The annual benefit for PAWS—Pines Animal Welfare Society—the Cherry Grove chapter, headed by Valerie Perez, took place on June 3, at the Community House for the first time, and glamorous queens, singers, and other talented Grove folk performed so that PAWS could continue its good work of rescuing and placing stray domestic animals. The tireless Bella, Demi-Tasse, and Panzi were the MCs and Matt Baney and Alison Brackman were responsible for music, sound, and lights. Wendy Lewis, impersonating past PAWS benefit organizer Sal Piro, coordinated the performance.
The evening began with the ceremonial entrance of Grove Homecoming Queen 2017 Ginger Snap and remarks by Wendy and Bella. This writer and baritone sang the first song of the evening, “Unchained Melody.” Whore D’Oeuvre offered a song ostensibly about a feline (“Well, well, well, my cat fell in the well”), with an Andrews Sisters-era sound, and returned later for a brave “Fight Song.” Bella dished Sayville Ferry and whoever is letting their dog poop on East Walk and not cleaning it up.
Queen Ginger put a different spin on “Let It Go,” from “Frozen,” full of flatulence and hyper from the ‘snow,’ with a screaming fit interlude. She spoke of her campaign for Queen, declared, “I want to make Cherry Grove proud to have me as a Queen,” and delivered “I’m Here,” from “The Color Purple,” which was very proud indeed.
Demi-Tasse gave us a grand and swinging pairing of “Almost like Being in Love” and “This Can’t Be Love.” Helping himself to some of Ginger’s ‘snow,’ a glitzy Sonny Shores sang a pertinent “Talk to the Animals.”
Panzi sparkled in “Gypsy in My Soul” and quipped, “Let’s have fun for the dogs—that performed before me.” Veteran thespians Ruth and Susan Freedner became the Everly Brothers, doing “Bird Dog” and “Bye Bye Love.” Rose Levine channeled Ethel Merman in an a cappella “They Say It’s Wonderful,” from “Annie Get Your Gun.” Porsche closed the show, singing a rousing “Get This Party Started” and “(Do you) Believe (in life after love)” as, variously, Cher, a purring, growling Eartha Kitt, Carol Channing, Megan Mullally as Karen Walker, and Janis Joplin.
The evening ended with a raffle drawing; all of us singing “Happy Birthday” to Bella; and a dessert buffet.