NIGHT 3 of THE 29th NEW YORK CABARET CONVENTION CELEBRATES THE EFFERVESCENT and ECLECTIC MUSIC
OF JERRY HERMAN

Eugene Ebner
BroadwayWorld.com
October 14, 2018

Celia Berk’s transformative abilities sparkled once again, showing her adept interpretation and storytelling abilities and commanding the stage the entire time.

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CELIA’S ONE WAY TICKET IS TO THIS IDEAL POINT IN HER LIFE

Steven Shalowitz
The One Way Ticket Show
January 16, 2018

Where would you go if you were given a one way ticket? No coming back.

MAC’S BEST FEMALE VOCALISTS CREATE CAMARADERIE FROM COMPETITION WITH TOGETHER

Ashley Steves
BroadwayWorld Feature
December 15, 2017

If it got off the ground, the show would be the first of its kind. For the performers themselves, it would be their first time working with one another, with the exception of Sanges and Berk, who had previously worked together on a duet during the 2016 Mabel Mercer Foundation Cabaret Convention, a beautifully sung and arranged medley of Stephen Sondheim’s “The Road You Didn’t Take”/”Growing Up”/”Move On” on the night honoring the composer.

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CELIA BERK DELIVERS A MANHATTAN SERENADE

Joe Montague
Riveting Riffs Magazine
November 22, 2017

Ms. Berk is a mezzo-soprano with a three octave range who has become celebrated in New York City as a Cabaret singer, but whose lavish vocals are genre bending and threaten to break those boundaries altogether.

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S’WONDERFUL — THE MUSIC OF GEORGE GERSHWIN — AND
IT WAS!

Alix Cohen
Theatre Pizzazz
October 19, 2017

Celia Berk and Karen Akers, “the two lowest voices in cabaret,” delivered another highpoint with a choreographed duet of “What Are We Here For?” The bubbly combination was urbane, polished, infectious fun.

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ARTIST INTERVIEW: MAC AWARD WINNER CELIA BERK ON HER UPCOMING “JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER” PERFORMANCE, HER MUSICAL JOURNEY, AND HER ETERNAL LOVE FOR NYC

Shari Lifland
Huffington Post
October 10, 2017

A successful corporate executive by day, Celia Berk started out as an actor, then returned to music later in life.

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TOGETHER

Chris Struck
CabaretScenes.org
August 11, 2017

Having five great performers at Don’t Tell Mama instead of one certainly made for an entertaining evening.

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THAT WAS ENTERTAINMENT: A ONE-NIGHT CONCERT FOCUSED ON SONGWRITERS: DIETZ & SCHWARTZ (and some more recent ones)

Marilyn Lester
Nite Life Exchange
June 22, 2017

A play on words was delivered by the ever-evolving Celia Berk, with droll sophistication, and Alex Rybeck on piano, in “The Party Upstairs” by Ronny Whyte and Francesca Blumenthal. Berk also remembered Dietz and Schwartz with “Something to Remember You By,” sung with cool and smooth elegance.

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A CONVERSATION WITH THE 2017 MAC NOMINEES FOR
FEMALE VOCALIST

CabaretScenes.org
May 23, 2017

The 2017 MAC Nominees for Female Vocalist—Celia Berk, Sally Darling, Meg Flather, Josephine Sanges, Lisa Viggiano—will perform a group show, Together, at NYC’s Don’t Tell Mama. Among them, they have 16 nominations and 14 awards/honors.

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RVC NATIVE TO DEBUT AT CARNEGIE HALL

Brian Kacharaba
LIHerald.com
May 4, 2017

Berk will be performing at Carnegie Hall on June 20 as part of the “That’s Entertainment: Dietz and Schwartz and Friends” show presented by the Mable Mercer Foundation and hosted by KT Sullivan.

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IT HELPS TO SING ABOUT IT IS A HIT

Cindi Marinangel
Times Square Chronicles
March 31, 2017

When life gets you down, It Helps to Sing About It, crooned the stellar cast … The all pro cast included Celia Berk, who charmed with “I’ll Wait” (while the audience gets it together) and “Manhattan in July”, a lovely song that warmed the soul about New York.

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A BENEFIT FOR CABARET SCENES HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

Marilyn Lester
Nite Life Exchange
February 11, 2017

For sheer amusement coupled with artistry, Celia Berk, displaying her awesome range from pop singer to opera diva, delivered Irving Berlin’s 1911 novelty number…

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2016 BWW CABARET AWARDS: CELIA BERK AND SIDNEY MYER
WIN TOP SHOW HONORS; BETTY BUCKLEY AND TONY YAZBECK ARE TOP CELEBS

Ashley Steves
BroadwayWorld.com
January 19, 2017

Celia Berk’s MANHATTAN SERENADE is the runaway winner of the award for Best Show, Female. This is the second major category win for Berk, who won in the Best Debut Show category last year for YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING.

