Webster’s defines “charm” as the following—noun: “a trait that fascinates, allures or delights”; verb: “to please, soothe, or delight by compelling attraction.” If the dictionary should ever need an image to illustrate the definition, they could always post a photograph of Canadian singer/actor George Krissa, who could not have been more charming or captivating in his New York cabaret debut, Love Notes, at Chelsea Table + Stage. His understated low-key style, his winning smile, his expressive voice, and his matinee idol good looks combined to stake a legitimate claim to cabaret stardom.

I am not one to religiously watch Hallmark Channel romantic comedies, so I was unfamiliar with Krissa, even though he has an impressive career in Canadian theatre (especially musicals), television, and film. I first saw him last December in the much-publicized, landmark Christmas rom-com, The Holiday Sitter, Hallmark’s first ever to feature an LGBTQ+ couple, played by two out, gay actors with many other LGBT artists and technicians involved. He was memorable in a (are you ready?) charming romantic lead role opposite Jonathan Bennett. The movie was a main reason I was at Chelsea Table + Stage to see him.    

Unfortunately, much of the first half was marred by atrocious sound and distracting lights. The microphone alternated between sounding muffled and off, and a rotating program of lights left the singer in darkness center stage with irritating regularity. I found it hard to believe that there was actually someone in the tech booth witnessing it because the problems were slow to be solved. Krissa and his music director, the great Christopher Denny, barreled through as if nothing was wrong and salvaged the opening numbers in fine fashion but I felt bad for them, and for the audience. 

A warm, welcoming “Almost Like Being in Love” (Frederick Lowe, Alan Jay Lerner) was a perfect choice to introduce his low-key, understated vocals which were a refreshing change from the overdone bombast of so many male theatre singers in cabaret. He cemented that first positive impression with a lovely “The Way You Look Tonight” (Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields). His joy at performing was already evident, and irresistible. The wattage of that sparkling smile increased with each number as he relaxed into the fun he was obviously having. “Something’s Coming” (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim) benefited from his understated, conversational phrasing without losing the excitement built into the song. 

Each of these numbers (and most of the evening) was presented with a nod to classic arrangements of the material but there were intriguing, surprising, and satisfyingly subtle changes in his delivery that made his personal, emotional investment in the storytelling shine. He had the good sense (if not the good taste) to include a hilarious sliver of a song by the criminally under-represented Stephen Lynch, “Country Love Song” that served as a gateway to the romantic balladry of Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love.”  It is not a criticism of the singer to confess that when he referred to it as a Garth Brooks or Adele, song without a mention of Dylan, I felt older than I had when I arrived.  I felt the same way a bit later when he referred to “Your Song” (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) as “a song from Moulin Rouge” without crediting John. 

He then enthusiastically asked the audience, “Do you know what time it is?” and could barely contain his answer, “It’s special guest star time.”  The first guest up was Drag Race veteran, Jackie Cox. They duetted quite effectively on Frozen’s “Love is an Open Door” (Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez); their silly yet sincere chemistry was delightful and here, as with each of his guests, when they were soloing, his look of admiration, excitement, and simple happiness was quite special in a kid-in-a-candy-store way, not quite believing his good fortune. In an about-face, he introduced a “political” number which turned out to be “Ya Got Trouble” (Meredith Willson, from The Music Man) in a low-key version that made him the gentlest, most soft-spoken Harold Hill the world has ever seen, and yet somehow it retained its original form and tempo, and it worked.

He then introduced another talented friend, Danielle Wade, with whom he had worked on The Music Man at the Stratford Festival, but who is probably more well-known, at least here, for her appearance in Mean Girls on Broadway. They paired on Andrew Lippa’s “Crazier Than You” (from The Addams Family) and their strong, yet intimate performance rescued it from the Broadway show song trunk. Krissa played off the strengths and energy of his guests beautifully. Wade added a gorgeous, haunting echo to the last half of that Moulin Rouge song. It made me wish for a future show featuring them both. He introduced his next solo number, “Vincent” (Don McLean), with a simple, “Here is a song I like” which he did a few times during the show and his genuine love of the material made it a perfect introduction each time he used it. His approach to most of the songs had a warmth and a kind of innocence (without losing sophistication) that completely won me over. 

It’s a show business truism that good things come in threes and so it was with Love Notes. His third special guest “kept it in the family” as he brought on his cousin, Tyley Ross, who has appeared on Broadway and was the one who encouraged Krissa, when he was 20 or so, to move to Toronto and “give theatre a try” rather than returning to school.  If the audience had been polled at that point, there would have been only agreement with that brave decision. In the most surprising musical moment of the night, they rocked the room with an electrifying deep dive into “Under Pressure” (Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, John Deacon, Brian May).  Amazingly, it was the first time they had sung together.

Closing the show (but not before promising an encore) was his most arcane choice of the evening, The Bleachers’ Billboard Alternative Song chart-topper, “I Wanna Get Better” (Jack Antonoff, John Hill) but given his previous connection to material, he probably knew it as Kelly Clarkson song. In any case, it was a rousing climax to a terrific introduction to New York cabaret, capped to perfection with his encore, a thoughtful, emotional, smartly detailed take on “If I Loved You” (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, from Carousel) that pointed up once again George Krissa’s strengths as a singer and an actor. As far as I am concerned, he can’t return quickly enough. 

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Presented at Chelsea Table + Stage, 152 W. 26th St., September 23, 2023.