Nightclub music... without the night

BY MYRNA PETLICKI

A talented singer dressed in a stunning gown backed by a trio in tuxedos. A delicious meal followed by dancing to melodic old standards. There's nothing like nightclubbing -- during daylight.

That's what Mary Anne Riehl had in mind when she staged her first "Nightclub in the Afternoon" nearly two years ago. The Morton Grove resident will present her next event on Wednesday at Monastero's Ristorante & Banquets.

Riehl came up with this concept because she knew that many seniors like hearing older music and enjoying a nightclub atmosphere but don't want to drive at night or stay up too late. Her events have all the glamour of an evening out without any of the hassles.

Singer Riehl is backed by pianist Ben Lewis, bassist Jim Cox and drummer Rusty Jones. They play many of the old standards -- for listening and/or dancing -- including "It Had to be You," "As Time Goes By," "A Foggy Day," "Take the 'A' Train," "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "Always." There are even some sing-alongs, plus a drawing for door prizes.

"I had a group at one show from the Red Hat Society," Riehl said, referring to a group women over 50 who wear red hats and purple dresses. "We played this cha-cha, 'The Lady in Red,' and they all got up and started dancing. They had more fun and people applauded them."

Staging musical performances for a primarily senior audience is a natural blend of Riehl's two careers. She started as a singer, took time off to raise her family, then earned a degree in gerontology and worked in that field for a decade. Several years ago, she decided to revive her singing career.

People of a certain age may recognize Riehl's maiden name -- Luckett. For five-and-a-half years, starting in 1961, she was the staff vocalist on "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club," an ABC network radio show based in Chicago that ran for 35 years.

Riehl grew up in Louisville, Ky. During her high school years, she sang in glee clubs and choral groups. After graduation, Riehl worked in an office and sang with dance bands on weekends.

She was singing on local radio and TV programs in her hometown when Riehl received a call from Sam Cowling, who was the comic on the "Breakfast Club."

"His mother lived in Jeffersonville, Ind., right across the river from Louisville," Riehl said. "He said to his mom, when he was visiting her, 'Who's singing around here now? Don is looking for female singers because Anita Bryant has left the show.'"

Cowling's mother, who had heard Riehl on the radio and seen her on TV, suggested Riehl. She sent an audition tape and was called to Chicago to do a one-week on-air audition, then a second one, after which she was offered the job.

Riehl, who married during the years she was performing on the "Breakfast Club," left the show to start her family. She has three grown daughters, who were raised in Glenview, Riehl's longtime home.

After her daughters got older, Riehl returned to school, earning a bachelor's degree in communications from DePaul University and a master's degree in gerontology counseling from National-Louis University. Then she was hired as manager of resident services at a retirement home.

Her duties included "a laundry list of things," Riehl said.

"One of the things was planning programming. I thought after a while, 'Why don't I put myself on the activity calendar?'"

Riehl hired a piano player and bassist and began presenting cabaret performances at night.

"That sort of got me into singing again," she said. "I thought, 'Gosh, I really miss this.'"

The "Nightclub in the Afternoon" concept was a natural next step.

"I sort of merged my two strengths together -- the gerontology and the singing," Riehl said.