54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits!

Ron Forman | February 20, 2017

54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits!

Feinstein’s/54 Below, NYC, February 17, 2017

Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes

Natalie Douglas

The eleventh edition of Scott Siegel’s 54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits! continued his new tradition of bringing a diverse group of excellent singers to Feinstein’s/54 Below to perform a selection of the best songs from Broadway musicals. Siegel, as per usual, provided interesting, informative and entertaining commentary before each number.

Natalie Douglas (pictured) opened the show with a jazzier than it is usually performed “What Did I Have That I Don’t Have” (On a Clear Day…) She returned with an especially beautiful and moving “People” (Funny Girl). David Colbert has a very special sound and style that worked wonderfully on “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” (The Roar of the Greasepaint—The Smell of the Crowd) and later with “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables” (Les Misérables).

Siegel added an international flavor to the program by including Pedro Coppeti from Brazil and Pepe Nufrio from Spain. Both shined, with Coppeti performing “Stars” (Les Misérables) and Nufrio performing “Gethesemane” (Jesus Christ Superstar). Dancing is an important part of Broadway musicals and, despite the small stage, Joshua Israel sang and dazzled with his tap dancing to “Getting Married Today” and “Lucky to Be Me.” I became an instant fan of Jeanne MacDonald after hearing her very moving and memorable “50 Percent” from the failed Broadway production of Ballroom. She was equally effective and moving with “No One Is Alone” (Into the Woods). Maxine Linehan performed “Unexpected Song” (Song and Dance), and stopped the show with her performance of “With One Look” (Sunset Boulevard) that built to a spectacular conclusion. The duo of Coppeti and Nufrio closed the show, voices blending and soaring with “Lily’s Eyes” from The Secret Garden.

Tags: 50 Percent, 54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits, American Songbook, Ballroom, Brazil, Broadway, Broadway Musicals, Cabaret, Cabaret Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, CD, Clubs, Composers, David Colbert, Empty Chairs and Empty Tables, Feinstein’s/54 Below, Funny Girl, Gethesemane, Getting Married Today, Great American Songbook, Into the Woods, Jazz, Jazz Singers, Jazz Vocalists, Jeanne MacDonald, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joshua Israel, Les Miserables, Lily’s Eyes., Lucky to Be Me, lyricists, Maxine Linehan, Musicals, Musicians, Natalie Douglas, Nightclubs, No One Is Alone, NYC, On a Clear DAy, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Pedro Coppeti, People, Pepe Nufrio, Popular Song, Revues, Ron Forman, Scott Siegel, Show Tunes, Singers, Song and Dance, Songbook, Spain, Standards, Stars, Sunset Boulevard, Supper Clubs, The Roar of the Greasepaint The Smell of the Crowd, The Secret Garden, Unexpected Song, Venues, Vocalists, What Did I Have That I Don't Have, Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me), With One Look