Review: Not Quite Christmas Cabaret, Starring Steven Lutvak

Broadway composer Steven Lutvak returned to Sands Point Preserve Dec. 12 for the sold-out “Not Quite Christmas Cabaret,” an annual tradition of music and dinner at the Guggenheim Estate.

The memorable evening inside Hempstead House, once the home of Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, featured a program consisting solely of Lutvak’s music, including songs he wrote for the Tony-winning “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.”

Along with a lineup of Broadway performers – Catherine Walker, Jeff Kready, and Catherine Porter – Lutvak brought a dose of holiday cheer filled with heartfelt expression, sharing stories about his music, and his connection to the Preserve.

“I’m very happy to be back here,” Lutvak told cabaret-goers at Hempstead House’s Palm Court. “I’ve always felt so welcome here, and I really appreciate that.”

The Preserve continues to maintain the Guggenheims’ tradition of supporting the arts, including a long-standing cabaret series Lutvak helped create, first at Hempstead House and then at Castle Gould, also on the estate, before returning this year to the former Guggenheim mansion.

As Friends of the Sands Point Preserve’s Managing Director Beth Horn said, “Just as the Guggenheims used this estate as their weekend retreat, Steven uses the estate as his musical retreat.”

And Lutvak will be back again in February for the Valentine’s Night Cabaret, a benefit evening for the Preserve, featuring Tony-winning and “Gentleman’s Guide” star Jefferson Mays.

At “Not Quite Christmas,” Lutvak, in his song “Mrs. Whitney,” shared life lessons taught by his first piano teacher whose 95th birthday he recently celebrated. In “Beware the Anger of Soft-Spoken Men,” Lutvak sang a cappello, revealing that beneath his calm exterior, he’s a force to reckon with. And in “Museums” he touched on his relationship with his father, who taught him to appreciate art. Movingly, Lutvak’s parents sat in the audience, and Steven led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to his mother, Sylvia.

Other highlights included “Mother Is on Your Shoulder,” cut from “Gentleman’s Guide” and sung by Walker, who’d taken the night off from her role of Phebe D’ySquith in the musical on Broadway. Later, Porter and Kready joined Walker for “I Decided to Marry You,” also from the show.

Basking in the evening’s magic, cabaret-goers noted, “What a great show” and “Each song was better than the one before it,” as they enjoyed dessert with the stars.

“I had a completely wonderful time,” Lutvak said. “It was wonderful to perform to a full house. Everyone was just lovely, and so responsive, and positive.”

“It’s amazing to sing in this historic space, especially singing music from “Gentleman’s Guide” because it’s such a period piece – it really helps influence the color of the songs,” Walker noted. “And singing Steven’s music was an incredible treat.”

“It felt like we were in Highhurst Castle,” Kready said, referring to the setting in “Gentleman’s Guide,” in which he had starred as Monty Navarro. “It was a great crowd, really warm, and what a great venue to perform in.”

“The entire evening was just classy and beautiful,” Porter said.

Lutvak returns to Hempstead House on Saturday, Feb. 13 for the Valentine’s Night Cabaret – a reunion of the original Broadway cast of “Gentleman’s Guide.” The evening features Jefferson Mayes (two-time Tony Award winner for Best Actor for this role and “I Am My Own Wife”), Bryce Pinkham, Lisa O’Hare (Outer Critics Circle Award for Featured Actress for this role), and Catherine Walker, who currently stars in the show.

To purchase cabaret tickets, visit www.TheSandsPointPreserve.org or call 516-304-5076, or visit the Gate House at 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, NY, 11050, open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The new 12-month membership is available online, at the Gate House, or by calling 516-571-7901. Friends of the Sands Point Preserve is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to protect and preserve the 216-acre waterfront grounds and historic mansions, and to provide a range of cultural arts events and educational programs for families and schools in the Phil Dejana Learning Center.