Touch the Sky, a benefit celebrating the Manhattan and Brooklyn arrival of the L.A.-based playgrounds organization Shane’s Inspiration, will honor multiple Tony winner Chita Rivera October 1 at 7:30 PM in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Those scheduled to pay tribute to Rivera, who received the 2018 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, include Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso, Melissa Errico, Ali Stroker, Joan Ryan, and Liz Callaway. Seth Rudetsky will host.

The evening was conceived by Ryan and is executive-produced by Ryan and Scott Mauro. Producers include Brad Thornton and NY1’s Roma Torre. Bruce Vilanch will provide special material, and Ron Abel is musical director.

Paul Hastings LLP will receive the Corporate Responsibility Award for its unwavering commitment to Shane’s Inspiration.

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A rush ticket policy has been announced for the 2017 Cabaret Convention, which will feature more than 60 performers. Presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation, the celebration of New York nightlife will take place October 16-19 at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center.

In a statement, Artistic Director KT Sullivan said, “The Mabel Mercer Foundation sees this offer as an extension of our charter, by which we might provide students—and other performers and musicians—an affordable opportunity to enjoy the great popular songbook, both traditional and present-day. Mabel Mercer herself reveled in singing both the old and the new across her entire 70-year career; she never stopped adding contemporary material to her presentations.”

The gala opening will be followed by evenings that pay tribute to George Gershwin; Hoagy Carmichael, and Richard Whiting as well as the “golden age” of Manhattan’s supper clubs, boites, bistros, and piano bars. Show time each night is 6 PM.

The current lineup follows:

October 16: Gala Opening Night, hosted by KT Sullivan. With Corinna Sowers Adler, Danny Bacher, Carole J. Bufford, Joshua Lance Dixon, Tommy J. Dose, Greg Gropper, Luba Mason, Marilyn Maye, Tanya Moberly, Karen Oberlin, Lyric Peterson, Vivian Reed, Adam Shapiro, Jacob Storms. Presentation of The Donald F. Smith Award, underwritten by Adela and Larry Elow. Presentation of The Mabel Mercer Award to Vivian Reed.

October 17: S’Wonderful: The Music of George Gershwin, hosted by Jeff Harnar and Andrea Marcovicci. With Karen Akers, Anna Bergman, Celia Berk, Eric Comstock, Barbara Fasano, Shauna Hicks, Nicolas King, Stearns Matthews, Marissa Mulder, Mark Nadler, T. Oliver Reid, Steve Ross, Jennifer Sheehan, Deborah Silver, Gabrielle Stravelli, Jon Weber, Aaron Weinstein.

October 18: Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of Cabaret, hosted by James Gavin. With Barbara Brussell, Charles Busch, Charles Cochran, Natalie Douglas, Laura Kenyon, Carol Lipnik, Maude Maggart, Nellie McKay, Sidney Myer, Molly Pope, Ricky Ritzel, Spider Saloff, Bruce Vilanch, Ronny Whyte. (This evening is dedicated to Barbara Carroll, “The First Lady of the American Keyboard.”)

October 19: Too Marvelous for Words/Stardust: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael & Richard Whiting, hosted by Klea Blackhurst. With Matt Baker, Joie Bianco, Shana Farr, Liam Forde, Eric Yves Garcia, Gregory Generet, Valerie Lemon, Kristoffer Lowe, Tammy McCann, Todd Murray, Josephine Sanges, Billy Stritch, Stacy Sullivan, Carol Woods, Amra-Faye Wright. Presentation of The Margaret Whiting Award, underwritten by My Ideal Music. Presentation of The Julie Wilson Award, underwritten by Linda and Peter Hanson.

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall is located at Broadway and 60th Street. Prices are $100, $50, and $25, and Premium Patron Seating is also available at $500 ($350 of which is tax-deductible). Tickets are for sale through Jazz at Lincoln Center by visiting JALC.org or their box office.

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ROCK CITY FALLS — The Mansion Inn, located 7 miles west of Saratoga Springs at 801 Route 29, will host a full dinner /cabaret series this summer.

The Stars are out Tonight takes place at |8 p.m. every Wednesday and Thursday beginning July 18 and continuing through Aug. 23.

