Saturday, September 18, 2010

Signature Theater Cabaret: 4 Stars!

There are two things that make a cabaret great: a good music selection, and great talent.  The first of the new cabaret series, The Lost Songs Of Broadway, 1950-1960 featured many songs that were omitted from musicals or were written for musicals that never got to the stage.  As the singers point out, that doesn't mean the songs aren't good.  The combination of songs tonight included humor, sentiment, secrets, sadness, and almost always, love.  What made these songs great were the three powerhouse voices that sang the songs.

There were two women and a young man, a soprano, a mezzo-soprano/alto, and a tenor.  The soprano, Erin Driscoll, has a soaring powerful soprano that is widely heard without being shrill.  And Erin applies a healthy dose of acting so that you really get the feeling of the song.

The mezzo, Sherri Edelen, is an experienced singer with humor, versatile mood singing, and joyous ease.
The young tenor, Jake Odmark, is a welcome returning face to Signature.  He gets appropriately into the mood of the songs, which has presented difficulty for past tenors.  He also enjoys the female company that he sings with.
Every song was sung well and the pianist also applied clever and entertaining accompaniment.

The question on my mind, now and always, is why the young sophisticates of the area have not yet learned to enjoy the cabarets at Signature.  If the joy of great singing isn't enough, any audience member can bring wine and a cheese board, dinner, or dessert into the theater -- as long as you buy it there.

For those of you with a sense of adventure for culture, I urge you to buy tickets to the cabaret.  You will not be disappointed!
Cabaret: Original Soundtrack Recording (1972 Film)Cabaret: The Illustrated Book and Lyrics

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