Last night I attended two events in one evening.  That's right - count 'em - two - two events in one night!  That is NOT easy.   I was in a quandary - there were two things I wanted to see and I refused to miss out on either.   I really pulled off a "hat trick" (does that phrase really apply here - I don't know).   So, while most of New York was home eating pasta, recovering from a crazy weekend and waiting for The Hills to come on;  I was racing around Manhattan "theater hopping".   So, instead of bringing you a report from one Monday night event - I bring you TWO!   Welcome to Twofer Tuesday!

Event Number One:  How do you spell "amazing"?        

B. E. C. C. A. A. Y. E. R. S.

My first stop was the Beechman Theater at The West Bank Café at 7:00pm for an intimate musical performance by Becca Ayers.   Becca is currently appearing in the much lauded Broadway revival of South Pacific.  She has performed in the recent Les Miz revival and Avenue Q.  (You may also remember her from our holiday featurette with her sister.)  Now, her Broadway credits don't really begin to inform you of her MASSIVE talent.  I was expecting her show to be a standard Broadway performer cabaret act (you know - a few B'way show tunes and a couple of ballads mixed with stories of coming to NYC as an innocent.)  But that is NOT what Becca had in mind.  Instead I (and a packed room at the Beechman) was treated to the unique musical talent of Ms. Ayers.   She performed all entirely original songs (I believe she wrote all of them) and accompanied herself on acoustic guitar for the majority of the night.

I wish I knew music better so I could describe the songs.  Ms. Ayers style is a bit indie rock mixed with folk music mixed with the chick who did the original music from the movie Juno.  Ugh.  That doesn't really seem to give her the credit she deserves for this entirely original sound that she has developed.  And the songs, don't get me started - they were brilliant.  The lyrics could be witty, moving and thought provoking all at the very same time. 

Nothing on the bill , however, compared to her voice.  I had heard Becca sing previously but nothing had prepared me for the remarkable qualities she displayed.  From the very first song I was blown away - such a pure tone and filled with so much passion, power and intensity.

Do you ever have that experience where you are listening to someone or watching someone and you instantly begin mapping out stardom for them.  My mind was racing.  Inside my head I was thinking: "she could win American Idol " I thought.  "No, she is too good for that (way better than that Brooke)."  "I hope a record producer is here, so they can sign her tonight?"  I pondered "Oh gosh, if I were a producer I could sign her!"  Then, "where can she do this show again?" "Maybe the Zipper Theater."  At one point I had to stop myself because I had missed 4 lines of a song.

Clearly, I enjoyed the show.  I hope folks will get to see this side of Ms. Ayers again soon!  Becca Ayers is a singer/songwriter that deserves our attention.  Powerful and poetic her music and voice transported me to an amazing place that I would be happy to visit over and over again!  Where is this girl's record deal?  For more info on Becca Ayers visit her website HERE.

Event Number Two:  Now for Something Completely Different

I bolted from Ayers' concert and ran (I actually did run) uptown to New World stages for an 8:00pm curtain of The 2nd Annual Broadway Beauty Pageant.  I grabbed my theater "date" for the show (the aforementioned Kevin Bacon who I saw The New Century with) and then scooped up our tickets.  We then headed into the theater for an adventure that was the exact opposite of my earlier theatrical experience. 

Let me remind you what The 2nd Annual Broadway Beauty Pageant is all about (you can check out my post from last week with an "in depth" interview with one of the participants.)  The show is a one night only event that pits chorus boyz from five different Broadway shows in a competition of talent, swimsuit and interviews to claim the prize of Mr. Broadway (more on that title later).

The show featured the, um, many talents of Tommy Berklund (Mr. A Chorus Line), J. Austin Eyer (Mr. Curtains), Joe Komara (Mr. Grease), Daniel Robinson (Mr. Hairspray) and Marty Thomas (Mr. Xanadu).  In addition to the participants the show was judged by the very funny trio of  Seth Rudetsky (Rhapsody in Seth, Chatterbox, The Ritz), Hunter Bell ([title of show]) and Susan Blackwell ([title of show]).  The evening was mc'd by Anthony Rapp (Rent).

The show was raucous!  Between the gorgeous bodies and the amazing talent and the hysterical jokes and commentary from Rudetsky, Bell and Blackwell - the audience was going WILD!   Some of the many highlights were: Marty Thomas' ode to Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" (he sewed 65 yards of fringe himself - no need to say more),  Mr. Hairspray's Marty Thomas and his lasso twirling (he could really do it - really!),  Tommy Berklund's unbelievable body and adorable smile and laugh, and J. Austin Eyer's "pageant flair" and the indescribable things he can do with a banana (really, I can't describe it - I would get fired).  

The evening wasn't all fun and frivolity, the event was actually a benefit to sponsor The Ali Forney Center which offers street outreach, case management, primary medical care, HIV testing, mental health assessment and treatment to gay and lesbian youth aged 16-24.  In one of the most touching moments of the evening, the Executive Director of The Ali Forney Center spoke to the audience about the program and some of his experiences in helping LGBT youth.  Folks, this is a great great cause that deserves your attention and support.  Click HERE to check out more info on The Ali Forney Center and  give a donation (even a few dollars can help).  I'll give you another chance to click HERE and HERE and HERE!

The evening culminated with the crowing of...oh, yes...the interesting thing about the pageant is that it used to be called The Mr. Broadway Pageant, but a gentleman by the name of Stuart Lane has a copyright on the phrase "Mr. Broadway" because that is what he calls himself!  (yup, you read that right).  So the pageant had to stop using the name (believe you me - there was a great amount of teasing and joking about all that).  Several names were bandied about during the evening.  Mr.  Thing and Mr. Stuart Lane were considered.  While no new name had been resolved a winner was indeed crowned.  Drum roll please....Mr. Xanadu, Marty Thomas won the evening!   He will now embark on a year long good will ambassador tour spreading the love of musical theater to children in third world countries.  That's a lie - clearly!

It was a great evening, a lot of work to squeeze it all in, but a wonderful night.  Please don't expect anymore twofers like that  - a blogger needs his sleep.

Have a great day and I will...

~ See You On The Aisle.