A South Philly taco bar will feature a little extra spice for two nights in May. Rosy’s Taco Bar East at 624 S. 6th St. will welcome local cabaret performer Tyler Houchins, for a pair of solo performances on May 16 and May 22.
Rosy’s now operates at the site of the former cabaret venue L’Étage, which closed in 2020. Houchins will perform Down A Yellow Brick Road, celebrating legendary actress and vocalist Judy Garland on both nights at 8 p.m.
“So much of her better-known material is classic Americana,” said Houchins. “There’s something very American and nostalgic about her catalog. It’s good, classic material that, the more it ages, the better it gets. And it’s universal. Looking at ‘Over the Rainbow,’ we all have wants and desires that seem unachievable and we’ve all had that thought, ‘What is that next step?’ What is that next hurdle I have to get over to find what I’m striving for — to bring me happiness?’ ”
Down a Yellow Brick Road takes audiences over the rainbow with a selection of greatest hits from Garland’s catalog in a celebration of the music and artistry of the icon. Audiences will hear favorites from The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis and A Star is Born.
“There is something about the way that she sang that felt like she was crying,” Houchins said. “It was very open and raw. Growing up, as a young gay kid in the South, not really knowing how I should feel, hearing someone sing their emotions so unabashedly gave me an outlet. That’s only grown since I’ve gotten older. Now I can appreciate the artistry that went into what she was doing. She was so present and so vulnerable in her singing and performing. For that time, she was the only one doing that. That’s what draws me to her.”
Tickets are $30. Doors open at 7 p.m. More details available at https://bpt.me/event/6286089.
