Tag Archives: Broadway Thai

Dr. Sue Logo

Dr. Sue “A Jewish Girl Named Tex” Positive Entertainment

A Jewish Girl Named Tex - Photo by Russ Weatherford

A Jewish Girl Named Tex – Photo by Russ Weatherford

A song publisher once advised me to write story songs. He said that some of our favorite songs tell stories.  Audiences enjoy them,  and they’re hard to get! I love stories, comedy, and writing challenges! I also  believe that if you can do something a bit unusual, you have a real advantage, so I was excited about taking a class in comedy songwriting at my favorite songwriting/performance camps (www.Summersongs.com ),  and Posi Music Festival at Empowerma.com in Orlando, Florida). I wound up writing and performing my song “A Jewish Girl Named Tex” in many venues, including Summersongs concerts and New York City cabarets.    Please enjoy the video, and read on for a few thoughts about writing story songs and comedy. Video: “A Jewish Girl Named Tex” ) Sue Tex (2)1. What makes a great story?  One of the most important elements is a central character with a strong “want”.  Also, when a sympathetic character is unfairly mistreated and/or headed for trouble, we worry and want to know what comes next.   In “A  Jewish Girl Named Tex” the main character is abandoned by her parents, confused about her identity, and looking for love.  Sympathetic? You bet!)  The other important character – the impulsive mother – gets used and dumped by a no-goodnik, but she’s still “hopin’ for romance.”   What happens? The song takes you on a journey that answers these questions. 2. What makes something funny? Question #1 doesn’t sound funny – but it is, because comedy is rooted in pain – as long as it’s framed as comedy pain and uses comic writing/performing techniques. How do you do that? To answer that question (plus questions about comic combos like Brooklyn girls and cowboys, song structure, rhyme, punch lines, audience participation, etc) , we need more than a short blog.   I invite all writers/performers (amateur and expert) to contact me for workshops in New York City, Online via Email, and at Summersongs.com and Posi Music Festival. RickBassSueI also invite you to hear me sing  romantic songs & parodies in New York City and songwriting camps like Summersongs! Creative Living: Do What You Love – and Be Part of a Community: I love writing and performing songs.  What do you love? Can you find a way to connect (via camps, conferences, meet-up groups, clubs, professional associations, etc.) that supports who you are. Chances are you’ll find more than feedback on your skills – you’ll find friends and community. (Editor/Photographer: Jay Berman, Videography: Jim Vern)

Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D.

Book: “Queens of Comedy” (Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, and more!) www.smashwords.com/books/view/219367 Musical: “SssWitch”: www.ssswitch.net  www.YouTube.com/drsuecomedian https://www.youtube.com/feed/my_videos    
Dr. Sue Logo

Dr. Sue New York Times Travel Show Positive Entertainment

Win a Cruise @NY Times Travel Show

Win a Cruise @NY Times Travel Show

The annual New York Times Travel Show has something for everyone:  from fantasy vacations to a fun afternoon! You can vacation globally (Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, Antarctica)! You stay-cation in NYC with a Broadway Show, Dining Certificate &  Parking Voucher with ManhattanClub.com You can spin a wheel and win a deal (a cruise for two) at GetReadyToCruise.com NYTimesTravel1You can book a cruise or cruise with books with RoadScholar.org , EnrichmentVoyages.org , or SemesteratSea.org (learning & adventure for savvy seniors or college students). You can time-travel through New York State via ILoveNY.com/PathThroughHistory,. You can climb-travel in the Himalayas or a fiberglass wall at the Javits Center. (The wall is a good place to drop off the kids – but fasten that safety harness – unless you really want to drop them off!) You can climb into a bikini  at a resort pool… or climb into a martini at a midtown Manhattan bistro… RickSue1BrightSue “Dr. Sue” Horowitz (Vocalist)  & Rick Bogart (Clarinet) Perform Jazz Standards, Romantic  Songs & Clever Parodies Broadway Thai Restaurant  241 West 51st Street (btwn Broadway-8th Ave) NYC Saturday/Sunday Nights  (212) 226-4565, No Cover. Thai &  American Food & Drinks are delicious (and reasonable) Creative Living: Live Your Vacation Dream  – You can’t take it with you – but you can take a plane, train, bus, boat or taxi  to wherever you imagine! So as the song goes, “Pack up all your cares and woes…” and go for it! (Editor/Photographer: Jay Berman)

Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D.

