Dear Friends:
Just back from a 3 hour rainy day hike in CT! We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and we send our best wishes to you and yours for the holidays. We have a lot to be thankful for, most especially, friends.
PERSONAL ADVENTURES
Garrett and I had an exciting 2 week "adventure"
- can't call it a vacation, exactly because we never stopped! First was horseback riding and snowmobiling on the Glacier in Iceland, (we are now completely smitten with Icelandic Horses - they are super cute!),
then joining our friends Max
and Vladimira hiking the Austrian
Alps and touring Germany, Bavaria and Piran, Slovenia. I followed that with a week long Body Mind Retreat in Upstate NY with my bestie, Candy. Then, Garrett and I headed up to Vermont for
more Icelandic Horseback riding, that we were thankful to find in America.
After resting from our adventures, I'm thrilled to be almost overbooked with concert/cabaret performances, and rehearsals for a brand new musical that opens for a brief Off-Off-Broadway run in January.
RAISSA'S PERFORMANCES
Here's what's happening - I hope you can join me for some of these exciting dates. I update my website much more often than you receive these missives, so please go to the
"Appearances" tab on my site to see where I'll be and remember to bookmark the
"Recommend Events" tab so that you can keep up with all the wonderful performers who have donated their talents in our MUSIC AND ART FOR CITY GREENS performances.
December 3rd - 7 pm -
IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR - at
DON'T TELL MAMA - Many of the artists that
Lennie Watts directed in the past year, are brought together in one evening of excerpts from the shows he directed them in. I'll be performing a song from the show I did with
Kenneth Gartman (which we are bringing back this winter! Stay tuned...) because Kenneth will be away, so I'll have to go solo! Click
here for reservations or call: 212-757-0788 after 4 pm.
December 4th - 7 pm - UNTIL NOW....THE SONGS OF RON ABEL AND CHUCK STEFFAN -
Thanks to Peter Napolitanto for asking me, I'll be a "Producing Artist" for
Urban Stages
Winter Rhythms
Benefit Series featuring the incredible songbook of Ron Abel and Chuck Steffan! Ron and Chuck's song "Westbound Train" is featured on my CD, so I
had to take this opportunity to share more of their music. I'll be sharing the stage with performing royalty including Broadway/Theatre/Cabaret Veterans: Klea Blackhurst, (Oil City Symphony, Gypsy, Hazel),
Andrea Frierson (Once on This Island, Lion King, Marie Christine), Valarie Pettiford (Tony Award nominee for Fosse, NBC-TV's "The Blacklist") and
Ty Stephens (Sophisticated Ladies, Marilyn: an American Fable) in an evening that could only be titled, UNTIL NOW.... In addition, you'll be among the first to hear song highlights from Abel and Steffan's most talked about new musical,
HAZEL, the beloved maid originally created by cartoonist Ted Key. HAZEL will open at the famous Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago this coming Spring as it moves on to Broadway. Click
here for tickets and more info.
Use Code WR20 for $20 tickets to any Winter Rhythms show from Dec. 2nd through the 13th. What better way to get in the holiday mood, see great performers in an intimate theatre where wine and beer may be bought and brought to your seats for a small donation. Only $20, no minimum and ALL PROCEEDS GO TO ARTS & EDUCATION!
December 11th - 8:00pm and
Dec 13th - 2:00pm, 7:00pm at the
Fairfield Theatre Company Stage One, Fairfield
CT. I'll be performing with good friend Kristin Huffman in her holiday show for the
New Paradigm Theatre Company a wonderfulnon-profit. Continuing NPT's unique holiday season tradition, Kristin will produce a NYC-esque customized holiday show featuring singers, instrumentalists and "Ms Clauz with a Z"©, Broadway, Film and TV stars from Fairfield County. Click
here for tickets and do so quickly, because they sell out every year!
