Ray Leggiero was bopping around with flower power Saturday night in the Savannah Center.
He sang like the Big Bopper.
He handed out red carnations.
And he hosted a show with nearly 20 acts and somehow kept things moving at a fast, entertaining pace.
It was all part of “Cabaret At Savannah,” featuring some of the most talented performers in The Villages. This was the 10th annual “Cabaret” show and money raised went to The Villages Regional Hospital Auxiliary Foundation. Watch clips from the show here:
“We’ve been doing this for 10 years and we’re glad to be back to do it again,” Leggiero said. “We’ve got a little bit of everything for you tonight.”
The bill included music, magic, comedy, ventriloquism and lots of love. The Savannah Center was set up like a nightclub with round tables filling most of the room, up to the bleacher seats. Performers came out to greet the crowd before the show and mingle with the paying customers.
“We’re coming together for a good cause,” Leggiero said.
Early on, Leggiero pulled out his cellphone and started singing “Chantilly Lace,” a song made famous by J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson. The song was released during the late 1950s, but Leggiero updated the telephone technology without losing the song’s message.
“But I ain’t got no money, honey,” Leggiero sang the lyric in his best Bopper voice. And then he laughed just like the Bopper and sang, “You sweet thing, you.”
Later, Leggiero made like Frank Sinatra, singing “Nice and Easy Does It,” as he strolled among the tables handing out carnations to women. “I love doing this but I never have enough flowers,” he said.
The Dorels are among “the most popular doo-wop groups in The Villages,” Leggiero said and they did not disappoint.
Lead singer Toni Booker made like The Marvelettes on a soulful version of “Please Mr. Postman.” She had help from the rest of the Dorels: Earl Cash, Cliff Cook, Bill Rascoe and Harry Tresvante.
Larry Rivellese displayed his powerful operatic voice on “Music of the Night,” from “The Phantom of the Opera.” Rivellese hit the stage wearing a black cape and white phantom mask. The costume added theatrical ambience but it was his remarkable vocal that earned a loud and long ovation.
Jazz singer Janice Swartz was silky and deliciously smooth on a couple numbers: “’S wonderful” and “The Look of Love.” Swartz showed her Ella Fitzgerald side with some scintillating scat singing that George Gershwin would have described this way: “S marvelous.”
Shirley Martin is always fun and knows how to give an audience a jolt of energy. She did just that on “Feeling Good,” waltzing around the Savannah Center floor in tight, white dress and long, flowing black wig.
Martin had people waving their hands in the air and when she asked them: “Are you feeling good?” they responded: “oh yeah.”
Jan Lavin added emotion to “Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered” while Diana Arlt also brought out heartache on “Cry Me A River.” Later, Lavin and Arlt combined for a heartfelt take on the Everly Brothers’ “Let It Be Me.”
Mary Jo Vitale always delivers dramatic vocals and she hit all the high notes on “I Dreamed A Dream.” Billie Thatcher opened the show with lusty and appropriate “Cabaret” from the Broadway show, while Chris Bolus made like Sinatra on “New York New York.”
Phil Caltabellotta never ceases to impress with his extraordinary skill on the harmonica and he was in vintage form on “Satin Doll.”
In addition to the music, Wally Libenson supplied some magic and had audience participants helping him cut rope and deal cards on stage. Comic Joe Beddia offered imitations of everyone from Louis Armstrong to Tony Bennett and ventriloquist Bill Lisby also garnered plenty of laughs.