Thanks for another great Swingin’ The Standards with Brian Anthony Wilson & more, Aug 5th in Philadelphia, PA

9 August 2012

Our first Swingin’ The Standards in our new home, The Playground at the Adrienne, was a smashing success! What an incredible crowd. They clapped and snapped along with the music, they moved in their seats, someone even got up and danced. And that standing ovation at the end was just icing on the cake. Suffice to say, this was the kind of audience every performer dreams about.

You can see photos from the event here (click the link or the image at left):

Five Minute Follies presents Swingin’ The Standards, Aug 5th, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA

And speaking of our performers, thanks to each and every one of them for a stellar set. Show-stopper and Follies fave Tamara “Soul of a Chanteuse” Anderson wowed ‘em with good ol’ classics like “Anything Goes” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” … and her soul-stirring tribute to Mahalia Jackson had ‘em stompin’ and hollerin’. One-Man Rat Pack Dave DeLuca charmed the socks off the crowd with his pitch perfect renditions of “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”. Class act Rebecca Shoemaker delivered a beautiful and heartwarming “At Last” and a bravura “Orange Colored Sky”. And Brian Anthony Wilson was, once again, a revelation. Opening with a tender “My Funny Valentine”, following up with a soaring “What Kind of Fool Am I”, snappin’ and smilin’ through a groovy “I Get a Kick Out of You”, and finishing with a “Fly Me to the Moon” that was both swingin’ and heartfelt — what a performer!

But wait, there was more:

Remember how amazing Darryl “The Voice” Thompson was at the April Swingin’ The Standards? Well, take that, and triple it. When he opened with “The Best is Yet To Come”, he wasn’t just whistlin’ Dixie. His interpretation of “Singin’ in the Rain” was both unusual and thrilling. And his “Nature Boy” took the tune to all kinds of places, including a land of vocal improvisation that was just plain cool. The show ended on a high note indeed, when City Crooner Charlie Shoes took the stage. He snapped out an “Artificial Flowers” that would have had Bobby Darin up on his feet. He crooned a lovely and delicate “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”. And his “Mack the Knife” was the very definition of a “Big Finish”.

We would be remiss if we did not also thank the following people, without whom these shows would not be possible:

Our stalwart stage manager John Carlin; our super efficient sound and lighting tech Paul Jerue; house staff volunteer Clarissa Brodkin; our always understanding and ever helpful contact at the Adrienne, Joe Koroly; my wife Kristie and her parents Stan and Marie (they drove up from Maryland for the show!) for love, encouragement and support; and one more hand, please, for our incredible audience.

We’ve got a lot more Swingin’ The Standards and Five Minute Follies variety shows coming up. You can see details of our upcoming shows below. Keep an eye out for performer updates. Your faves will be coming back! And if there’s someone you want to see again, drop us a line and let us know. Email michaelsubvert@msn.com.

And don’t forget, the best way to stay up to date on show info, ticket discounts and more is to join our Mailing List. Just enter your email in the box at the top right of this page and click “subscribe”.

See you soon!