Book: “Queens of Comedy” (Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, and more!) www.smashwords.com/books/view/219367 Musical: “SssWitch”: www.ssswitch.net  www.YouTube.com/drsuecomedian https://www.youtube.com/feed/my_videos  
Dr. Sue Logo

Dr. Sue Travel New Orleans & NYC Positive Entertainment

NO Red Fish GrillLike a rich gumbo (New Orleans ) or Manhattan clam chowder (New York), big cities can be spiced for every palate:  from fantasy wild to family mild. There’s no way to summarize their delights in one blog, but here’s a taster’s menu. Red Fish Grill: “Friends don’t let friends eat frozen fish” is the motto of this Bourbon Street restaurant, which serves only fresh-caught fish in an ambiance of  artworks by local artist Luis Colmenares. Here I am displaying my catch: a metal sculpture of a fish by Colmenares. (By the way the meal was much tastier – and easier to cut!)   NO MasksWear and Buy a Mask – or admire one in a Mardi Gras parade, shop, or museum.  The carnival season lasts from January 6 (or “Twelfth Night”) through Mardi Gras (translated from the French as “Fat Tuesday.” Mardi is traditionally the last day of feasting before Ash Wednesday – the beginning of Lent). A variety of  krewes (clubs) create and ride on themed floats, fling  “throws” (beads and trinkets) at the crowds lining the parade route, wear costumes, and/or sponsor balls all season long.   NO HarlequinEven out of season, you can catch the flavor at Mardi Gras World! It’s a unique museum/warehouse/studio – with a fabulous book/gift shop! Artists design the sculpted decorations for the next  festival season. They also provide decorations  for casinos and theme parks all over the world!   NO Jazz ParkExplore the French Quarter .  You’ll find everything from street musicians to strip joints.  Some of Bourbon Street is on the seamy side, but other parts of the Le Vieux Quartier  (The Old Quarter) offer courtyards with splashing fountains and hundred-year-old houses that suggest New Orleans green, purple and gold theme colors in muted, vintage hues. You can pump up the volume at jazz clubs (the spirit of Louis Armstrong and other jazz greats lives on!) grab a chicory coffee and a beignet (doughnut) at Cafe Beignet; ride a river boat right out of Kern/Hammerstein’s musical “Showboat”); board a trolley (think “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Tennessee Williams’  classic play set in New Orleans); or catch an outdoor tumbling act with multi-ethnic audience participation and equal opportunity ribbing. What to Eat: New Orleans is famous for its cuisine. Here are a few favorites: Marriott Marquis Downtownn – this unexpected gem is tucked away near the Convention Center in Warehouse District, an up-and-coming neighborhood of art galleries and museums.  Marriott jazzes up its menu with local cuisine (gumbo, jambalaya), and the health-conscious traveler can keep it light with fish and salads. My favorites were the bouillabaisse (fish stew) and wintergreen salad with blackberries.  One rainy afternoon, the lobby featured an “action station” where chefs put their twist on hot buttered shrimp over grits with a cocktail called a “blonde hurricane”! New Orleans in New York City! RickCamera2Sue “Dr. Sue” Horowitz (Vocalist)  & Rick Bogart (Clarinet/Musical Director)  Perform Jazz Standards, Romantic  Songs & Funny Parodies Broadway Thai Restaurant  241 West 51st Street (btwn Broadway-8th Ave) NYC Saturday/Sunday Nights  (212) 226-4565, No Cover. Rick is from New Orleans, so enjoy a taste of Dixie in NYC! A Bientot (See you soon)! Creative Living: Visit New Orleans – or live a your own version of its life style by eating fabulous food and celebrating your culture and heritage! Festivate! – it’s a fantasy word – but just like wearing a mask, sometimes it’s fun to play with fantasy.  (You can always remove the mask, ditch the glitter, and return – refreshed – to the daily grind – especially if it’s New Orleans chicory coffee!) (Photos by Jay Berman)

Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D.

Book: “Queens of Comedy” (Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, and more!) www.smashwords.com/books/view/219367 Musical: “SssWitch”: www.ssswitch.net  www.YouTube.com/drsuecomedian https://www.youtube.com/feed/my_videos