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SALUTING STEPHEN SONDHEIM

Alix Cohen
Theater Pizzazz
October 20, 2016

Celia Berk completely surprises with an elegant arrangement and rendition of “Sand”…

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CABARET CELEBRATES STEPHEN SONDHEIM IN NIGHT TWO OF THE MABEL MERCER FOUNDATION CABARET CONVENTION

Ashley Steves
BroadwayWorld.com
October 19, 2016

Hold your hats and hallelujah…

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MAC AWARD WINNER CELIA BERK DISCUSSES HER LATEST ALBUM AND HER LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH NEW YORK

Ashley Steves
BroadwayWorld.com
October 13, 2016

Ask Celia Berk what she loves about New York and she’ll give you a list. Or, better yet, an album.

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IT HELPS TO SING ABOUT: THE SONGS OF BEN SCHAECHTER & DAN KAEL

Randolph E. Eigenbrode
Cabaret Scenes
September 20, 2016

Berk, the grounded sage, dazzled with “Manhattan In July,” a haunting love letter to steamy Big Apple summers, and expertly got the most out of each lyric.

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ALUMNA’S MANHATTAN SERENADE TO THE CITY AND MUSIC SHE LOVES

Ginny Greenberg
news@HOFSTRA
July 29, 2016

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CELIA BERK: MANHATTAN SERENADE

John Hoglund
Cabaret Scenes
June 6, 2016

Berk is a good storyteller, hence the real success of this album. She proves she’s not afraid to grow and take chances. The results are another winning notch in her climb up the cabaret ladder.

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CELIA BERK: MANHATTAN SERENADE

Peter Haas
Cabaret Scenes
May 29, 2016

Where is cabaret’s next top headliner coming from? To paraphrase a Sondheim lyric, “Don’t worry, she’s here.” She’s Celia Berk, who packed the Metropolitan Room through four Sunday sessions in April with her rich voice, simplicity of style, and warm personality.

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CELIA BERK

Robert Windeler
Bistro Awards
April 19, 2016

No sophomore slump here. On the contrary, Celia Berk’s new Metropolitan Room show, “Manhattan Serenade,” is even better than her remarkable debut outing of last season.

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NEW YORKERS IN THEIR HOMETOWN: EDDIE CANTOR & CELIA BERK

Rob Lester
Talkin’ Broadway Sound Advice
April 19, 2016

So, what do you do for an encore when you’ve been showered with cabaret awards and nominations in your solo debut year, had your face on the front of Cabaret Scenes magazine as the subject of one of the just six annual cover feature stories, received a coveted spot in the annual Cabaret Convention concert program others long for (for many long years) and, while on the big Jazz at Lincoln Center stage, been surprised by a previously unannounced honor—presented with a plaque and award named for star songstress Margaret Whiting? If you’re the celebrated Celia Berk, you go to work.

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MANHATTAN SERENADE — CELIA BERK

Fred R. Cohen
Woman Around Town
April 7, 2016

As was apparent from her earlier performances and debut CD, this is a woman of remarkable emotive fluency – capable of putting a smile, a smirk or a wink into the last third of a syllable, and equipped with a rich alto instrument under intelligent and precise control.

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CELIA BERK FOLLOWS UP MULTIPLE AWARD DEBUT YEAR WITH SMART, STYLISH, AND METICULOUS CD RELEASE SHOW AT THE METROPOLITAN ROOM

Alix Cohen
BroadwayWorld.com
April 5, 2016

Celia Berk raises the tone of any club in which she appears, always creating an oasis of class. Her shows are elegant, smart, skillfully constructed, and meticulously performed.

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CELIA BERK: MANHATTAN SERENADE

Marilyn Lester
Theater Pizzazz
April 4, 2016

In an era in which the big voice and the big belt holds sway, it’s a treat to hear a singer approach a song with an artistic sensibility that honors both the music and the lyrics. In the latter regard it’s very clear that Berk has thought about the lyric and she knows what she’s singing about from the inside out. Berk proves you don’t have to shout to be truly heard.

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CELIA BERK: YOU CAN’T RUSH SUCCESS

Marilyn Lester
Cabaret Scenes magazine
January-February 2016

When Sammy Cahn wrote, “Love is lovelier the second time around” (to Jimmy Van Heusen’s music) he might have had Celia Berk and her stunning, newborn conquest of the cabaret world in mind.

