A December to Remember

With two sold-out evenings of holiday cabaret at Davenport’s Piano Bar and Cabaret, Merry Measures returned to the stage as our traditional charity fundraiser. The two productions, presented on Monday, December 5^th and Tuesday, December 6^th comprised two volunteer casts and directors, with leaders and cabaret artists all working for charity. This year, Merry Measures was an official UNICEF USA event, with money raised in support of ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Merry Measures Cast Monday, December 5, 2022 (L to R) Suzanne Petri, Cecile Savage, Bobby Shiff, Wydetta Carter, Pam Peterson, (front row) Catherine Thomson, Carolyn Wehner, Jan Slavin, (second row) T. Patrick Davis, Anna Palermo, Anita Kallen, Russ Goeltenbodt, (in back) Gabriel Valentino, Julia Hawkins (partially hidden), Irene Michaels, and Emily Cox.

December 5

Julia Hawkins with “We Need A Little Christmas” Boomer Babes (Jan Slavin and Pam Peterson) with “Man With The Bag” Anna Palermo with “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” Suzanne Petri with “Slipping into Christmas” Cécile Savage with “Santa Baby” Irene Michaels with “The Christmas Song” Carolyn Wehner with “Twelve Days After Christmas” Russ Goeltenbodt with “It's Christmas Time Again” Gabriel Valentino with an original song, “A Million Little White Crystals” Emily Cox with “What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?” Terrence Patrick Davis with “Merry Christmas Baby” Catherine Thomson with “A Christmas Carol” Anita Kallen and Catherine Thomson with “Thankful” Wydetta Carter with “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” Emily Cox with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” Russ Goeltenbodt with “Joseph’s Song” Gabriel Valentino with an original song, “Our Winter Kingdom” Carolyn Wehner with “Mary's Little Boy Child” Julia Hawkins with “Christmas Time Is Here” Anita Kallen with “Holiday Dinner Party” Wydetta Carter with “I'll Be Home for Christmas” Boomer Babes with a medley “Simple Gifts/Turn,Turn,Turn” Cécile Savage with “Christmas Waltz” T. Patrick Davis with “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” Suzanne Petri with “Count Your Blessings” Irene Michaels with “Winter Wonderland” Bobby Schiff, accompanist

December 6

Jonathan Lewis with “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” Joyce Thomas with “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” Gina Mincy with “Merry Christmas, Darling” Staci Kelley with “Hanukah Blessing” Marianne Murphy Orland with “The Man With The Bag” Cindy Firing with “It's a Cold, Cold Winter/I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” Lou Ella Rose with “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” Barb Smith (With Wendy Parman) with “Ocho Kandelikas/Eight Little Candles” Wendy Parman with “We Need a Little Christmas” Cathy Glickman with “God Bless My Family” Ken Baker with “O Holy Night” Joyce Thomas with “‘Zat You, Santa Claus?” Gina Mincy and Lou Ella Rose with “Christmas Waltz” Staci Kelley with “My Dear Acquaintance” Beckie Menzie with a solo Wendy Parman And Barb Smith with “Winter Song” Cindy Firing, Cathy Glickman, and Marianne Murphy Orland with “Carol of The Bells” Ken Baker with “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Jonathan Lewis and the cast with “Silent Night” Anne Burnell, Barb Smith and Marty Balogh selling raffle tickets Laura Freeman, producer of Merry Measures

The Creative Team

The Merry Measures creative team included Laura Freeman, Producer; Anne Burnell, Assistant Producer; and Myrna Petlicki, Raffle Coordinator. For the Monday event, the Director was Suzanne Petri, Assistant Director was T. Patrick Davis, and Musical Director and accompanist was Bobby Schiff.  For the Tuesday event, the Director was Ken Baker, the Assistant Director was Jonathan Lewis, the Musical Director was Kristin Sponcia, and the accompanist was Beckie Menzie.

−by Charles Kouri