Spring & Summer: The Spring Awakening Cast Reunion

Spring & Summer:
The Spring Awakening Cast Reunion

54 Below, NYC, August 30, 2015

Reviewed by Joel Benjamin for Cabaret Scenes

Lately, in what appears to be a mini-trend, 54 Below has been presenting big-cast variations on its 54 Sings… franchise—fitting more than four or five performers on that small, but elegant, stage.

Spring & Summer: The Spring Awakening Cast Reunion combined the talents of members of the original Broadway cast, the touring company and the upcoming Broadway revival. The latter included, in a novel twist, practitioners of the American Sign Language for the Deaf, whose sometimes delicate, sometimes robust movements added unexpected beauty.

One by one, unabashedly talented young performers sang numbers from the show or songs they wrote themselves. Representing the latter were Katie Boeck’s “Cold Water” and Christy Altomare’s “We Know How to Party,” the first about the excitement of creating songs and the second a very youthful look at having fun. Also original was Austin McKenzie’s “Brother” which, as sung in his high, tense voice, had a touch of anger as he mused about taking care of each other, and “Happy Ever After,” written and sung by Alexandra Winter, remembering good times before a breakup.

From Spring Awakening (Duncan Sheik): “Mama Who Bore Me” sung like a simple, moving folk song by Boeck, signed by Sandra Mae Frank, and “I Don’t Do Sadness,” in a raging interpretation by Alex Boniello with fascinating signing by Daniel Durant. Sheik made an appearance playing guitar for Krystina Alabado’s interpretation of his “Barely Breathing.”

Two anomalous numbers were odd highlights. Julie Benko’s swinging version—yes, a swinging version—of “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” (Bock/Harnick) with her significant other, Jason Yaeger, at the piano. On “Be a Lion” from The Wiz (Charlie Smalls), a tiny Ali Stroker displayed an amazingly large voice in this musical exhortation.

The other performers were Zach Reiner-Harris, Sean Grandillo, Amanda Castaños, Kathryn Gallagher, Justin Scott Brown, Claire Sparks, Anthony Lee Medina, Gabe Violett and Taylor Trensch.

Charity Wicks on piano led a boisterous, colorful band, which included Trey Files on drums and Ben Lively on guitar and violin.1

Tags: 54 Below, 54 Sings, Alex Boniello, Alexandra Winter, Amanda Castaños, American Sign Language for the Deaf, American Songbook, Anthony Lee Medina, Austin McKenzie, Barely Breathing, Be a Lion, Ben Lively, Broadway Musicals, Brother, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, Charity Wick, Charlie Smalls, Christy Altomare, Claire Sparks, Clubs, Cold Water, Composers, Daniel Durant, Duncan Sheik, Gabe Violett and Taylor Trensch, Great American Songbook, Happy Ever After, I Don’t Do Sadness, Jason Yaeger, Jerry Bock, Joel Benjamin, Julie Benko, Justin Scott Brown, Kathryn Gallagher, Katie Boeck, Krystina Alabado, lyricists, Mama Who Bore Me, Matchmaker, Musicals, Nightclubs, NYC, Popular Song, Revues, Sandra Mae Frank, Sean Grandillo, Sheldon Harnick, Show Tunes, Singers, Songbook, Spring & Summer The Spring Awakening Cast Reunion, Spring Awakening, Standards, Supper Clubs, The Wiz, Trey Files, Venues, Vocalists, We Know How to Party, Zach Reiner-Harris

Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews