing Arts and at Fordham University at Lincoln Center. Matsuki is the Producer of the annual Urban Stages’ Winter Rhythms series, NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singers) NMTC National Musical Theater Competition as well as many other benefits and shows. Sue’s Views has been an on-going Cabaret advice column that has appeared in Cabaret Hotline On-Line, NiteLife Exchange and Cabaret Hotspot, It now lives on her website. Sue’s Muse comes back to the NiteLife Exchange family in May. For more information please visit: www.SueMatsuki.com