Elvira Tortora
reservationsDine With Us.
Elvira Tortora reprises her Bistro Award winning and MAC Award-nominated show The Bookmaker’s Daughter. Tortora tells the story of her childhood as the daughter of a bookie living and raising a family in Brooklyn NY thru the songs of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Frank Loesser, Stephen Sondheim and more, spanning the 1960’s through 2001!
Elvira Tortora returned to her first love, musical theater, after 34 years working in the fashion industry . A new found devotion to studying acting and Improv led to various roles in independent films and eventually to voice teacher Celeste Simone.
After Simone encouraged Tortora to enroll in the cabaret workshops of Lina Koutakos, she found her calling …Singing and Telling stories ……
Writing about the show for BROADWAY WORLD, Stephen Mosher noted “ Elvira Tortora was completely connected to everything around her…The lyrics, the audience, the piano, the pianist, the melody….nothing was left in the air” .That kind of support and encouragement convinced Tortora to take a chance and finish writing her debut show, The Bookmaker’s Daughter!!
Gregory Toroian is a musical director, arranger, jazz pianist, vocalist, songwriter, and educator. He has been featured in Cabaret Scenes magazine and was the 2020 Bistro Award winner for Outstanding Collaboration with Sue Matsuki, with whom he had also won a MAC award for Best Duo Production. In addition to working with such artists as Tony Bennett, Jon Hendricks, Cab Calloway, Donna Summer, Melissa Errico, Marilyn Maye, Karen Mason, and Jane Olivor. He has appeared in almost every jazz club and cabaret (major and minor), in New York. He has toured with principal dancers from the New York City Ballet and has made numerous radio and television appearances including the Today Show and Maury Povich. Recordings include his work as musical director, arranger, and pianist on the recent debut album of Maria Corsaro, “Love Makes the Changes”; “A New Take”, the debut album of award-winning cabaret artist Sue Matsuki; and CD’s with Suzanna Ross, Leslee Warren, Lina Koutrakos, Linda Kahn, Meri Ziev, and Lisa Kantor. Gregory’s vocal arrangements have been featured on a series of albums in the US and Japan, by the vocal group String of Pearls. Gregory also wrote the music to the title song of the Boston Red Sox documentary, “Joy of Sox”. He currently offers an array of performance workshops.
JOSEPHINE’S in the NAPOLEON ROOM – Boston’s best professionals and tomorrow’s rising stars singing JAZZ, BROADWAY & MADCAP CABARET! Doors open at 3pm and the one hour show begins at 4:00 pm. RESERVATIONS strongly recommended.