60-Hour Record-Breaking Cabaret Show at Metropolitan Room

Tony Danza, Richard Pryor Jr., Christine Pedi and cabaret legend Marilyn Maye are among the at least TWO HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE people planning to perform at The Metropolitan Room starting this evening on its 60-hour quest to break the Guinness World Record for the longest variety show ever.
Who knew this was a thing?
But the record was set in 2013 in Lahore, India with a mere 145 performers over 12 continuous hours.
Surely if anybody should hold such a record, it should be a club in New York City (or maybe Paris.) The Metropolitan Room has a schedule of new acts every 15 minutes from New Year’s Day at 7 p.m. to Sunday morning at 7 a.m.
The only exception is Marilyn Maye, who will perform from 7 to 8:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.

Update: Here are two minutes of Ms. Maye during the marathon:

Those unable or unwilling to attend in person will be able to watch it online on a new service called Livamp.
A day pass is $25, three-day pass is $60 – which comes to comes to a terrific hourly rate….if you can stick around that long.

The schedule
As if 60 hours is not long enough, it will begin with a pre-show that includes guacamole and Joe Franklin.

Lina Koutrakos Thursday, January 1: 7:00 to 7:15 p.m. First cabaret performance

The video above includes songwriter Rick Jensen, who gets his own gig from 7:15 to 7:30

Jamie Salzano, 7:30 – 7:45

Skipping ahead

Hedda Lettuce,– Steven Polito’s drag act. (You may have seen him on “Ugly Betty” or at his/her don’t bring the kiddies Christmas show

Update: the video of her actual performance at the Metropolitan Room, January 1, 2015

Tony Danza, Friday January 2, noon to 12:15 Taking a break from “Honeymoon in Vegas,” he promises to sing and tapdance.

Here’s Tony Danza tapdancing LONG AGO (you’ll notice Dean Martin at the end)

Update: Here is his act at The Metropolitan Room, January 2

Richard Pryor Jr. 4:45 t0 5 pm The son of the comedian may impersonate characters but mostly plans to sing.

Here he is singing I Feel Good years ago

Eddie Brill:, Saturday 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. “Late Night With David Letterman” comic

Emily Bergl, 9 – 9:30 p.m. Actress turned cabaret singer laces the songs with comic patter

Christine Pedi, 11:15 t0 11:30 p.m. “Forbidden Broadway” star, master impressionist

Laurie Krauz, Sunday 6:45 a.m. to 7 a.m the very last cabaret performer

 

Full schedule of Longest Variety Show

Update: Day 1 in Three Minutes

Author: New York Theater

Jonathan Mandell is a 3rd generation NYC journalist, who sees shows, reads plays, writes reviews and sometimes talks with people.

Leave a Reply