The Three Tomatoes and the NYC cabaret communities have lost a dear friend. I first met Sandi Durell about 15 years ago when I just started The Three Tomatoes and she had just started her website, Theater Pizzazz, which was her passion project, keeping cabaret alive.  You could say we grew up together, as we bonded over our “babies” and watched our websites grow. Sandi was an advocate for cabaret, theater, and entertainment in NYC and her website became a go to site for reviews and what was happening in NYC live entertainment. Sandi  soon became a contributor to The Three Tomatoes with her column on NYC Cabaret, and with her permission we will continue to post reviews from Theater Pizzazz which she worked hard in her last days to ensure it will continue.  Over the years, we supported each other as entrepreneurs in our efforts to grow our companies.  I will miss her wisdom.

Sandi was a woman of many talents. She had a career as a vocalist performer – and she had a great big voice in her petite five-foot frame.  She was a longtime critic and reviewer, and a Voting Member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards and member of the American Theatre Critics Association. And every year she proudly produced the Songwriter Showcase for the American Popular Song Society (of which she was a Board member) for 19 years. Our hearts go out to her husband, Dr. Robert Durell, her daughter, radio personality Cooper Lawrence, and her son-in-law, critic JK Clarke.

A Few Words from Some of Her Best Friends

Sandi had hundreds of friends, and I have asked a few of them from The Three Tomatoes community— who are heartbroken — to write a few words.

I loved Sandi!  For the 15 years or so we knew one another, our friendship rapidly grew stronger until we were the very-very best of friends. I am heartbroken beyond measure that I have lost her, but she has left me such sweet memories and I will cherish them forever.  Goodbye my Sandi❤️ ~Judy Davis

Sandi and Judy in a photo taken shortly before Sandi’s death.

We have all just lost our close friend, Sandi, who was creator of Theatre Pizzazz and the most multi- faceted performing arts leader we know—all this wrapped into a bundle barely 5 feet tall!  We must celebrate knowing such a talented leader – she was a publisher, editor, reviewer, critic and was responsible for giving many people their start in the industry. 

She had soooo many good friends in The Three Tomatoes organization. Speaking of three, Sandi, Judy Davis and I became very close friends and called ourselves “The Three Wackadoodles” and constantly had exciting adventures. We had a blast one upping each other …particularly by wearing outrageously colorful outfits and accessories. We all know that we have lost an amazing tomato. ~Judy Stewart

The Three “wackadoodles” Judy Davis, Judy Stewart, Sandi Durell

Sandi Durell was a great promoter of cabaret. She was one of the best cabaret critics in the business. As a singer herself ,  she  knew the art of cabaret and was able to write about  performances with knowledge. She was generous and invited me to be her “plus one” when  she had to cover a show. Will miss our fun times together. ~Magda Katz

Sandi was a wonderful, intelligent, talented, adventurous, kind woman and a good friend who I loved. She was a great advocate for the arts and the cabaret/Broadway community. She was respected and loved by many and truly lived life to the fullest. Sandi was devoted to her husband Bob, a physician, who has been ill for years and her wonderful daughter, Cooper Lawrence and son-in-law Joe. She had a loving relationship with her daughter and family and was a loyal, dear friend to many of her friends who enjoyed her grand birthday celebrations each year. She will be missed immensely. ❤️ ~Merrill Stone

I knew Sandi since I was a little girl growing up in Sea Gate, Brooklyn.  I will add to all that has been written about her talents for singing, for writing, for being ahead of her time, for who she was as a caring, loving friend, for who she was as a devoted wife, mother, is her incredible strength. She knew for at least a year that the ending could be at any time. She faced that mostly in silence.  Rather, with her head held high, without complaint, without public tears, she went about her very hectic full life, while quietly and methodically preparing for this untimely ending, And she did whatever she could to make sure her creation, Theatre Pizzazz, would survive -even if she didn’t.  If I loved and admired Sandi for all of who she was and all she was to me in my life, I will forever stay in awe and be forever inspired by her incredible, unfailing strength above all. ~Jane Goldman

Farewell Sandi….you will live on in our memories and hearts. Here’s a tribute video from by Beth Naji.