Joe Regan, Jr.
TheatrePizzazz.com
November 10, 2015

Celia Berk is one of the strongest cabaret performers today and this is certainly one of the top acts of 2015.

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CABARET CONVENTION TAKES A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY

Joe Regan, Jr.
TheatrePizzazz.com
October 16, 2015

Next up was the extraordinary mezzo soprano Berk with Alex Rybeck on piano, with a full version (with every lyric and great acting skill) of the Bette Davis number “They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old.” She was then surprised to be presented by Debbi Whiting with the Margaret Whiting award and the cash included with the award. After, Berk sang a wonderful “I’ll Walk Alone” effortlessly hitting great high notes.

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“SUCH A WONDERFUL TOWN”: A SONG IS RE-BORN

Frank Dain
CabaretScenes.org
March 21, 2015

Celia Berk has been making a name for herself with her debut album You Can’t Rush Spring and her debut cabaret show of the same name. Both include what she calls hidden gems: lesser-known songs from great songwriters. In preparing for the show, she came across a song that has proven to be a favorite with audiences and critics.

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THE 30th ANNUAL BISTRO AWARDS

Darryl Reilly
TheatreScene.net
March 9, 2015

Sweeney Todd original cast member Sarah Rice introduced Jeff Harnar. He did a sweet Sondheim medley of “The Little Things You Do Together,” “I’m Calm,” and “Getting Married Today.” He then presented the Best Vocalist Award to Celia Berk, who marvelously performed Sondheim’s little known song ”Sand,” from the unproduced movie musical, Singing Out Loud.

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CABARET SCENE’S MAN ABOUT CABARET

Richard Skipper
CabaretScenes.org
March 5, 2015

I was a fan before everyone else jumped on the bandwagon!…In October, both Celia and Peggy Eason appeared in the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention on the same night honoring Irving Berlin. Both brought down the house. When Celia hit the cabaret scene with her first show a few months ago, she won over all who saw her, including Rex Reed, who sung her praises in print. Actually, all the critics have been as impressed!…

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RICHARD SKIPPER CELEBRATES CELIA BERK: YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING

RichardSkipper.BlogSpot.com
February 26, 2015

Today, I celebrate Celia Berk and her body of WORTH! Celia’s singing career doesn’t start very far back. Somebody said that she sprung fully formed in the last year or so.

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FIRST ANNUAL CABARET/JAZZ HONORS: OUTSTANDING FEMALE DEBUT

John Hoglund
TheatreScene.net
February 23, 2015

Making one of the most auspicious cabaret debuts in years, [Celia Berk] fulfilled her dream and took the Metropolitan Room and cabaret by storm in 2014 with her eclectic show, You Can’t Rush Spring…To say she found her calling (after dreaming about it for so long,) would be an understatement…It was this lady’s classy approach and intelligence that shined throughout the hour – making her a winner. She’s funny. She’s reflective. Mostly, she has the goods that should keep her in the cabaret spotlight as she climbs the ladder – with a lot of support.

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CABARET LIFE NYC: LISTMANIA REDUX! MY BEST/FAVORITE 20 SHOWS & PERFORMANCES OF 2014, WITH 30 ‘BESTS & MOSTS’ OF AN EXCITING YEAR IN CABARET

Stephen Hanks
BroadwayWorld.com
January 21, 2015

Most Deceptively Comic Performance During a Wonderful Vocal: Celia Berk’s rendition of Irving Berlin’s “Yiddisha Nightingale” at the Cabaret Convention and in her solo show at the Metropolitan Room not only revealed a surprising vocal range but also a Fanny Brice-like comedic flair. So nu? What’s not to love?

Most Obvious Breakout Performers Who Didn’t Make My Favorite 20 Shows List: …Celia Berk was one of the surprise stories of 2014 with both her CD release and solo show at the Metropolitan Room

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BWW CABARET PROFILE: VOCALIST CELIA BERK DRAWS HER OWN MAP FROM FEAR TO CRAFT

Alix Cohen
BroadwayWorld.com
January 10, 2015

What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? The question signaled an onramp for Celia Berk. Unsure of outcome, the performer was and is determined to create a journey embodying integrity and artistry.

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NICK WAKEHAM CASTS AN EYE OVER SOME OF THE LATEST CD RELEASES

Nick Wakeham
MusicalTheatreReview.com
December 24, 2014

I would love to see this lady live in one of her cabaret outings, and one day she may well come over to the UK, but in the meantime I can’t give enough praise for this CD and, if like me, you are a great admirer of the voices and styles of Peggy Lee and such, then you will LOVE this album. You can get it on CD or through Amazon or iTunes. To be honest, I don’t care how you get it – just get it!

