Enjoy a summer of Cabaret produced by Donna Rubin and Josh Gladstone — Hamptons Summer Songbook by The Sea — live at LTV Studios. The line-up this season includes Marilyn Maye, Lee Roy Reams, Mark Nadler, and others. We spoke to Donna Rubin to learn more.
What inspired you to start the Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea?
I have always wanted to start a cabaret series in the Hamptons, and the dream became a reality when I moved to Bridgehampton full-time after selling my yoga business in the city. It just so happened that I connected with Josh Gladstone, who had just started a new position at LTV and was also looking to start a cabaret series. We met and hit it off, and after the initial pilot series, we went full steam ahead last summer with eight performances by cabaret headliners, including Tovah Feldshuh.
What are the highlights of this season, and what are you most looking forward to?
I am really excited about our opening night on July 5. Marilyn Maye, a cabaret legend, is coming out with her band for this special evening, including a reception and meet-and-greet. I saw her performance at 54 Below this year and was so inspired. I am honored that she has agreed to launch our series, and she is not to be missed! There are so many highlights, but I will give a special shout-out to MoiPei. They are the best-kept secret, but not for long.
How do you select the artists for the series?
We started our series by choosing artists with whom we had a personal connection. I have been fortunate to say that Mark Nadler has been a friend for 30 years, and he is one of the greatest cabaret stars we have ever known. Having him onboard for our first season enabled us to approach other major artists. Our artists are at the top of their field, and we are excited to share their talent with the sophisticated audiences in the Hamptons.
Where do you see the Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea in five years?
I hope this series will continue growing and we can offer more performances. We appreciate Howard and Eleanor Morgan, our first title sponsors, and we now have Lynn and Bruce Surry joining us as title sponsors as well. I hope to encourage more sponsors this summer to join us with generous contributions so we can afford to increase the compensation to the artists as well as make money for LTV to support the mission of public access television.
