Although I loved and do still love NY, LA in the 70’s was a revelation. It wasn’t crowded, people really were laid back and friendly, it still had the weather it’s still pretending to have, we hadn’t heard of smog, and I could live on unemployment. There was so much money available that a publisher would give you $100.00 (that was a lot of money) just to hold a song,. I went there to pursue my songwriting career and, like me, all my friends were scuffling to carve out a career in show business; actors, singers, writers, composers, comics… so I wrote “Hollywood Has Got Her”

These songs are all on my CD “I Won’t go With a Whimper” which was produced by the ridiculously talented Michele Brourman, who also arranged the songs and played all the keyboards. Michele is a brilliant singer/songwriter/performer/composer/musical director and producer. Check her out at Michelebrourman.com

I’m a therapist. The first time Sara (not her name) came to see me she was impeccably dressed in a business suit and low-heeled pumps. She sat very straight and described her problem matter-of-factly, showing no emotion, as though she was speaking about another person. She’d mentioned a stuffed animal she’d had as a child that she was very fond of. When she returned the following week, I handed her a stuffed animal. She put her arms around it, buried her head in it and dissolved in tears. Later that day I was thinking about her – and wrote this song. “Behind the woman, there’s a child” click the link to listen

These songs are all on my CD “I Won’t go With a Whimper” which was produced by the ridiculously talented Michele Brourman, who also arranged the songs and played all the keyboards. Michele is a brilliant singer/songwriter/performer/composer/musical director and producer. Check her out at Michelebrourman.com

I spent much of my 20’s worrying about the fact that, although there were always men in my life, I wasn’t MARRIED! When I moved from NY – where I was born and raised – and moved to LA, I began a new life. One day I realized that I was not only very happy, I no longer cared that I wasn’t MARRIED. And I wrote this song in celebration.

The Sweet Single Life is the first cut on My CD “I Won’t Go With A Whimper”

3-9-20 Singer and Cabaret Performer Anne Pringle Burnell thought she was going to be an actress. Listen to the ironic way she discovered that she is really a singer and was drawn to Cabaret where, unlike acting she can express herself. Anne was instrumental in creating the Chicago Cabaret Professionals and is currently its President. Along with many other music genres The Chicago Cabaret Professions will be participating in the Year of Chicago Music, and she and husband Mark Burnell will be performing along with 46 Cabaret performers at Chicago Cabaret Week, 3/20-39.

2-24-20 Jeanne Corcoran is the director, Sarasota county film & entertainment office since 2007. She is an award-winning writer/producer/creative director and on-camera talent, in television and video productions, including dozens of concept-to-completion projects plus original tv and video content, music, books, electronic media, and web content. Listen to this amazing woman describe all the things she has done and is doing and come to the Film Commission’s 6 & a mix event – at Suncoast Technical College : 4748 S Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233 on Thursday Feb 27 – see details below

Featuring two upcoming young stars from Los Angeles, who have been on abc and other networks, cable and streaming, plus marvel and disney and numerous other major feature films and tv shows — Booboo Stewart (x-men, descendants, twilight saga and much more) and his sister Fivel Stewart (Hansel and Gretel, etc.) will speak on our vip panel in the conference center at 6:30 pm and if you’d like to just attend the beverages and nibbles mixer at 5:30 and then the vip panel, it’s only $12 total! if you’d like to come to any of the six workshops that run from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm you can register for those too at a different total cost of $50 for everything including the workshop, but it is not required, of course!
And if you have any questions, call the office at (941) 309-1200 extension 104
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/six-and-a-mix-tickets-86606968775

2-10-20 The Crown Prince of Cabaret, Steve Ross can be seen, remarkably for free, one night only – Thursday Feb 13th at Pritchard’s Piano Co 2108 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota, FL 34239, (941) 924-1204.Although he knew that music, he began playing piano very early, would always be a part of his life, his passion for performing the works in the Great American Songbook, the impact he would have on audiences and the success it has brought him, emerged slowly over time until even he could see it’s inevitability. Listen to this charming, thoughtful, self-deprecating man describe his ironic journey to becoming one of the best known Cabaret performers in the world.

