Starry Night Cabaret Delights at Sands Point Preserve

Visitors to Sands Point Preserve’s Castle Gould Saturday evening were recently treated to lineup of top-notch Broadway singers.

The performance was part of the Preserve’s Cultural Arts series, which throughout the year includes a range of opera, classical music, choral concerts, cabaret, jazz and children’s entertainment.

Saturday evening featured an elegant dinner catered by Philip Stone, along with signature cocktails on par with what you’d find in most Manhattan nightclubs or well-known cabarets – at a fraction of the price.  

Next, musical director and Broadway composer Steven Lutvak (Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder) took to the piano, and introduced the cast.  

“I so love, and I mean love the people that I’ve assembled here tonight,” Lutvak told the crowd. “We’ve had a great time putting this together.” 

“We have 15 Broadway shows between us,” he added. “It’s always a joy for me to bring friends who are so talented.”

Those friends included Dee Hoty (Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, Footloose, City of Angels), Tregoney Shepherd (Les Misèrables, Phantom of the Opera) and DB Bonds (Broadway's Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera, National Tours of Legally Blonde and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and currently resident director of Broadway's Kinky Boots). 

The evening brought a mix of tunes and emotions, ranging from the vulnerabilities triggered by falling in love, to close-up intimacy, to the comfort of long-time couplehood. And there were tunes as well from Gershwin, Sweeney Todd and Les Misèrables

Stand-out moments included Bonds singing the Les Mis’ favorite “Bring Him Home,” and Hoty and Lutvak singing “My View Of You From the Piano,” a Lutvak tune he once performed with Linda Lavin.   

Lutvak treated the audience to a glimpse of Campaign of A Century, a show he is currently working on with his writing partner Robert L. Freedman. The show tells the story of author Upton Sinclair and his failed bid to run for governor. During this number, Shepherd sang the role of  Aimee Semple McPhearson, who turned against Sinclair. The project is going into development, Lutvak said, adding that it looked like it would run at The Hartford Stage and the Old Globe Theater, taking the “same trajectory” as  Gentleman’s Guide took on its way to Broadway. 

The evening ended on a sweet note, with an assortment of desserts and coffee. Guests mingled with each other and the performers, sharing in the evening’s magic. It is always a special treat to meet the performers and enjoy dessert and coffee after the show.  

“We had a great time,” Hoty said. “The people here are fabulous.” 

“The audience is great, the room is wonderful, the facilities are beautiful,” Bonds said.  “Thank you for giving us this platform to share our talents with such great people.”

Shepherd expressed similar sentiments. 

“It is such a beautiful place,” she said.  “We love to be around people who love music and support the arts, and we are thankful to be here.”

Coming next to the Preserve: The Sixth Annual Preservers’ Fundraising Celebration – Illusion“…is the First of all Pleasures,” on Saturday, April 26, honoring Anthony N. Dalessio and Elise C. Tepper. And stay tuned for new details about our Summer Opera Series on July 19 and Aug. 16. Learn more by visiting thesandspointpreserve.com.