Broadway by the Year: The 1930s

Ron Forman | February 23, 2016

Broadway by the Year

The 1930s

The Town Hall, NYC, February 22, 2016

Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes

Tonya-Pinkins-Cabaret-Scenes-Magazine_212 Scott Siegel’s series Broadway by the Year features an exciting new format this season. Rather than focusing on a single year, the shows will feature the greatest Broadway songs of a decade. Another change is that the shows will feature fewer vocalists, with each performing more songs. The combination of these two changes allows for more truly classic songs and gives each performer a chance to shine. The first show of the series featured 23 songs from a decade filled with some of the best the Great American Songbook has to offer: The 1930s. As per usual, host Siegel provided interesting, informative and frequently amusing commentary before each number. This edition of the series even included two tap dance numbers. Of special interest to me was that almost every number included the sometimes-seldom-heard verse.

Robert Cuccioli’s impressive masculine baritone got the show off on a high note with “Begin the Beguine” and closed the show appropriately with “As Time Goes By.” Tonya Pinkins (pictured) combined her great acting ability and beautiful sound to get prolonged applause requiring her to be called back to the stage for second bows for two of her performances, a soulful and quite moving “Supper Time” and “September Song.” The quirky, but always entertaining Nellie McKay did a hilarious version of the Judy Garland version of “You Made Me Love You (I Didn’t Want to Do It),” substituting Bernie Sanders for Clark Gable. Billy Stritch accompanied himself on piano for two numbers, including a jazzy “Comes Love.” Brian Charles Rooney, a man of many voices, all of them splendid, did a very dark version of “The Ballad of Mack the Knife” as it was performed in the 1933 edition of The Three Penny Opera. Rooney also joined Emily Skinner for an exceptionally beautiful romantic duet, ”It Never Was You.” Michael Winther accompanied by Sean Harkness on guitar performed a soft and touching “My Romance.”

Tags: American Songbook, As Time Goes By, Begin the Beguine, Bernie Sanders, Billy Stritch, Brian Charles Rooney, Broadway, Broadway by the Year, Broadway Musicals, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, CD, Clark Gable, Clubs, Comes Love, Composers, Emily Skinner, Great American Songbook, It Never Was You, Jazz, Jazz Singers, Judy Garland, lyricists, Michael Winther, Musicals, Musicians, My Romance, Nellie McKay, Nightclubs, NYC, Popular Song, Revues, Robert Cuccioli, Scott Siegel, Sean Harkness, September Song, Show Tunes, Singers, Songbook, Standards, Supper Clubs, Supper Time, The 1930s, The Ballad of Mack the Knife, The Three Penny Opera, The Town Hall, Tonya Pinkins, Venues, Vocalists, You Made Me Love You, You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It