The series brings six exceptional performers to the area each for two performances.

Opening the series is the incomparable Bruce Vilanch, the hairiest Hollywood Square. In his show “Free Lapband Dances,” this multiple Emmy-winning star of Broadwayâ€s “Hairspray” and writer of 23 Academy Award shows on TV, has all the stories about all the people you love to hate and hate to love … and a few others.

Musician and comedian Camille West takes the stage July 25 and 26 as she performs “Empty Nest, Full Bladder,” a side-splitting peek inside the world of a modern American suburban mother from hell. She will stir your heart and your funny bone.

Back by popular demand after earning raves from sold-out crowds in 2011, Michael Walters returns as Dame Edna Aug. 1 and 8. Walters is the longest running Dame Edna impersonator with the blessing of her creator, Barry Humphries. Sequins blaze and punch lines fly as our favorite Saucy Aussie re-creates a Dame Edna Broadway extravaganza. Not to be missed.

Singer and actor Michael Walters performs Aug. 2 and 9 for an evening of show-stopping songs and hilarious stories. Having starred in more than 75 musicals across the nation, his powerful baritone will thrill you as he re-enacts some of his favorite roles. Mix that with his personal account of working with some of Broadwayâ€s legendary stars, and youâ€ve got one tunefully daring and side-splittingly funny tour-de-force.

Cabaret entertainer and Tony nominee Sharon McNight will be on stage Aug. 15 and 16 as she debuts “The First 30 Years; an Introspective Retrospect from Moose Hall to Carnegie Hall.” Known for her sardonic comedic style and eclectic mix of song selection, McKnight shares her experience from standing on a stage made from beer cases to starring on Broadway.

The ultimate NYC jazz/cabaret performer, Billy Stritch, concludes the summer series Aug. 23. This award-winning composer, arranger, vocalist and jazz pianist of extraordinary range and sophistication breathes new life into the Great American Songbook. He will bring his tribute to one of the legendary singers of all time to the Mansion stage — Mel Torme.

Admission is $25 with a $10 food/drink minimum per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., with a full bar and bistro dinner menu; performances follow at 8.

For tickets, call 518-|885-1607 or go to www.TheMansionSaratoga.com.

Shows are intimate with only 150 seats, advanced reservations are urged.

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Donna Sachet, MC Bruce Vilanch and sparkling performer Sharon McNight. PHOTO BY PAT JOHNSON

The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation (REAF) presented a very special “One Night Only Cabaret” with members from the touring casts and crews of currently running smash hits, Young Frankenstein and Wicked, with special guest emcee, Bruce Vilanch (of Broadwayâ€s Hairspray) on July 12 at Club Fugazi (home of Beach Blanket Babylon). REAF producers and directors Joe Seiler and Ken Henderson gathered everyone to help raise funds for the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They delivered an evening of upbeat, high-energy music, dance, and comedy. REAF has worked with over 32 touring casts to date to produce “One Night Only Cabaret” events, benefiting important charity organizations and, over the years, distributing well over $2.5 million to AIDS service agencies.

The show began with Preston Truman Boyd (who plays The Monster in Young Frankenstein) singing a heartbreaking “New Town” about trying to get a break in “a new, blue town that wonâ€t get me down.” Then out came Vilanch with his hysterical standup routine. His tee shirts always amuse, and this time it was a graphic of Chairman Mao in a rare smiling pose with the bold letters: “LMAO” beneath. It took me a few moments to get the pun of Internet-speak = Laughing My Ass Off.” He said, “Welcome to Club Fucking Crazy,” which we have to guess was his translation of “Club Fugazi.”

Vilanch had a whole set putting down BP and the oil spill. And his ongoing man-crush on Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Is he still married, or is he available?” he jokingly questioned. He then lovingly accused us of stalking chorus boys at these events.