December 23rd - 8:30 and 10:30 pm -
HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE BIG BAND starring
Terese Genecco at
The Iridium Jaz
z Club. This is my 3rd time getting to sing with The Little Big Band at Christmastime
- something I love to do, because not only is it thrilling to sing with them, but they are all good friends of mine. And, fellow redhead and jazz vocalist,
Shaynee Rainbolt is a special guest as well. Join us for 2 different sets of fantastic music and fun. Click
here for tickets and use promo code IRIDIUM for $5 off!
January 6th through January 17th - most shows at 7 pm -
WATER FROM THE MOON - running for almost 2 weeks at URBAN STAGES. I'm incredibly excited to be working on the first full production of this new musical that I've done 2 readings of, previously. I'm creating several roles including "Annie (Mommy) McGrath" and "Vanna Off-White" with music by Rosemary Loar, book by
Rosemary Loar and Robert Atwood, musical direction by
John DiPinto and directed by
Lisa Milinazzo. Featuring:
Jeff Ganz on drums and acting,
Tomas Doncker on guitar and acting,
Mark Peterson on Bass,
Rosemary Loar,
Sadie Gracelynn Trigg,
Alicia Irving,
Andrea Dotto
,
Emily Briggs and
Rich Hebert. As soon as I have a link to share for tickets, I'll send out another e-blast. Until then, check out the video at the top of this email.
ASK DOCTOR BENNETT
Dr. Bennett would like to remind you to be kind to your sinuses when flying and traveling this year using the following
7 tips.
Read more...
Garrett is one of the few doctors double board certified in both Ear, Nose and Throat and Facial Plastic Surgery. He has a boutique practice philosophy, which focuses on spending as much time and attention with each patient, as is necessary to achieve the best results for them.
DOG RESCUE UPDATES
You all know that we are passionate about animal rescue, and you can read about our ongoing efforts by visiting
"Brandy's Page" on my blog. Brandy was our first rescue dog who helped us socialize many fosters. She went to the Rainbow Bridge January 31st of 2012, but she left behind her legacy of service to rescue. For the past few years, we do most of our volunteering with Shih Tzu and Furbabies Small Dog Rescue. That's where Miss Phoebe and Miss Molly came from.
With 3 dogs now, it's not so easy
to foster, but, nonetheless, we did foster a bonded pair of chihuahuas, Lucy and Pooh Bear. Because of the help of Terese Genecco, who drove them down from Syracuse, friends and dog walkers Barbara Porteus and
Catherine Overfelt Tuite who made sure they were seen ALOT by taking them out for extra walks in different neighborhoods wearing their rhinestone studded "Adopt Me" Bandana's, we had the
m placed in less than a month with
their new Mom and Grandma, Johneen and Jeanne!
We can't all foster, but if you want to help, check out the STFRB website and see what you can do. You can take part in a transport - most of these dogs come from puppy mills and kill shelters in the south and end up in foster and forever homes in the North East. We also have our annual Jingle Paws Fundraising On-Line Auction happening RIGHT NOW, (ending 11/29) so please check it out and bid heavily - you are saving furry lives.
Speaking of saving furry lives, a shout out to Carly Ozard, who rescued poor little senior Shih Tzu, Poppy, who ended up in a kill shelter through no fault of his own. Carly rescued him, literally, at the last hour. If you want to help Carly continue to care for Mr. Poppy, who is a fabulous singer, btw, please check out this link: The Poppy Project.
Our 3 pups are doing well - Otie turned 12 this Octorber, and is a little less feisty, a few sinus issues which seems appropriate since his Dad is a Sinus Surgeon...Molly is 12ish and had surgery to remove the rest of her teeth and several hernia's - she was a breeding bitch at a puppy mill for 8 years before we got her, so it's not uncommon for that to happen. She was back to chewing away and running like a toddler in no time at all. Phoebe is the "baby" at 8ish and this year is the first time she hasn't had to wear a sweater all the time - we found out she was a little low in thyroid, so she's on a small dose of meds and she grew more fur!
Otie, Phoebe & Molly's Recommended Links
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