26th Annual NY Cabaret Convention: Kander & Ebb
26th Annual New York Cabaret Convention
Life Is a Cabaret: The Songs of Kander & Ebb
The Town Hall, NYC, October 15, 2015
Reviewed by Rob Lester for Cabaret Scenes
Photos by Maryann Lopinto
Karen Mason
What a fine and quite theatrical evening it was when Thursday at The Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Cabaret Convention the whole two-act program was devoted solely to the output of composer John Kander’s partnership with the late lyricist Fred Ebb, directed by Barry Kleinbort. Not presented chronologically, some scores were represented by more than one selection, while some weren’t represented at all (their last projects—Curtains, The Scottsboro Boys, and The Visit—were M.I.A. And so were the songs written for the film Funny Lady—or, for that matter, the film Lucky Lady—or the stage show inspired by the movie Woman of the Year. And there were no samples from abandoned projects or cut songs. And no special material written for nightclubs, TV projects, or Liza Minnelli’s concerts). But there was plenty to pick from from the duo’s career which spanned five decades!
Sally Mayes
Penny Fuller
Chicago was frequently sampled, now the longest-running musical revival ever on Broadway. A show frequently revived, Cabaret, got much exposure, too. Sally Mayes shared some observations and set up “So What?” in the character originated by Lotte Lenya. And the original standby for the lead role of Sally in that original 1966 production, who went on many times—Penny Fuller— did a montage of the show’s numbers. The electrical power plant named Marilyn Maye ended the night with an early K&E piece eventually added to the film version and some latter stage productions, “Maybe This Time,” followed by an anthem introduced in a film as its title song, the movie taking place in that great mecca of talent and site of so many cabaret rooms we cover and on whose stages these songs were mostly introduced. Needless to say, I speak of Secaucus, New Jersey. OK, just kidding. It should come as no news that the Fred Ebb lyric starts with the line “Start spreading the news: I’m leaving today…” It’s the “(Theme from) New York, New York.” Marilyn pointed out that Mr. Kander hails from Kansas City, as does she. At the very end, host Karen Mason came out and joined her for one more chorus and then invited the audience to do likewise. And they did.
Marilyn Maye
What was striking before this annual Maye love fest finale was how many performers opted to take on the characters and situations in the manner the songs were introduced in their respective musicals. This is in contrast to the more typical approach cabaret artists favor: making the pieces fit THEM, sung as if they were singing their own feelings as themselves, as if the words were their own private thoughts, words, and related personal experiences. This emphasis on going back to origins and stepping into those people’s shoes and minds made for potent musical costuming and casting. It should be noted that many of those on the bill have plenty of experience as actors, although some may be best known by this particular audience for their cabaret work. The typical praise via prose seems too, well, prosaic for an evening so characterized by Mr. Kander’s infectious, lilting, and bouncy melodies. So, with that thought in mind, may I humbly present my commentary of this strong evening which you can sing to yourself as it is set to the melody of a Kander & Ebb show’s title song that will be 50 years old next year. Fun fact: Marilyn Maye was the first singer to record it—before the musical opened. This musical’s title describes the type of venue and the genre we celebrate on this website and its magazine. Hint: It’s the first word of our own two-word name. Yes, of course, the melody in my head—which won’t leave—is “Cabaret.” So, with utmost respect and affection to the writers and those who successfully embraced their work this week, here goes.
Marilyn Maye & Karen Mason
It’s good when sitting there at The Town Hall
With Kander and Ebb’s work sung.
Maye and Mayes and Mason all
Were stars we were among.
(Marilyn Maye ….. and Sally Mayes
Were quite amazing, worth the praising.
Such fine phrasing, rafter-raising!)
Host Karen Mason, an ace in the hole,
Almost stole her own show.
She got into The Rink’s lead role,
Her “Colored Lights” all glow.
Amra-Faye Wright
Amra-Faye Wright
Was also bright.
She and Steve Ross caused quite a fracas.
So did great Lina Koutrakos.
Steve Ross
Lina Koutrakos
Lauren Stanford
And Lauren Stanford nailed “A Quiet Thing.”
Stearns Matthews owns “My Own Space.”
Then, Penny Fuller, full of zing:
A full Cabaret embrace.
Stearns Matthews
T. Oliver Reid
Jim Brochu
Well, Robert Creighton: he was great in being
This “Mr. Cellophane” who no one’s seeing.
And what more “Razzle Dazzle” could the crowd need
Than to see and be with T. Oliver Reid?
He spun the …Spider Woman’s multi-thread web,
And Kander would be proud. And so would Fred Ebb!!
Jim Brochu could do no wrong in song , right?
As Zorba , he’s absorbing and so strong. Quite!
“My Coloring Book” was colorful again;
Sandy Stewart sang it, just like way back when.
Robert Creighton
Bill Charlap & Sandy Stewart
Karen Ziemba
Karen Ziemba, unannounced guest,
Dazzled with all the rest.
She came to revisit Steel Pier.
Few peers its writers have—that’s clear.
Kander and Ebb had flair quite rare.
That pair‚they’re beyond compare!
Category: Cabaret Reviews, Music, Music Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews
