RELATIONSH!T

Gerry Geddes
The theme of a revue can be a two-edged sword. When the song and humor work, it can be delightful, but without some thought of variation of story and/or a through line that brings us to some moral or message or climax, there can be too much repetition. While there were funny, and occasionally touching,...

Orfeh and Andy Karl

Mark Dundas Wood
The husband-and-wife team of Orfeh and Andy Karl have teamed up for Legally Bound (directed by Charles Randolph-Wright), in an engagement at Feinstein's/54 Below. Married now for 17 years, the two have made names for themselves in musical theatre and have occasionally appeared together in New York productions, most notably in Broadway's Legally Blonde (2007)....

Zachary Clause

Gerry Geddes
Ambition should always be applauded, even when the show that results from that ambition is a mixed success. Such is the case with the task performer Zachary Clause sets himself with Zachary Clause Does Bette Midler at the Continental Baths, 1971, currently in a return engagement at Pangea. He attempts to recreate every word, every...

Matthew Morrison

Robert Windeler
Sometimes a large following based on solid television and Broadway musical credits can be enough to assure a successful cabaret stint. No need to name your club show or to provide a thoughtful theme or through-line for it. As Matthew Morrison proved anew in his most recent run at Feinstein's/54 Below, you can simply name...

Roseanna Vitro Project

Mark Dundas Wood
The "project" in the title of this show refers to jazz singer and music teacher Roseanna Vitro's efforts to generate smart and graceful lyrics for the late Charlie Parker's bebop compositions. Sing a Song of Bird: The Music of Charlie Parker—staged as a one-nighter at Jazz at Kitano—is clearly a work in progress. Some songs...

Vicki Kristina Barcelona

Gerry Geddes
Rachelle Garniez, Amanda Homi, and Terry Radigan are accomplished singers, songwriters, and musicians with thriving solo careers. It was a shared love of the songs of reprobate troubadour Tom Waits that brought the women together to form the trio Vicki Kristina Barcelona. Recently on the intimate stage at Pangea, their show, Yesterday Is Here, proved...

Kayley Hill

Penelope Thomas
Fresh from Nashville, Kayley Hill is an heir to the Dolly Parton sound, with a sweet, clear, cut-through voice and a whole lot of power. Her country and rockabilly sensibilities are contemporary: she's equally at home throwing in a very complex soul melisma as she is working that break between registers or occasionally yodeling as...

Gretchen Reinhagen

Robert Windeler
When a cabaret show begins with the song "Life Sucks and Then You Die" (Ray Jessel) you might be forgiven for thinking you're in for yet another "poor me" sob story without benefit of even a minimally redeeming happy ending. But in the case of Gretchen Reinhagen's recent, entirely enjoyable set at Don't Tell Mama,...

Shemekia Copeland

Penelope Thomas
The Blues are the best! From rock blues, to bluegrass and country, to gospel, there's someone out there who has it worse than you do. If the cause is a cheating lover, a lost job, breaking the law because you had to, or the devil himself, in the blues you're a good person in a...

Norm Lewis

Mark Dundas Wood
For the third year in a row, theatre, film, and TV actor-singer Norm Lewis is performing a holiday-oriented program at Feinstein's/54 Below. The opening night of this year's offering, Santa Baby!, appears to have brought out a group of his most ardent, demonstrative fans. There's plenty to like in Lewis the cabaret performer—starting, of course,...