The Ruby Besler Cabaret

The show was campy, funny and sexy. I had a great time seeing the show, Gere Fennely on the keys in particular!!! Highly recommend it.... full review

The preview performance suffered from a few technical issues as well as a lack of air conditioning and started 15 minutes late (but still ended 10 minutes early). Overall though the show is a fun 40 minute peak into the life of Ruby Besler. The songs and lyrics were cute and fun to listen to. The dancers definitely know their dances but did seem a bit nervous and unsure of themselves. I was hoping for a bit more of the magic and spectacle of 1940's burlesque but what they did, particularly with the fans was entertaining. While the stories Ruby tells are entertaining the staging was a bit distracting. There was a lot of pacing back and forth and at times I wondered if it might not be more effective to actually get to meet these characters, se... full review

Ruby Besler takes us back to a time when girls with "no prospects" were taught to live by their wits, which often included the world's oldest profession. Switching back and forth, Anastasia Barnes embodies the role of her domineering mother, and Ruby herself, while singing various numbers of delightfully raunchy tunes, along with a wistful torch song. Her sexy corseted back up singer/dancers play various roles brilliantly, an accompanist who could follow you through a blizzard, and the conceit of the chapters of her life delineating the change of scenes is a brilliant one. Add lots of red velvet and beautiful sparkling costumes from the period, and you'll step back into the 40's for a delicious hour. ... full review

It was my first time goin to a show like this and i loved. It thanks to my friend for inviting me ... full review

After seeing “The Ruby Besler Cabaret,” I have one thing of timely importance to say: There are only 3 shows left. Buy tickets. Why? The show is not only a feast for the eyes, but for the heart, mind, and let’s not forget, ears. Let’s begin at the top: Four leggy showgirls, Regan Carrington, Tatiana Giannoustsos, and Laurel Vecsey choreographed by fellow dancer Flame Cynders set the mood with precision-propelling white feather fans a la Swan Lake. To your right, talented Gere Fennelly plays piano, adding to the cabaret atmosphere. Then she comes on stage through the red velvet backdrop: Ruby Besler, the cabaret star, played by Anastasia Barnes, with an astonishing vocal range. Ruby lulls us into the story of her life, which is told wit... full review

Funny, sexy and great music... and who is that amazing piano player? None other than Redd Kross's Gere Fennelly! Great fun! Highly recommended. ... full review

This is Classic Cabaret at it's finest. You can't ask for a more pure example of what Cabaret should be! You can see my full review here. http://spencercotter.wordpress.com/2013/06/29/classic-cabaret/... full review

The show stars Anastasia Barnes as Ruby Besler who shares the story of her life through bawdy tales from her birth through the loss of her first love to achieving success on stage. Although Ruby is definitely the star of the show, she is by no means alone on stage. There’s pianist Dorothy Diamond (portrayed by musical director Gere Fennelly) and also her dancers, The Rubies (Tatiana Giannoutsos, Regan Carrington, Laurel Vecsey, and choreographer Flame Cynders, all from the Fishnet Follies Classic Burlesque Revue). There’s no nudity here, however. There are elements of burlesque conveying the glamorous, feminine, retro sexuality of the period: Somewhat naughty, but not lurid. The show suffered from the heat inside the Elephant Space,... full review

A tribute of sorts to those old "how to" videos of the 40's, and an outflow from her web series, Anastasia Barnes proves her adage that "funny is the new sexy." Surrounded by her "Rubies" (Flame Cynders, Regan Carrington, Tatiana Giannoutsos and Laurel Vecsey), Barnes aka Ruby dances and sings the story of her life. Wonderfully accompanied on the piano by Gere Fennelly as Dorothy Diamond, the show felt like more of a tribute to the days of vaudeville and especially the Zeigfeld Follies. For the rest of my review, check out Examiner.com... full review

The issue here isn't whether BESLER has potential or not. These reviews (some of which are partially CUT AND PASTE from the press release) believe they saw something from the 1940s. For discerning viewers, my pan of this show is explained at Stage and Cinema: http://www.stageandcinema.com/2013/06/15/the-ruby-besler-cabaret-hollywood-fringe/... full review