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From the left, entertainers, Carl Thomas, CP Lacey and Linda and Ken. (Courtesy\/the artists)(Courtesy\/the artists)<\/p>\nEditor\u2019s note: Welcome to Inside Out, our weekly roundup of stories about Staten Islanders making waves, being seen, supporting our community and just making our borough a special place to live. Have a story for Inside Out? Email Carol Ann Benanti at benanti@siadvance.com.<\/p>\n
From the left, entertainers, Carl Thomas, CP Lacey and Linda and Ken. (Courtesy\/the artists)(Courtesy\/the artists)<\/p>\n
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 It\u2019s February \u2014 the month of love and romance anchored by Valentine\u2019s Day, when kindhearted sentiments are expressed from every corner of the globe.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever been shot by Cupid\u2019s arrow, there\u2019s a sweet deal on tap for the most romantic day of the year.<\/p>\n
A really big show will come to life on the day for sweethearts and friendships, when a \u201cRed Heart Valentine\u2019s Day Dinner Party\u201d unfolds on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in LiGreci\u2019s Staaten.<\/p>\n
Hosted by JR Productions, the evening staged in the West Brighton banquet venue will brim with high-energy musical performances that once filled dance floors everywhere.<\/p>\n
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A Red Heart Valentine’s Day Dinner Party will unfold on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in LiGreci’s Staaten. (Courtesy\/JR Productions)Staten Island Advance<\/p>\n
\u201cA Night at the Copa,\u201d will see entertainer\/song stylist Carl Thomas take stage center singing selections made famous by Paul Anka, and other premier 20th century crooners and jazz-pop vocalists.<\/p>\n
Multi-faceted impersonator, C.P. Lacey will also fill the bill with the sounds of Johnny Mathis and Sammy Davis Jr., with amazing accuracy.<\/p>\n
Up next is Linda (Garofolo) and Ken (Ryan) with a cocktail focused Vegas Lounge vibe all their own.<\/p>\n
Note, as always, a portion of the proceeds will benefit a worthy charity. <\/p>\n
Organizers have chosen Rocco Strong Inc., a 501(c)3 not-for-profit named for Rocco Gabriel DiMaggio, a 7-year-old cancer survivor, that\u2019s dedicated to the mission of making childhood cancers a priority through increased funding and awareness.<\/p>\n
A LITTLE ABOUT THE ARTISTS<\/p>\n
CARL THOMAS<\/p>\n
A graduate of the Juilliard School in Manhattan, Thomas\u2019 love affair with the stage has taken him on quite a musical odyssey.<\/p>\n
He began at the age of 17, when he was lead vocalist of his own 17-piece rock-and-roll band and played several instruments.<\/p>\n
After putting his musical career on hold in ordder to marry and raise a family, in 1995, comedian Jackie Mason discovered him at the old Red Blazer in Manhattan. That meeting led to his opening for Mason at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
Since that time, he teamed with Mason for sell-out concerts at the Sands, the Westbury (L.I.) Music Fair and Connecticut\u2019s Foxwood Casino \u2014 though Thomas will tell you that Staten Island audiences are still the best in the world \u2014 and a great place for his kind of music.<\/p>\n
The entertainer\/songstylist\u2019s stellar musical tribute to the late Bobby Darin played at venues such as the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Copa Room in the Sands Hotel in Atlantic City and Foxwoods Resort in Connecticut \u2014 at a time when Thomas was backed by Ed Conte, his then conductor\/arranger, and his 11-piece orchestra.<\/p>\n
However, Thomas\u2019 musical menu also includes hits made famous by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and other crooners whose Rat Pack classics made the Copacabana the number one night spot in Manhattan \u2014 and perhaps the country.<\/p>\n
Thomas reveals that he created the show called \u201cA Night at the Copa\u201d after the album, titled \u201cSinatra at the Sands,\u201d featuring Frank Sinatra with the Count Basie Orchestra and arrangements by Quincy Jones.<\/p>\n
CP LACEY<\/p>\n
For more than three decades, CP Lacey has been performing both domestically and internationally, with audiences consistently responding with high energy applause.<\/p>\n
A singer, comedian, dancer and actor, Lacey impersonates top celebrities and public figures performing as Michael Jackson, Prince, Eddie Murphy, Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, the legendary James Brown and many others. <\/p>\n
