Mark MacKillop
Mark MacKillop
54 Below, NYC, May 16, 2015
Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes
Serendipity! Due to my mistake, I arrived at 54 Below at the wrong time. Luckily, I stayed to see a very entertaining show about the Six Steps required to achieve success in this Instagram, Twitter and Facebook world. Interestingly, an item not mentioned in these steps was talent, of which the performer Mark MacKillop has an abundant quantity. Formerly a ballet dancer, he has an excellent voice, can be hilariously funny and has amazing poise and stage presence for a young performer making his solo cabaret debut. Did I mention that he is also quite an attractive man? The song selection was a carefully chosen, eclectic mix of pop and Broadway show tunes.
MacKillup opened with an energetic “Let Me Be Your Star.” Very funny life history stories were intertwined as he introduced each of the Six Steps needed to achieve fame. He cleverly turned “Dancing on My Own” into “Selfie on My Own.” The audience roared with laughter with “Dance Ten, Looks Three” and “Please Don’t Touch Me.” As a child he had been devastated by having to share his first solo opportunity with a classmate. He achieved closure by finally performing Mariah Carey’s “Hero” as a solo number. MacKillop closed appropriately with “Don’t Stop Me Now” followed by the encore, “Show Off.”
Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews
