Broadway Originals IV

Broadway Originals IV

Feinstein’s/54 Below, NYC, September 10, 2016

Reviewed by Joel Benjamin for Cabaret Scenes

One of the joys of Scott Siegel’s intimate shows at Feinstein’s/54 Below is watching his face as he considers his handiwork. He is totally in his element, his face aglow with enjoyment. This isn’t an expression of ego, but one of a proud parent watching his offspring strut their stuff. From Len Cariou to Willy Frank, Siegel had much to admire as they sang the numbers some of them made famous and told fascinating and funny stories about their shows.

Tom Wopat, who boasted about turning 65, opened the show with a medley from Annie Get Your Gun (Irving Berlin) which included “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “My Defenses Are Down,” sung without benefit of microphone, and “50 Checks” (Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman), cut from Catch Me If You Can, a song about finding pride in maturity. Wopat sang with his usual swagger.

Bill Hutton did two numbers from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice), a show that helped forge his career. His voice belied the passing of decades (!). Willy Falk’s two spots included his beseeching song, “Why, God, Why?” from Miss Saigon (Alain Schönberg/Claude-Michel Boublil/Richard Maltby, Jr.)—a role he got only after an arduous audition process—and “You Are So Beyond,” cut from the ill-fated Marilyn: An American Fable. Martin Vidnovic displayed his generous baritone in a moving “This Nearly Was Mine” (Rodgers & Hammerstein).

Len Cariou pretty much stole the show with “Think How It’s Gonna Be” from Applause (Charles Strouse/Lee Adams) and a medley from Sondheim’s A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd, sounding more robust and passionate than he has in recent appearances.

I’ve pretty much run out of adjectives for Ross Patterson whose stalwart efforts on the piano were, as usual, the backbone of the show.

Tags: 50 Checks, A Little Night Music, Alain Schönberg, American Songbook, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Annie Get Your Gun, Applause, Bill Hutton, Broadway, Broadway Musicals, Broadway Originals IV, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, Catch Me If You Can, CD, Charles Strouse, Claude-Michel Boublil, Clubs, Composers, Feinstein’s/54 Below, Great American Songbook, Irving Berlin, Jazz, Jazz Singers, Jazz Vocalists, Joel Benjamin, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Lee Adams, Len Cariou, lyricists, marc shaiman, Marilyn: an American Fable, Martin Vidnovic, Maryann Lopinto, Miss Saigon, Musicals, Musicians, My Defenses Are Down, Nightclubs, NYC, Popular Song, Revues, Richard Maltby Jr., Rodgers & Hammerstein, Ross Patterson, Scott Siegel, scott wittman, Show Tunes, Singers, Sondheim, Songbook, Standards, Supper Clubs, Sweeney Todd, There’s No Business Like Show Business, Think How It’s Gonna Be, This Nearly Was Mine, Tim Rice, Tom Wopat, Venues, Vocalists, Why God Why, Willy Frank, You Are So Beyond

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