He introduced Lawrence Alexander, a dancer in Young Frankenstein, who gave an erotic choreographic interpretation of “Iâ€m in Here” [“Can you hear my call?”]. Jeff Knaggs, makeup artist for YF, sang a gorgeous baritone power ballad of “Joey Joey Joey” [“youâ€ve been too long in one place, and itâ€s time to go”]. Libby Servais and Felicia Ricci are standbys in Wicked (playing Elphaba and Galinda, respectively) who sang a riveting duet of “I Will Never Leave You” [“I will never go away; I am here to stay”]. Trey Cox, musical director of the evening and pianist/ soloist sang a moving, screaming “King of the World” [“Get me out of here and set me free from this prison!”]. It must be mentioned that adding to Cox as the show pianist was Daniel Fabricant on bass and Josh Riskin playing percussion.

Laura Dysarcyk, who brilliantly plays Wickedâ€s Elphabaâ€s sister Nessa Rose who is stuck in a wheelchair, took on a whole new persona this night, based on a real life bag lady at the BART station, in a number she entitled “Tyrone,” who was her sort of pimp (if you could say she actually ever made any real money hooking) in a dramatic comedic interpretation: “You donâ€t give me no cash, but youâ€re always asking for ass.” “I smell Gucci up in here,” she remarked at the relatively well-off audience. “Iâ€m gonna do a show tonight. Anyone have four dollars for four quarters?” and then she tried to steal the microphone and sell it. Hysterical!

Holly Hyman beautifully interpreted “Find Your Love” with a sensual modern dance, joined at the end by that crazy bag lady. Jennifer Smith (from YF) sang a seriously comedic operatic “Pansy in My Garden,” which she could relate to as either an actual seasonal flower or perhaps an emblematic gay man she met in her brief stay in Gay Mecca, San Francisco. The first act closed with Boyd returning to join Stephen Carrasco (both men starring in YF) in a stunning high soprano falsetto duet of Andrew Lloyd-Webberâ€s requiem of Pie Jesu, sung from the giant pockets of a pair of humongous Levis jeans. Whaaaat??! But brava to both of them! Superior soprano singing!

The second act began with a bizarre psychic reading by a broken Spanish/ English speaking fortune telling cosmetologist, Juanita Ramirez (which wasnâ€t her real name, but apparently she was from In the Heights, Hairspray, and currently in YF as Frau Blucher, and a good friend of Vilanch). It was quite off-the-wall. Jeff Knaggs and Trey Cox returned to sing a simply sterling “Sailing.” Carrasco returned to solo in “At the Fountain,” referring to his striving to get a lucky break into show biz as did the legendary actress Lana Turner get discovered at a soda fountain. Zach Hensler (a dancer from Wicked) gave a mighty muscular dance performance to “Goodbye” and made us all say: Hello! to such a talented artiste. Sarah Pennebaker (school buddy of Hensler and fellow Wicked star) sang a bittersweet “So Far” about a first date that had no history “so far,” but was bound to build into something memorable, hopefully. Brad Oscar (a somewhat portly character actor gent from YF as a kooky Transylvanian, who has starred in The Producers, among other hits) belted out the classic “Old Devil Moon” [“in your eyes”]. Libby Servais returned to solo this time in a number from a new musical, Catch Me If You Can, “Fly Fly Away”: “I wanna see him fly, fly; we didnâ€t get to say goodbye, goodbye; maybe itâ€s because youâ€ll fly back home to me one day.”

Sharon McNight, a generous, longtime performer for REAF and so many other countless benefits, took us back to the 1980s and club Fannies†in the Castro to reprise her Carnegie Hall gem 15 years later, “Wizard of Oz Medley,” in which she absolutely knocks herself out for about 20 minutes portraying ALL the characters from that classic movie – including Dorothy of Kansas, her dog Toto, the tweeting birds, the tornado, Glinda the Good Witch, all the munchkins, the bad witch, and everyone “off to see the Wizard.” Later when I asked her where she got her tireless energy, she joked, “Drugs!”

The entire company took the stage to sing “Children Will Listen” from Into the Woods with lyrics that can be sadly applied to the AIDS epidemic: “How do you say it will all be all right, when you know that it might not be true? What do you do?”

Save the dates for two upcoming “One Night Only Cabaret” performances: Aug. 23 at Theatre 39 on Pier 39 with the cast of Beauty and the Beast, and Sept. 20 at Marines Memorial Theatre with the cast of Dreamgirls. For tix and info, check out helpisontheway.org or call (415) 273-1620.

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