Review: Paris Cabaret Offers “Boston-Quality Entertainment” Right Here in Stoughton

Editor’s Note - Terry Schneider, the Executive Driector of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce, attended the Open Mic Night at the Paris Cabaret on Monk St. in Stoughton. The September 8 show was hosted by Carol O'Shaughnessy and featured Tom Lamark on the piano. The following is Schneider’s review of the evening:

Open Mic Night at Paris Cabaret, hosted by Boston’s Leading Lady of Cabaret, Carol O'Shaughnessy, was Perfectly Marvelous, to borrow a name of one of the original songs from the wonderful musical, Cabaret.  Everyone is “WillKommen”, which translates to “Welcome” for those who don’t Sprechen Sie Deutch.

The evening began around 7 p.m. with some drinks and light dinner choices, served by Paris Cabaret’s own Singing Waiters/Waitresses.  Around 8 p.m., Carol takes the stage with her fabulous piano player, Tom “who can play anything when you put the music in front of him” Lamark, and the show goes on for 2 to 2.5 hours.  

Carol has been performing for many years and has appeared in New York City’s Town Hall, Jordan Hall, The Regattabar and Scullers, just to name a few.  She is also a good friend of the one and only, Boston’s jazz singer, the world famous Rebecca Paris, who has also appeared at Paris Cabaret.  

Carol has appeared with Joan Rivers at the North Shore Music Theatre and David Brenner at the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Theatre.  In 2007 Carol was the opening act for “Herb Reed and the Platters” as well as legendary comedian, Pat Cooper!  Carol recently appeared on Chronicle as part of their “My Boston” show as well as “Sunday with Liz Walker” on WBZ-TV.

She does a superb job of keeping the show moving along by telling some stories, some jokes, several one liners and, oh yeah, she sings Broadway tunes pretty damn well too.  In between her act she calls on folks in the audience who had signed up for the Open Mic event.  

Now, I have been to these types of shows before and there’s no guarantee of who will be entertaining and what they will be singing or how good they are but the September 8th show was a grand slam!

There were folks who sang jazzy numbers; folks who performed hits from Broadway shows; two Sinatra-style crooners and some very witty song like stories.  You could tell those who had undergone professional Broadway training and one table in the audience, who sang Broadway tunes for us, were actually past students of Paris Kampanelas (owner of Paris Cabaret).

All in all, the evening was grand and you quickly forget that you are right here in downtown Stoughton due to the professional ambiance of the Cabaret and the Boston-quality entertainment.  That is until you pay the cover charge of under $10 (that’s a good thing) how can you go wrong!!  

Carol O’Shaughnessy’s Open Mic Night at Paris Cabaret will be happening again on Saturday October 6 and Saturday, November 3, and each month through May (December is up in the air presently) and you can expect to see me there at a front table. Hope to see YOU there!

~ Terry Schneider

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Had a great meal at a Stoughton restaurant or seen a great play or performance by a Stoughton theater group or experience great customer service at a Stoughton business? Submit a review to Stoughton Patch by emailing jeffrey.pickette@patch.com or by blogging about it (click here for details on how to submit a blog).

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