Dan's Papers -February 27, 2009 - Come to the Cabaret, at Bay Street's Bay Bar

A lot of people heard about it and a lot of people were talking about it, but an intimate cabaret at Bay Street Theatre sounded a bit strange to me. Bay Street in Sag Harbor held the first of its nighttime cabaret shows last week. Based on that, it's clear they really have something exciting going on there.

The show doesn't take place in the theater, but in the "Bay Bar," or the theater's lobby area that is transformed for the evening with black and white candle lit tables, dim lighting and a cozy setting. The full bar is open for the entire show and you can even get fresh popcorn to bring back to your table.

The coordinators of this event are Bay Street's Artistic Director Murphy Davis and General Manager Tracy Mitchell. Davis began the show at 10 p.m., introducing himself to the packed crowd of about 90 people, sipping their drinks. Davis has the unique ability to make everybody in the room feel like they're his friends and family. After his introduction, the piano player and singer Debra Barsha entered to uproarious applause.

Barsha, a very charming woman with a wonderful stage presence and smile, didn't waste any time, and began playing her set. This accomplished performer romanced the audience - everybody was hooked.

She played hit songs that had the audience involved and singing along, like Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends," and "Love Will Keep Us Together," by Captain and Tennille. I really got what Bay Street was up to with this series, as did everybody else. Live music by high caliber performers in an intimate setting really fills a void out here. Not to mention, with just a $20 cover charge and no "minimum" like the cabarets in New York City, this professional, affordable entertainment is drawing attention.

Barsha also performedher original songs, delivered as if she dipped a serving spoon into her soul and poured it out onto the piano. She began the evening with "If It Can't Be Love," which set the tone and the bar for the level of performance in store. Barsha's voice is powerful and her music makes you feel good, but most important was the energy created in the room. Each time she played an original song, the audience was captivated. Barsha could feel that, enjoyed it, and just gave back more.

One of her most interesting songs was "Inside My Heart," a wonderful tribute to her parents, who raised her in Syracuse. Before she began, she described her Dad - a news anchor in Syracuse who, "talked as if he was reading the news even at the dinner table at home." Her mother and father celebrated 50 years of marriage and her tribute to them with music made you want to call your parents and tell them you love them, and squeeze your spouse's hand. This song seemed to hit a chord, so to speak, with a lot of people in the room, as many inside the Bay Bar were clearly long time married couples. I found myself going onto an iPhone and looking up the performance that she said was posted on YouTube.com. If you check DansHamptons.com, you can watch a music video of the song online inside this story.

I look forward to seeing more cabaret nights at Bay Street and encourage you to check it out and enjoy it for yourself. The cabaret takes place on Saturday nights at 10 p.m. On February 21, Jane Hastay and Peter Martin Weiss play; on February 28 it's Jim Turner; and Charles Notturno is scheduled for March 7. For more information, go to baystreet.org or call 631-725-9500.