| by Candace Leeds
“Glamour hangsssssss in the air” said Rita Moreno, in a sexy drawl, at the beginning of her cabaret act, “Little Tributes” at the Café Carlyle. And right she is. The room, bathed in a mellow light, tables cozily set, almost touching, has been host to some of the great musical talents over the decades. One can almost feel the presence of the late crooner, Bobby Short, (a fixture in the room for decades) in his dapper bow tie and smartly cut tuxedo, crooning his sophisticated song stylings.
An evening at the Carlyle, while a bit of an extravagance, is a visit to time gone by, harking back to the age of elegance in New York…to the heyday of the grand hotel nightclubs – the Empire Room at the Waldorf, the Royal Box at the Americana, and the Persian Room at the Plaza. |  | Today, due to the economics of presenting live entertainment, all but two major rooms remain – Feinstein’s at the Regency and, of course, the venerable Cafe Carlyle at the Carlyle Hotel.
Conveniently located on Madison Avenue and 77th Street, the Carlyle has not changed much since it opened in 1955 – the quintessential supper club, right out of an MGM film classic.
Those arriving early for dinner are likely to receive the better seats – but most of the tables afford good sight lines to the tiny elevated stage. The typical hotel fare – a tasty rack of lamb, a moist and particularly good roast chicken, as well as other entries such as salmon, and steak – was well prepared, fairly priced and satisfying. The house wine is delicious, and well it should be for the $20 a glass tariff for chardonnay which we found on our check. But the evening was well worth the price.
Rita Moreno was resplendent in a blazing red tuxedo with oversized gold and diamond globes twinkling at her ears. A show business veteran, she began her act with a self deprecating story about her opening night. “I was coming down in the elevator, followed by a little pop tart, wearing all kinds of synthetic blends -- you know the type. She took one look at me and said ‘Oh my, aren’t we dolled up’. And she said, ‘Goin’ down to the show’? I said, ‘My dear, I AM THE SHOW’. ‘Sorryeee,’ she said… ‘what’s your name’? I said ‘I am Chita Rivera.’ And, you know what – she didn’t know Chita Rivera either!”
Moreno is often confused with Chita Rivera who originated the Broadway role of Anita in West Side Story -a part Moreno played in the movie version. But those who have the opportunity to enjoy Moreno’s show will not forget her name. This show business veteran has paid her dues – and has received the entertainment world’s highest honors. She was the first – and still the only Latina to win an acting Oscar for her West Side Story film role; she also won Emmys for appearances on The Muppet Show and The Rockford Files, a Tony for her role as Googie Gomez in The Ritz, and a Grammy for The Electric Company album.
While her voice may have seen better days, Moreno’s talents as an actress prevail. Her presentation of “New Ways to Dream,” a song sung by the character Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, was completely captivating, as her large, expressive eyes welled with tears and she inhabited the role of the sad and over-the-hill diva. We weren’t surprised to learn that Moreno played that role in the stage version of the show in London. Other highlights of the evening were her heartfelt tribute to Harold Arlen with Over the Rainbow and her lively soft shoe routine, skillfully executed on the tiny stage. For her tribute to Peggy Lee, she perched atop the piano and vamped with the audience, belying her age, which she proudly announced as 75.
A great performer and crowd pleaser, Moreno received a deserved standing ovation at the close of her show. She appears at the Carlyle until February 10, followed by Judy Collins (Feb. 13- March 10), followed by Chris Gillespie and Jane Monheit.
Call the Café Carlyle at 212-744-1600 for reservations. |
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