Cabaret Star Carol O’Shaughnessy Presents Lucky To Be Me 69th Birthday Bash!

Nov. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- Boston, MA--Singer Carol O’Shaughnessy will celebrate her fabulous 69th birthday in high style with birthday cake for all and a show titled Lucky To Be Me at Scullers Jazz Club, [inside DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, 400 Soldiers Field Road, Allston, MA 02134] on Tuesday, November 22 at 8 PM.  Backing up Carol will be the entire Tom LaMark Orchestra featuring John Repucci on bass, Jim Gwin on drums, Mike Monaghan on reeds and Dave Burdett on trumpet and flugelhorn.  Tickets at $23.00 are on sale now at http://www.scullersjazz.com or by calling 617-562-4111.  Scullers is wheelchair accessible.  For more information, call: 617-562-4111.

“Lucky To Be Me” is the title of a song by Leonard Bernstein from the musical comedy show On the Town written in 1944 and later released as a film that featured Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra in 1949.  Carol plans to open her show with this tune which has been performed by singers like Tony Bennett, Blossom Dearie, Abbey Lincoln, Wesla Whitfield, John Pizzarelli and many others.  

“All I care about is laughing and enjoying my life,” says Carol.  The tune “Lucky To Be Me” seems almost “Buddhist!” I like to enjoy each day and it makes sense to me to do this, as I get older.  There’s a little bit in the song about ‘finding a man’ but that’s not really what I’m looking for, besides they are all dead now anyway!  And if they’re not dead, then you have to take care of them, so who needs that?”

A zany comedienne, Carol also plans to spice up her show with the ever hilarious “Mama Scugliachi.”  Carol’s fans love it when the hysterical 100-year-old Italian mama who loves her pasta walks on stage.  Hopefully she will make an appearance!  The dame “Appoggiatura Fettucini-Smythe” might also show up for the gig . . . but only if she can make it away from the bar . . .

Born on the night of the Coconut Grove Fire while her mother went into labor at the Judy Garland movie, State Fair, it seems like Carol was born to sing! Dubbed “Boston’s First Lady of Cabaret,” O’Shaughnessy earned the city’s Cabaret Entertainer of the Year” through her highly praised appearances in premier venues such as New York City’s Town Hall and Boston concert halls and hot spots such as Jordan Hall, the Regattabar, The Copley Plaza, The Theater Lobby and Scullers Jazz Club.  Her one-woman shows entitled “Stuff In The Box . . . Provincetown, The Early Years” and “Ring-a-Ding-Ding! . . . The Music of the Rat Pack” were named two of the “Top 10 Best Cabaret Shows" in 2002 and 2003.  Both received rave reviews.  Carol was also nominated by the Independent Reviewers of New England as “Best Female Cabaret Entertainer of 2004.”

O'Shaughnessy has received critical acclaim for her other rousing one-woman shows entitled A Talent To Amuse:  The Music of Judy Garland and Just For Laughs.  Working in one-woman vignettes such as her now famous "Mamma Scugliachi," a humorous Italian character she first added to her shows in 1978, she also won accolades such as Provincetown's Hall of Fame Award, The Entertainer of the Year Award, the Pride Lights Bridge Builder Award and numerous other honors over the years.  But the ultimate praise came from comedienne Joan Rivers with whom she shared a bill at the North Shore Music Theatre in 1991.  After her set, Joan had exclaimed, [Carol is] "the best singer in her price range!"  

In 2007, Carol was the opening act for Herb Reed and the Platters as well as legendary comedian, Pat Cooper.  Carol has also appeared on Chronicle as part of their “My Boston” show as well as Sunday with Liz Walker on WBZ-TV.  She has been a regularly featured guest of WBZ-Radio 1030 host, Jordan Rich for several years.

As a member of Actor’s Equity New England, Carol has played “Matron Mama Morton” in the Worcester Foothills Theatre productions of Chicago, directed by Susan Streeter.  She has also played Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret and Bloody Mary in South Pacific, but she is probably best known locally for her portrayal of "Reverend Mother" in numerous productions of Nunsense.  She has also not only performed alongside comedienne Joan Rivers but opened for comic David Brenner as well.  These roles and appearances demonstrate the comedic sense and theatrical depth focused within her performances.  It has been said that Ms. "O" is in fact, "a delightful mixture of Ethel Merman and Bette Midler, with a dash of Donna Reed!"

Carol has traveled the world as a highly in-demand cruise ship entertainer as well.  In fact, she has performed on more than 35 cruises--heading to many ports in the Caribbean, to New Orleans and Key West, to various points in South America, to Alaska, to Florence, Rome, Monaco, Athens, Israel, Istanbul, Nice and an assortment of other Mediterranean destinations.   In 2006, Carol headlined a cruise that went to the exotic and historic cities of Budapest, Vienna and Prague.  Carol's remarkable "life on a boat" has given her the amazing opportunity of singing "New York, New York" and "Let Me Entertain You" . . . in, of all places, the Holy Land!  As well, she has had the unforgettable and more reverent experience of singing "Ave Maria" in the ancient temple at Ephesus, where Carol is quick to note that the acoustics in that remarkable setting are absolutely pristine.

O’Shaughnessy has three CDs, The Way I See It, Live At Scullers and Ring-A-Ding-Ding . . . The Music of the Rat Pack.  All three have received rave reviews.  

“Carol has an innate ability to deliver a song with the best of them.  Carol, you’re just too marvelous for words!” says radio personality Ron Della Chiesa.

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Sue Auclair Promotions is a full service public relations and publicity firm located in the Boston area and specializing in music, the arts and entertainment . For more information, check us out on the web at http://www.sueauclair.com