Cabaret Act

The Martini Social Club brings piano bar-style entertainment to Apollo's.

By Stacey Jay Cavaliere and Glenn Gullickson

Life is a Cabaret

Photo by Cinthia Schmidt

Martini Social Club brings cabaret tradition to Apollo's

When the Martini Social Club takes the stage for shows at Apollo's Lounge, the audience can expect showstoppers, parodies and comedy.

"That's the right formula for us," said Jonathan Ivie, also known as Jivie, leader of the rotating cast of seven that started performing weekly Tuesday night shows at Apollo's in March.

Described as a classic New York-style piano bar show, the performances blend show tunes, modern songs and comedy. "It's a very cocktail lounge type of show," said Ivie, who sports a bright pink Mohawk.

The show is attracting a mixed audience of gays and straights. "We're a hit among the performing artist community," Ivie said. "The gay community is a huge supporter."

Ivie, his wife Katie, and his pal Michael Furgason (also an Apollo's bartender) performed a similar show back in 2004-2006 at the now-defunct Pookie's bar.

When they decided to revive the show, Ivie said pilot performances at Apollo's indicated a local interest in cabaret, a style of entertainment that has been undergoing a renaissance in the United States.

Martini Social Club shows constantly shift focus, Ivie said. "Our musical tastes vary quite heavily," he said. "In a recent show, we had theater selections from Wicked, Avenue Q and Cabaret, while also throwing in some pop music by ABBA, Cee-lo Green, the Eurthmics and Oleta Adams."

There also could be pop music made famous by singers as diverse as Debby Boone, George Michael, Adam Lambert, Annie Lennox, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga.

Shows include original material, such as song parodies, and Ivie warns folks: "We're a little weird from time to time, so we ask new attendees to wear their tolerance hats. Laughter is great medicine for the times, and we treat each other like family."

Ivie said an attraction of cabaret is that it features material that the performers and the audience can identify with. "It's a much more accurate depiction of everyday life," he said. Performers will take requests from the audience.

Between songs, Ivie said there's "lively banter." The show, which can run as long as two and a half hours, may also feature Broadway trivia. On stage, Ivie can be found at the keyboards. Shows typically include three or four members of the cast that he called "the Martini Socialites," including Katie Ivie, Michael Furgason, Terre Steed, Damon Bolling, Dr. Scott Schmelder, and Johanna Carlisle.

Martini Social Club also recruits guest artists, including professionals who may be in town for other shows.

Ivie, a professional musician for 11 years, has worked as a theater music director and accompanist. Until recently, he was a member of the Instant Classics, a rock dance band based in Scottsdale.

Ivie said he and his wife are "extremely commited to being straight allies" to the LGBT community. "This is what the world has come to," he said. "People should be loved and supported."

A recent benefit show featured three youth from 1n10 and raised funds for music equipment. Another show was a fundraiser for the Phoenix Metropolitan Men's Chorus.

Cabaret has a history that dates back to 1881, when the first cabaret opened at Le Chait Noir, an informal saloon where poets, artists and composers gathered. Performers tested new material, which audiences could enjoy for the price of a few drinks.

The concept came to the United States, most noteably with the opening of Sans-Souci in New York City's Times Square, in 1915. -E

VITAL STATISTICS
Martini Social Club
8 p.m. Tuesdays
Apollo's Lounge
5749 N. Seventh St, Phoenix
www.apollos.com; 602-277-9373
www.Facebook.com/MartiniSocialClub