"Here's to the Ladies" Benefit Cabaret Friday, Feb. 2

All proceeds from this highly charged cabaret will benefit the Women's Commission for Women and Children refugees. As the title suggests, all the production numbers were recorded, performed or written by women, including a variety of selections ranging from the Andrews Sisters to many of your favorite musical genres.

Many of the songs are about men, all in a complimentary way, who are whole-heartedly invited.  In fact, the show was conceived and directed by a man, Kent Streed, who said, "This is a great selection of songs done by a great collection of women. There is a great match between some good, favorite songs and the singer/actors. The cabaret ran during the regular '06 summer season at Pendragon Theatre, and there were a lot of people asking when the next performance would be." 

This last added performance is a benefit for the Women's Commission and is in tandem with two talks on Thursday, Feb. 1, at SUNY Plattsburgh.  A reception by President John Ettling and his wife, Lisa Lewis, precedes the show.  Everyone involved is donating their time and talent for this great cause, including student organizations Sigma Lambda Upsilon, the College Theatre Association and the campus departments of women's studies, anthropology, theatre and music.

Tickets, which are $10 for general admission and $2 for SUNY Plattsburgh students, are available at the Angell College Center Information Desk, the Women's Studies Office (102 Hawkins Hall) or at the door. The Hartman Theatre Box Office opens at 7:15 p.m. on the night of the performance.  For more information, call 518-564-2283 or 518-564-2180.
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Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake is a professional theatre company in its 26th year and is run by the husband and wife team, Bob Pettee and Susan Neal. 

The performers represent four decades of dames. Sarah La Duke is the youngest actor, a recent graduate from SUNY Albany, who now works for National Public Radio in Albany.

Kim Weems has been singing in public since a girl. Her beautiful soprano voice can be heard with the Madrigal Singers and several area special events. She is the musical director at Lake Placid High School. 

Laura-Jean Schwartau-Swanson is a faculty member in the Theatre Department at SUNY Plattsburgh. She has worked on the stage in Minneapolis and off-Broadway in New York City and has been performing with Pendragon Theatre since 1989. 

Elaine Kuracina Brehm has traveled around the country with her original one-woman show Lillian Russel-1890's Star.  She has directed and performed with SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton and with the Grasse River Players. 

Paulann Andrews is a proud Kiwanian and probably the busiest volunteer of Saranac Lake.  She returned to the North Country to retire and was the director of Essex County Nursing Service for 16 years. 

Kathy Cross is the accompanist extraordinaire. She came to live in the Adirondacks from the Rochester area. She is the organist at St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid and St. Bernards Church in Saranac Lake, where she is also the bell ringer director.  She also gives private piano lessons.

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