Added to this list are Lacey\u2019s own originally created cast of characters, \u201cGrandma Yea,\u201d \u201cLil L\u201d and others. <\/p>\n
Lacey and his alter-ego cast of characters have shared the stage with a variety of Hollywood\u2019s most notable artists, including Sting, Tracy Morgan, Steve Harvey, Jimmy Fallon and Whoopi Goldberg.<\/p>\n
As a result of his film, TV and off-Broadway performances, he was honored with his display at The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, alongside the world renowned Tony Bennett and Elvis Costello.<\/p>\n
With his performance of \u201cThe CP Lacey Show\u201d nationwide and internationally, his reach continues to expand concert halls, theater and television. <\/p>\n
For more than 35 seasons, Lacey has performed live and tap-dances each week as \u201cThe Executioner\u201d at The Apollo Theater\u2019s Amateur Night Show and he has co-starred with Steve Harvey in the televised version of \u201cIt\u2019s Showtime At The Apollo.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s also co-starred with Gladys Knight and Doug E. Fresh on \u201cApollo Live\u201d with Executive Producers, Don Weiner and Jamie Foxx.<\/p>\n
LINDA AND KEN<\/p>\n
After several years of performing guest spots and participating in collaborative sessions, Linda and Ken decided to form their own show and bring their love for classic voices and music of the past and present to the stage.<\/p>\n
And adding Linda\u2019s melodious voice to the mix, brought a fresh new element of excitement to their performance.<\/p>\n
Their show harkens back to the \u201cGolden Era\u201d of vintage lounge entertainment, focusing on classic showmanship, swinging music, and intimate cabaret atmospheres.<\/p>\n
HOW TO RESERVE<\/p>\n
Tickets, priced at $100, include a five-course dinner.<\/p>\n
For reservations and\/or additional information, kindly phone Robert at 917-669-4640 or Jack at 732-598-1949.<\/p>\n
CELEBRATIONS – FEB. 1 TO FEB. 7<\/p>\n
FEB. 1<\/p>\n
The best of birthdays Sunday to Veralia Malliotakis, mom of Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, to Brooklyn\u2019s own WCBS-FM deejay Joe Causi, William McDermott III, Joe Cataldo, Tom Rodes, Lori Ruggiero, Laraine Caminiti, Barbara Bozza, Avery Elizabeth Anderson turns 21, and twins Natalie and Paulette Guido. \u00b6<\/p>\n
FEB. 2<\/p>\n
Heading the birthday list on Monday is community leader Roger Acker who turns 101, Anne Fanciullo, Melinda Gottlieb, Olivia Raimondi, who turns 17, Alexander Susi, Rosemarie Stapleton, Tina Louise Ferrante, Jared Sparnroft, John Devlin, Richard Riehle, John Antoniello and Debbie Knorr.<\/p>\n
FEB. 3<\/p>\n
Tuesday is birthday time for Lorraine DeMayo, Helen Kenny, Amy Stapleton, and Kaitlyn Lorentzen who turns 22. <\/p>\n
Tuesday is wedding anniversary time for Pat and George Sullivan.<\/p>\n
FEB. 4<\/p>\n
Birthday greetings on Wednesday go to Lydia Loscalzo, Phillip Santanello, Anthony Siciliano, Fadil Molabecirovic, Kristen Heuser, Tom Fitzpatrick, Charista Santos Mroczek, Charista Santos Mroczek, a former Miss Staten Island and Miss Richmond County Outstanding Teen, Antonio Taylor who turns 13 years-old, Jessica Petrizzi, Kim Attanasi and Aidan McCallion.<\/p>\n
FEB. 5<\/p>\n
The happiest of birthdays Thursday to Madison L\u2019Insalata, Miss Staten Island 2020, Alice Knisley, a former Miss New York, Sarah Heather Posner, Isabella Garcia who turns 21, Honolee Cole, Ronald Hayward, Steven Marino and Dorothy Grossman. <\/p>\n
Thursday is wedding anniversary time for Bonnie and Joel (Staten Island\u2019s premier non-profit volunteer videographer) Bibula, who\u2019ll celebrate 32 years of marriage. <\/p>\n
FEB. 6<\/p>\n
Birthday best on Friday to Joseph LaBove, Lou Bergonzi, Marie Reindl of New Springville, John Nappi, Meg Ventrudo, Artie Waldhelm, John Boyle, principal of Totten Intermediate School, and Jim Morri. \u00b6<\/p>\n
FEB. 7<\/p>\n
Happy birthday Saturday to former Congressman Michael Grimm, to Pat DiScenza who turns 86, Joanne Nuzzo, Esther Montalbano, Scott Johnsen, Christian Pfaff, Jim Bunberry, Andrew Morales, Samantha Decker, and twins Eleanor Danis and Theresa Gargano. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Editor\u2019s note: Welcome to Inside Out, our weekly roundup of stories about Staten Islanders making waves, being seen,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":119153,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-119152","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119152\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}