Valeries Gallery
Valerie Smaldone
Media Personality, Actress, Producer, Writer
Valerie Smaldone, a 5 time Billboard Magazine Award winner, is perhaps best known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 position in the New York radio market as the midday host of New York’s 106.7 FM. She ended her on air run with the station at the end of 2007. In addition, she was the co-creator, writer, producer and host of 'Spotlight On,' a nationally syndicated program that featured in-depth interviews with top recording artists such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Sting and Celine Dion, to name a few.
Presently, Valerie can be heard on NBC Network News promos and specialty shows and as the announcer for The Boomer Esiason Show on MSG. She writes a weekly nightlife column for TheThreeTomatoes.com, writes a theater column for Examiner.com, and has an interview program on the Italian American Network. She is an interviewer and feature reporter on Broadway for TonyAwards.com and hosts and produces celebrity portrait unveilings for Broadway stars at famed theater district eatery, Tony’s.
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2009 Review Highlights
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The Great American Songbook meets funny man in drag.
If you love songs from the Great American songbook, (and really, who doesn't?), fine singing and piano playing from Michael Feinstein, and a larger than life, incredibly funny and outrageous Australian bloke in drag, known as Dame Edna, you will enjoy the new Broadway combination/collaboration of sorts, All About Me, at Henry Miller's Theater.
You will enjoy it IF you take the show in pieces. Together, there is a disappointing lack of chemistry between the two performers.
Dame Edna commands the large stage. Michael Feinstein is a master of intimate spaces.
So although the individual pieces of the puzzle do seem to work, and most certainly entertain, when put together, the show is, well, curious, possums.
Still I did very much enjoy the evening from a pure entertainment point of view, and recommend the show for laughter, for irreverence and for great music. It's a good night out. An added bonus: To allow for a costume change, Jody Capeless, who plays the Stage Manager of the show, delivers a surprising and fabulous number of her own.
All About Me is only 90 minutes and it is a good time for all, even if the two performers together are a bit out of synch.
Michael Feinstein and Dame Edna in All About Me
Photo credit: Joan Marcus
All About Me is across the street from my Time Square hang, Tony's on West 43rd. But hurry, it's closing April 4. (Check out the Broadway Wall of Fame there in addition to their generous, family sized portions!)
Terrific one man show returns for one week only!
Now on to a one man show that I highly recommend. For a wonderful performance, a great piece of writing, for poignancy, and for comedy, see Frank Ingrasciotta's Blood Type: Ragu.
It's the journey of a first generation Italian-American family, with roots in Sicily. Characters, family issues and acceptance are all a part of this very special one man show. Frank is able to morph into more than 20 engaging characters. He can go from speaking in his own manner, as a true New Yorker one minute, and begin chattering as one of his many Sicilian relatives in another.
Frank Ingrasciotta in his one man show (playing many characters)
Blood Type: Ragu
Blood Type: Ragu plays for one week only, April 14-18th at Manhattan Theatre Source
177 MacDougal Street
(bet. 8th Street & Waverly Place in Greenwich Village)
New York, NY 10011
Wednesday, April 14 @ 8PM, Thursday, April 15 @ 8PM, Friday, April 16 @ 8PM
Saturday, April 17 @ 2PM (matinee), Saturday, April 17 @ 8PM
Sunday, April 18 @ 3PM (matinee)
For tickets and information go to www.bloodtyperagu.com