1-20-20 Celine Rosenthal, is an Associate Artistic Director at The Asolo Repertory Company. She was captured by theatre very young and predictably studied acting. Surprisingly, although she loved everything about acting; script analysis, the rehearsal process etc., she really didn’t like being on stage. And in tandem with her acting studies she was also a pre-med student. After graduation she spent a year in Mumbai India creating a children’s theater, then found her way into producing, achieving Tony nominations for her work on Leap of Faith and Seminar. She worked as a New York City Medic before and taking the plunge to get her Directing degree from the New School of Drama in NY. Listen to the thoughtful, serious, exuberant woman describe the circuitous path that lead to her true calling – directing – and hear her describe “Lifespan of a Fact” the unique play she has directed for the current season at Asolo Rep.

1-13–20 Four year old Peter Amster decided that if Peter Pan could fly so could he and he had to be restrained from jumping out of the window. From then on he never stopped pushing his limits. Although he was to discover that his body was not designed to dance, he became a passionate dancer and choreographer. Although he says he wasn’t a very good actor – he nonetheless got work, and finally although already a working director – he questioned his technique and expanded his skill. Peter is not only a triple threat; he is a charming, delightful and funny man. Listen to his remarkable man talk about his journey. And hear what he has to say about his direction of one of the first productions of Murder at the Orient Express which is now playing to deservedly rave reviews at the Asolo Repertory Co.

12-30-20 Wendy Lyons Sunshine is an award-winning writer whose creative journey has included visual art and songwriting. After a career as a technical writer, Wendy began reporting for local publications and partnering with experts on books. Her first book collaboration was The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family, which has become a classic in its field. More recently, she partnered with leaders of the child welfare agency, Chaddock, on Raising the Challenging Child, coming out in January 2020. Listen to this thoughtful, intelligent, self-deprecating woman describe her journey to understanding how her unique abilities allow her to help other people tell their stories. Her website is polishedwriting.com

12-2-20 Joseph Holt is the Artistic Director of Choral Artists of Sarasota (formerly Gloria Musicae) as well as the Artistic Director of Artists Series Concerts, he is a virtuoso pianist who played all over the world before coming to settle in Sarasota. He was apparently a hyper active child, who was “scattered all over the place” and “something of a hellion.” So much so that a committee was formed in the church where his father was pastor to pray for “the soul of little Joey Holt.” Hoping that an extracurricular activity would give him an outlet (focus) for all his energy, Joey was given a choice of several activities; little league, cub scouts or piano lessons. Even though his family didn’t own a piano and he had to practice on a paper keyboard, with a little encouragement from his grandmother, a pianist herself, Joey choose piano. And from the very first lesson it was clear that the Joe and the piano were linked. Listen to this still exuberant man describe his amazing career, what’s next for the organizations he shepherds and come to see/hear Piano Grand IV, at the Sarasota Opera House on December 8th at 4:00 PM

11-12-19 Dancer, singer, actor and Broadway director/choreographer Josh Rhodes is in Sarasota directing his seventh show for the Asolo Repertory Theater; The Sound Of Music.. Listen to this charming story of a man who was drawn to musicals as a 5 year old boy, who dedicated his life to becoming the very best performer he could possibly be and was rewarded for his talent and his diligence with the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography, and the Astaire Award as well as nominations for the Drama Desk and LA Critics Circle Awards and a career in which he never had to have a straight job!

Alejandro Arenas thought he wanted to play guitar, but when he tried to put a band together (he always wanted to make music with others) he could only find guitar players and drummers, so he picked up the bass, a fell in love. Listen to this thoughtful, interesting man describe the ironic way he discovered his true instrument – the upright bass, and listen to a cut from a CD by La Lucha the band (with John O’Leary on piano and Mark Feinman on Drums) with which he has been making amazing music for 10 years.
And come see Alejandro and La Lucha open the Jazz Club’s kick-off of its 40th anniversary season with the fabulous Shelly Berg
Sat, October 26, 2019 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM EDT at Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center 709 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34236