‘Blue Tsunami’ –The Last Chapter?

By Alix Cohen

Democratic activist Stephen Hanks has produced 16 Blue Wave cabaret fundraisers since 2018 raising over $20,000 for Democrats. This year’s funds targeted ten senate races hopefully flipped at the MIdterms.

Vocalists, accompanists, and MDs have volunteered their services creating inspiring evenings where like minded people celebrate community and common cause. “We’re about to experience a nationwide, nay a worldwide tsunami,” the optimist assures us. “In 2018, we flipped forty seats, and that was before all this…”

Blair Alexis Brown opens tonight with the series’ theme song by Michael Roberts. It’s a rallying cry in both content and performance.

Written about Adolf Hitler, Irving Berlin’s 1941 “When That Man is Dead and Gone” is alas, once again apt. “Satan, Satan thought up a plan/Dressed as a man/Walkin’ the earth and since he began/The world is hell for you and me…”Laurie Krauz performs the hell out of the song utilizing every one of her many talents. It’s histrionic, funny, and a frightening. “Now I can drink,” she says leaving the stage.

Gerrilyn Sohn, wearing red “for the flag”, takes a different tack with “Together America” (Bobbie Horowitz), a pop ballad that believes “we can work it out.” She sings with open palms and strong vibrato.“No Soul Could Ever Take”, by Meg Flather, is offered by its author.“Who thought the second time/Would be a daily climb?” Look to the past and learn, the song wisely advises. Stark on vocal back-up.

“The Moon Has Eclipsed the Sun,”another original. comes from MD Tracy Stark, Bob Levy and Paul Rolnick. Hard beat rock and a blues wail overflow with gravitas. “I woke up from a dream/It was so real I was confused…” “We need a helluva miracle to get through this one, but there are little miracles,” Ann Kittredge tells us. “The No Kings March, Republicans turning, Trump showing us how crazy he is…” “Ordinary Miracles” (Marvin Hamlisch) fans out and soars. Christopher Denny MD/piano

Ann Kittredge; Kennerh Gartman & Raissa Katona Bennett

Raissa Katona Bennett and Kenneth Gartman (also on piano) present a stirring tandem: “Give Me Your Tired” (Irving Berlin) and “Beautiful City” (John-Michael Tebelak/Stephen Schwartz), replete with written narrative about the Statue of Liberty. “When your trust is all but shattered/When your faith is all but killed/You can give up bitter and battered/Or you can slowly start to build”

Accompanying herself on guitar, Canadian immigrant Lorinda Lisitza sings “It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go.” (Nanci Griffith) “It’s a hard life/A very hard life/And if we poison our children with hatred/A hard life’s all they’ll know.” Lisitza is a wonderful performer, too rarely seen. The folk/pop song arrives with concern, spirit, and skilled melisma.

Lena Horne called herself “a loud-mouthed broad,” Leslee Warren tells us. “She spoke out. I’m learning to channel that in myself.” From her show tribute to the icon, we hear George Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” Vernacular is down; conviction and rebellion apparent. Gregory Toroian MD/piano

With its author at the piano, Stephen Hanks gives us a Joe Iconis song Iconis has a two year old, Hanks a 17 month old grandson. “I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let these babies grow up in an undemocratic world,” the host snaps.

“The Protector” is ostensibly sung by a father to his daughter. “I’m older than you/I been under the bus/ I know what can happen/To people like us…” Hanks performs as a heart on two legs with anger, determination, and vulnerability.

Joe Iconis and Family – part of a circle of talented artists with which he showcases material, then give us “Wavesong” from The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, which ran in Washington DC and will hopefully be here soon. A list of what it would take for a better world is not only bespoke to its subject (“and weed” echoes), but right-minded, and in light of our so-called “government,” as profoundly moving as the previous contribution.

In part: “Kind hearted landlords, tolerant doctors, sex without shame, secular judges, equitable housing, cops without guns, no discrimination…Whoosh; crash, Whoosh; crash…” It’s outstanding. Talented Family members: Mike Rosengarten & Ian Kagey- guitar; Lorinda Lisitza & Danielle Gimbel – vocals. Jo Iconis- piano.

From Michael John La Chiusa’s the Wild Party, Janice Hall chooses “When It Ends.” “This goes out to the current administration,” she declares- “So you think the party’s gonna last forever and you’ll always fly this high…” Hall tears into the song as if it had a Weimar Germany source. It’s articulate, infuriated protest.

Adam B. Shapiro wanted to share something by the late, great Dolly Parton. His rendition of “Here You Come Again” “…just when our Democracy was fully healing…” is adroitly rewritten as biting satire. Resonant vocal blankets the room with metaphorical eyebrow raised.

New to me, Brandi Carlile’s “The Joke”, as delivered by Lisa Viggiano, is as relevant as it us unexpected. “I’ve seen the movies/I’ve seen how it ends/And the joke’s on them…” The vocalist inhabits every intention and gesture, every under-breath sarcastic laugh. She’s unwavering, cocky ; terrific! Thank yous, including the reading of a list of every participant, follow.

Sandra Bargman, who first encouraged Hanks when he came up with the idea for Blue Wave, closes tonight, first with an impassioned speech. “I will no longer build bridges to the morally broken, to cruelty and hatred…” the nondenominational minister proclaims.A wonderful arrangement (Ian Herman) of Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and “America the Beautiful” (Katherine Lee Bates) elicits audience participation. Bargman is clarion. Both songs are joined with enthusiasm.

An extraordinary evening and fitting way to close the chapter – at least for now.

Photos Alix Cohen

Except for Opening: Left to right: Tracy Stark at piano, Janice Hall, Leslee Warren, Gerrilyn Sohn, Raissa Katona Bennett, Ann Kittredge, Sandra Bargman, Lisa Viggiano, Meg Flather, Adam B. Shapiro, Laurie Krauz, Lorinda Lisitza, Danielle Gimbal, Joe Iconis. Front right: Ian Kagey, Mike Rosengarten. Not in photo: Kenneth Gartman.

Blue Tsunami
Producer/Host – Stephen Hanks
MD/piano – Tracy Stark
October 20, 2026
Don’t Tell Mama 343 West 46th Street