Alex Rybeck: The Songs of Alex Rybeck
Alex Rybeck
The Songs of Alex Rybeck
54 Below, NYC, November 16, 2014
Reviewed by Joel Benjamin for Cabaret Scenes
If there had been an applause meter at Alex Rybeck’s show at 54 Below, it would have been totally demolished. Rybeck gathered a brilliant lineup of singers who brought out every nuance, joke and note of his creations, which ranged from musical theater to pop to Latin- infused and pièces d’occasion. For instance, he molded Bernstein/Wilbur’s “Glitter and Be Gay” into an extraordinarily funny and moving specialty number for Maureen Brennan, written with Barry Kleinbort, in which she sang the coloratura lines while musing about her career and motherhood. Did she hit the high E-flat? Well, yes and no!
Faith Prince sang four songs written with Ira Gasman: the casually mordant “Strictly for Laughs”; the ironically titled “Happily Married Man” (both smart comments on modern love); and the tender “Bless Your Heart,” which closed the show on a poignant note. Prince has rarely been better. It made for a sweet Christmas song. Liz also sang the wistful “What a Funny Boy He Is” (lyrics: Michael Stewart), made famous by the late, great Nancy LaMott.
Karen Mason applied her mature, strong voice to “I’ll Burn That Bridge When I Come to It” (great title! – lyrics: Seth Friedman), an emotional outburst about life’s disappointments. Jeff Harnar showed two sides of his indubitable talent: first with “Why Did You Have to Split” (Lyrics: Rybeck/Friedman), a hilarious song about loving the many personalities of Sybil, and “Until the Sun Goes Down” (Gasman), about the ups and downs of fame and love. Marcus Simeone and his perfect pop voice took on the MAC Award-nominated “And I’m Leaving Today” (Todd Murray), a portrait of a man unable to quite make up his mind about the love of his life.
Tiffany Gray and Joshua Dixon, two young, good-looking performers, dueted on a funny double soliloquy from a new musical, King of Comedy: “You’re the Only One I Know” (lyrics: Devan Sipher). The youthful pair also backed up cabaret veteran Kevin Dozier on “Together This Christmas” (lyrics: Barbara Fried), originally written for a gay men’s chorus. Jerry Lanning and Karen Mason joined voices another Rybeck/Sipher number, the back-handed love song, “Tiny Imperfections.” Their performance was touchingly fragile.
Singers Alexandra Haas and Susan Winter, both distinctive and terrific, also displayed their individual talents on several songs.
Rybeck’s stylish and witty pianism was enhanced by Dan Gross on drums, Sean Harkness on guitar and Dick Sarpola on bass.
Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews
