Sal Piro—director of 10 shows for the Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG), former APCG President and Entertainment Manager of the Ice Palace, and coordinator of past PAWS benefits—and Mark York—music director of APCG revue “Tonight We Raid Berlin, Irving That Is” (1999) and shows for Rose Levine—returned to Cherry Grove to make a special occasion of the annual Pines Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) benefit on June 1, at the Grove Community House, as stage director and music director respectively, and rather than present a concert of Grove stars’ blockbuster numbers, created a new, staged two-act revue, featuring many Grove favorites. Matt Baney and Alison Brackman were on tech and Martha Pitkin and Ellen Biggers served as stage crew. The take from the fundraiser was $2,729, Valerie L. Perez, head of PAWS’ Cherry Grove chapter, told FIQNews, to go toward the care and placement of strays.
Ariel Sinclair began the show with “I Gotta Get Outta This Place,” the Nancy Sinatra number, rudely interrupted by Daniel Nardicio and Pomeranian sidekick Butterball, Donna Piranha, Whore D’Oeuvre, and this writer, all making demands on her, with final punctuation by Ruth Freedner. Whore D’Oeuvre and Storma Bruin offered a singing lesson; Donna followed with “Wishin’ and Hopin’,” the Dusty Springfield number; and Sal, Sue Panzer, Angela Smith, Paulette Manos, and Joe Anania gave us comedy sketches.
Assisted by Mark, an increasingly tipsy Panzi’s riotous “Twelve Days of Summer,” a take on the similarly named Christmas carol, enumerated an accumulation of alcoholic beverages, served to her by Grove bartenders, and putting her in this state. Rose as Annie, accompanied by Westie Mr. Burberry, reassured us that “(The sun will come out) Tomorrow.” Demi-Tasse, in Follies headdress, was on hand for “C’est Magnifique,” and Bella, for “Bring on the Men,” from “Jekyll and Hyde.” To close Act One, Sal exchanged hoary “Knock, knock” jokes and more with Panzi, Ariel, and Donna, and had us rolling with laughter.
Ariel opened Act Two with “Call Me Crazy,” a different view of “Call Me Maybe.” In playlet “Fallout of the Closet,” Sue and Angela, and Daniel and Joe portrayed the sole remaining lesbian and gay couples, after a nuclear holocaust, wondering just how they were going to ensure the survival of the human race—weren’t there any turkey basters left? Chris Caswell sang an emotional “I (Who Have Nothing).” Donna, Whore D’Oeuvre, and Ariel did a funny sketch set on an airplane. In “Leader of the Pack,” Paulette, Sue, and Angela were the Shangri-Las and I, sporting a pink halo, the deceased eponymous leader. Rose sang “Red, Red Robin” and sparred with Sal in “The Grass Is Always Greener,” from “Woman of the Year.” For the grand finale, I was Roscoe in “Follies,” encoring my song from Sal’s “Class/Reunion” (2002), and heralding a procession of most unusual “Beautiful Girls,” many in Groucho Marx glasses, noses, and moustaches, with the exception of our own exceptional Rose Levine, as herself.
A buffet of donated desserts capped the evening.