By Marilyn Lester****In the world of entertainment, the venerable house concert is an institution long enjoyed from the beginnings of music itself. From the caves of early humans to the courts of royalty and the chambers of nobility, to Victorian salons, gatherings around old-timey pianos and Harlem parlor jazz, creating music in the intimate setting of home has never gone out of favor. Now Broadway veteran and star Carole Demas has married the art form of cabaret to the tradition of the house concert with plenty of style and pizzazz. This is a house concert decidedly glamorous yet in a wholly relaxed and casual way. The venue is the delightful Westchester home Demas shares with her husband, the award-winning acoustical, audio/video and theatrical designer, engineer and consultant, Stuart Allyn.
The monthly concerts, which began this past April, are part of the Airbnb Experiences, one-of-a-kind activities designed and led by locals with the idea of immersing guests in each host’s unique world. For Demas, the idea of sharing the gorgeous living space and gardens of her home held great appeal. She and Allyn have created this interior and exterior beauty spot in more than 20 years of paying loving attention to detail in every way, including a first class audio-visual system. From entertaining family and friends over the years it seemed a natural extension to open up their embracing home to select audiences as a venue for performance.
The template for each concert is a casual gathering with plenty of mingle time before and after the entertainment. Beverages (red and white wines, Prosecco, soft drinks, drinks, coffee, tea, espresso, cappuccino ) and an assortment of simple snacks, cheeses, crudites, etc. are provided. After an hour of socializing, the concert begins with Demas front and center, offering songs from Broadway, the American Songbook, folk, blues, pop and more, with long-time friend and musical director, Ian Herman at the piano. Demas’ repertoire is extensive, drawn from a major career on and off Broadway—she created the role of Sandy in the original Broadway production of Grease, as well as the title role in The Baker’s Wife, among many other credits. She’s also triumphed on concert and cabaret stages in addition to many dramatic credits in soap operas and primetime TV dramas.
There’s also a special guest. On May 25th and June 22nd, Demas’ guest was Paula Janis, a lifelong friend and for 12 years on WPIX TV, cohost of the now legendary children’s program, “The Magic Garden.” In fact, since the program ended, the duo have been regularly appearing at events and in concerts for fans old and new who can’t get enough of the popular “The Magic Garden” stars. At the June house concert, Janis, with guitar in hand, and Demas easily stepped into character beginning with the show’s theme song and moving into the famous “Hello Song,” which came with some amusing stories. An extra special guest was also featured, one that appeared on the show several times and who has lived with Demas for quite a long while. He was Thompson Turtle, who was serenaded with “You Can’t Make a Turtle Come Out.” Through other gems relevant to the show, the pair served up a master class in literal and figurative harmony, ending all too soon with “The Magic Garden” sign-off tune of “See ya, See ya.”
Demas is, in her own right, a master class of talent. Her vocal range, tone and flexibility hasn’t diminished over the years. Her interpretations of gems such as “Hello Young Lovers,” “Old Friends” and “I Fell in Love with You 
Today” enthralled. Of course there were reminiscences tender—of working with her beloved Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, to comic—a date with Allan Sherman of “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” fame, to the sharply emotional, about her recent appearance at a Stonewall Uprising commemorative—“What the World Needs Now”/”You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught.” Because she’s also a skilled actor, Demas excels at song interpretation. Nowhere is this talent more apparent than in her mastery of story songs, especially in the soaring “Firefly,” the aching “Meadowlark” and her closing number, the meaningful “It’s the Quiet Things.”
A vital ingredient in Demas’ stellar work is her partnership with coach, composer, music director and arranger, Ian Herman. The pair are finely tuned to each other musically, with Herman’s piano supporting and enhancing Demas’ vocal presentations. Herman attended the Manhattan School Of Music and has since worked with a roster of A-list artists. His classical training in piano well suits Demas’ style with lush, orchestral arrangements that play especially well in the beautiful and warmly enfolding setting of the Demas-Allyn home.
House concerts at Carole Demas and Stuart Allyn’s home are scheduled for August 9, September 7, October 12 and November 9, to date. Click here for more information as well as details about cost and location.
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