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344 DESIGN CASE STUDY: CELIA BERK

Stefan Bucher
344 Design
December 21, 2014

Singer Celia Berk was working on recording her debut album of standards, show tunes, and hidden gems from the Great American Songbook. She needed somebody to help her navigate the visual side of the process, and of course I was happy to help…Celia was kind enough to trust me with an unfinished mix of the album, and even in that stage it was clear that I’d enjoy the process. Collaborating with her musical director Alex Rybeck, she had put together a really lovely set of tunes that were beautifully arranged and recorded. It’s a style of music I love, but don’t often get to work on. It was an easy choice to make.

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CELIA BERK: YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING (Metropolitan Room)

Melody Breyer-Grell
Cabaret Scenes Magazine
December 16, 2014

Celia Berk proved, once again, that one’s “second act” can be her most satisfying. As she repeatedly made mention of her corporate career, Berk conveyed that, although she enjoyed and prospered during that comfortable period of life, singing was her destiny.

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CELIA BERK LAUNCHES BELATED CABARET CAREER WITH A SOLID CD RELEASE AND IMPRESSIVE DEBUT SHOW

John Hoglund
BroadwayWorld.com
December 7, 2014

Watching a singer like Celia Berk, who brings a heartwarming balance, a subtle good humor, originality, and a lot of affection to everything she sings, makes one realize the crucial role good instincts play in the self-conscious, self-absorbed world of cabaret…In this auspicious debut she proved she easily puts her personal stamp on an eclectic mix of songs. Such ability springs directly from who she is and not from someone’s idea of who she should be.

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YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING – CELIA BERK: CAPTIVATING

Alix Cohen
Theatre Pizzazz!
December 1, 2014

Celia Berk is a fledgling cabaret singer, yet her debut show is as accomplished as any I’ve seen by veterans…She has grace, imagination, a sense of humor, and talent. Musicianship is splendid. This is a terrific show.

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CELIA BERK THRILLS THE CROWD IN A NUANCED, COMPELLING METROPOLITAN ROOM DEBUT

Lucid Culture
November 24, 2014

In her Metropolitan Room debut last night, the cabaret-jazz chanteuse packed the room and wowed the crowd with a richly dynamic, urbane, minutely jeweled performance.

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CELIA BERK: EVERYTHING’S COMING UP ROSES…FINALLY

Career 2.0
October 20, 2014

Dreams never die. Sometimes they just don’t happen exactly when you think they will…

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CELIA BERK: YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING

Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes Magazine
October 1, 2014

The many voices of Celia Berk grace her classy new CD, You Can’t Rush Spring. Her songs conjure up Julie London sensuality and Jane Olivor storytelling without losing Celia Berk.

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CELIA BERK: YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING ★★★★★

David Hurst
New York Arts Review
August 16, 2014

One of the more auspicious debut recordings of recent years, Celia Berk’s You Can’t Rush Spring is an intoxicating revelation! An elegant vocalist with an instinctive attention to lyrics and a straightforward delivery, Berk’s unerring musical taste is exceeded only by her superb choice of collaborators…Like Lee Wiley, Julie London and the late, great Mary Cleere Haran, Celia Berk is a subtle storyteller. This classy recording only confirms she has many more stories to tell.

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PHOTO FLASH: LINDA LAVIN AND MORE JOIN JIM CARUSO AND BILLY STRITCH AT THE CARLYLE

BroadwayWorld.com
May 27, 2014

This past Sunday night’s show was a parade of theatrical types, including Linda Lavin…Also joining Caruso, Stritch and bass player Steve Doyle with impromptu performances were cabaret star Natalie Douglas, Broadway’s Bob Stillman, nightclub entertainers Aurora Barnes, Jeff Harnar, Alex Rybeck, and Celia Berk, Jeffrey Pew from the Broadway company of Cinderella, and Tony-winning leading man Paulo Szot, who was heard shouting bravissimi from a corner booth.

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SPRING IS HERE (MUSIC REVIEW: CELIA BERK, YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING)

LulaThoughts.BlogSpot.com
May 23, 2014

I can’t remember the last time I heard an album and told myself, “Wow. This is exquisite.” That was exactly my thought when I listened to Celia Berk’s “You Can’t Rush Spring.” I know it’s only May, but this album would be hard to beat as my favorite album of the year.

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