Kyle Dean Massey

Steve Murray | October 4, 2015

Kyle Dean Massey

Feinstein’s at the Nikko, San Francisco, CA, October 2, 2015

Reviewed by Steve Murray for Cabaret Scenes

The first song of your first cabaret show—what’ll it be? For KD Massey, “I’m Alive,” from his starring role as Gabe in Broadway’s Next to Normal, was a prophetic choice. The rousing anthem is a declaration of one’s presence and vitality, and Kyle Dean Massey is very much “so alive.” The young theater geek from Arkansas who couldn’t get accepted to musical theater programs has finally thumbed his nose at rejection big time with starring roles in Wicked, Next to Normal, Xanadu, Altar Boyz, Pippin, and TV’s country hit Nashville.

Aided by longtime friend Heather Luellen on piano, KD’s debut on the small stage featured songs he knows best – show tunes that helped shape his career. A song from his high school production of Shenandoah, “The Only Home I Know” (Peter Udell/Gary Geld) and “On My Own” from Les Misérables are heartfelt and honestly sung in his sweet tenor. Massey loves a good story and segues each song with autobiographical anecdotes like a seasoned pro. On his constant casting rejection for Hairspray for not being sexy enough, KD launches into “It Takes Two”(Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman) with a comic Elvis Presley flair.

Three non-show tunes, fortunately, made the set list. Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, KD sang the poignant “Broken Song” (Cody Johnson/Tony Long/Travis Meadows) from Nashville. The boy from Arkansas can certainly tug at the heartstrings. The beautiful “Flight” by Broadway composer Craig Carnelia is a ballad that shows KD’s strength of conviction to the lyric. Closing with the moving rocker “I’m Not Over You” (Gavin DeGraw/Ryan Tedder), the song speaks to vulnerability and pride, and KD knocks it out of the park.

Massey is well accustomed to performing in front of large Broadway audiences and is now seen by millions on the small screen. But small intimate showcases like cabaret are a different animal – you need to connect, capture an audience and hold them in rapt attention. KD succeeded on every level in this well-crafted, charming show.

Tags: Altar Boyz, American Songbook, Arkansas, Broadway Musicals, Broken Song, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, Clubs, Cody Johnson, Composers, Craig Carnelia, Elvis Presley, Feinstein's at the Nikko, Flight, Gary Geld, Gavin Degraw, Great American Songbook, Hairspray, Heather Luellen, I’m Alive, I’m Not Over You, It Takes Two, Kyle Dean Massey, Les Miserables, lyricists, marc shaiman, Musicals, Nashville, Next to Normal, Nightclubs, On My Own, Peter Udell, Pippin, Popular Song, Revues, Ryan Tedder, San Francisco, Scott Whitman, Shenandoah, Show Tunes, Singers, Songbook, Standards, Steve Murray, Supper Clubs, The Only Home I Know, Tony Long, Travis Meadows, Venues, Vocalists, Wicked, Xanadu