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Five kids. Three mental breakdowns. Two husbands. Six decades in the entertainment industry that included stage (“4 Girls 4!”) and screen (“White Christmas”), television (“E.R.”) and recordings (going Gold with her first single).

One Rosemary Clooney.

I Wanna Be Rosie is the first cabaret revue to tackle the music and the “E! True Hollywood”-like story of 50’s “girl singer” Rosemary Clooney. La MaMa e.t.c. presents I WANNA BE ROSIE, by Bev Petty, an impressionistic portrait of America’s sweetheart – “girl singer Rosemary Clooney – the best friend a song ever had.”

Randy Jones plays all the male parts in the show...plus one "surprise"! The cast includes: Randy Jones, Liliane Klein, Janeann Nolan, Beverly Petty, and Camille Tibaldeo. Valerie Gardner Rives: Director. Ricky Ritzler: Musical Director. Production Management: TRIANGEL PRODUCTIONS.

Randy Jones, Anita Gillette, Natalie Douglas, Michael Paternostro, Marie-France Arcilla and Harrison Chad  performed in the September 23rd concert presentations of Bingo City as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. The concerts were presented at Theatre Row’s Studio Theatre (410 West 42nd Street).

This was  the premiere showing of Bingo City, which "follows one Bingo-crazed Grandma’s cross-country road trip as she tries to save St. Francis Retirement Center," according to production notes. "If a nun, several Elvises, a group of Hell’s Angels, and others can help Grandma Bingo get to Bingo City, Texas in time, she just might win the $2M prize to save the home." Based on a story by Lance Sticksel, Bingo City features music by Alan Cancelino and book and lyrics by Jenne Wason. The concerts were directed by Leigh Silverman.

Catherine “Grandma Bingo” Baladucci was played Anita Gillette (Carnival, All American, Jimmy, Tony-nominee for Chapter Two) . Her crotchety sidekick Sister E was soulful songstress and  performer Natalie Doulglas (The A-Train Stories). Jones, the original cowboy from the Village People, took on the role of Wink Wonders—a washed-up one-hit pop country star from the 70s, who is exploiting his former fame and popularity with the blue-hairs as host of a Bingo TV game show.

Michael Paternostro (currently in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Broadway) was cast as Catherine’s no-good son “Dynamite” Donnie Baladucci. Marie-France Arcilla, currently in The Ark Off-Broadway, was  Rita Sanchez, the conniving Reigning Bingo City Bingo Queen. Rounding out the cast was 12-year-old Broadway regular Harrison Chad (Caroline or Change, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan) who played Catherine’s grandson Junior Baladucci. In addition to their primary roles, all actors except for Gillette doubled as various road trip characters including a country singer, a Texas sheriff, some showgirls, and, of course, Elvis impersonators.

 

Announced with mini-buglers, a red carpet was stretched a length from the bus to the VIP club entrance. A force of 26 security guards dressed in black sprang into action to usher all the VIPs through a screaming crowd of hundreds of onlookers and a barrage of press photogs flashing cameras.

Whisked into Quo’s VIP entrance and directly on stage I was privileged to lead the all-star ersatz Village People in a jam-packed audience participation performance of “Y.M.C.A.” with Janice Dickinson in a leather biker cap, mini-Elvis with a construction hat on his pompadour, mini-Gene Simmons from mini-KISS in full make-up and Indian head-dress, the “Dell Dude” in a cop hat, and the party king himself, Keith Collins, wearing a crown.

On its way to the red carpet, the bus rocked through Manhattan turning heads as it careened from its secret pickup location collecting midgets, models, and adult film stars.

Man, I remember when arriving in a limousine with a mini-bar was a big deal!

Probed for more salacious details about the goings-on in The Party Bus that was well over an hour late arriving for the performance, Keith Collins would only say: “What happens on the bus, stays on the bus.” Let's just leave it at that...for now..."

by Mark Bego

The image of Studio 54 serves as the undisputed shrine to the style of 1970’s music known as "Disco". On Saturday, May 21, 2005, crowds flocked to the Trump Taj Mahal Arena in Atlantic City to see a dozen acts who either appeared at the real Studio 54, or who had their music played on the dance floor practically nonstop.

The crowd was comprised of people who either wanted to relive their Studio 54 memories or experience the excitement that they missed. For everyone involved, it was a winning evening of nostalgia, fun, and surprises. Billed as NYC radio station WKTU's "Disco Ball", the boogie-licious event brought together an energetic Bonnie Pointer, a bell ringing Anita Ward, the "Disco Inferno"-hot Trampps, grown-up diva France Joli, "The First Ladies" of Chic, the rocking and exciting Taste of Honey, and many more disco legends.

However, the real treat of the evening was the appearance of Randy Jones, who is best known as the original Cowboy from the hit-making group Village People. The evening marked the major debut of Jones' new concert performance. Seen more on film and television, but rarely on stage since his 1992 exit from the group with whom he made "Y.M.C.A.", “Macho Man” and "In The Navy" famous, Jones enjoyed a welcome return to prominence. The full standing ovation he received attested to his popularity amongst the crowd of more than five thousand disco mavens. Randy's still youthful and handsome looks, his dazzling smile, and his winning personality, made his presence one of the evening’s true high points.

Joined by Jacqui Smith-Lee and Dodie Draher of the disco group The Ritchie Family as his backing singer/dancers, Jones' act was something of a "Can't Stop The Music" reunion for this threesome of disco legends. In addition to singing a medley of his Number One hits, Randy also debuted his fresh new single release, "New York City Boy". How great it is to see Randy Jones back on stage, looking and sounding better than ever."