LnRiLWZpZWxke21hcmdpbi1ib3R0b206MC43NmVtfS50Yi1maWVsZC0tbGVmdHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOmxlZnR9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1jZW50ZXJ7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpjZW50ZXJ9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1yaWdodHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOnJpZ2h0fS50Yi1maWVsZF9fc2t5cGVfcHJldmlld3twYWRkaW5nOjEwcHggMjBweDtib3JkZXItcmFkaXVzOjNweDtjb2xvcjojZmZmO2JhY2tncm91bmQ6IzAwYWZlZTtkaXNwbGF5OmlubGluZS1ibG9ja311bC5nbGlkZV9fc2xpZGVze21hcmdpbjowfQ==
LnRiLWhlYWRpbmcuaGFzLWJhY2tncm91bmR7cGFkZGluZzowfQ==
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
Daniel Brewer
May 6, 2013
“mismatch.com”
Don’t Tell Mama – April 14, 21, 28
Any one of us who has been through the New York City dating conundrum—gay or straight, at whatever age—will be able to relate to Daniel Brewer’s mismatch.com, his new cabaret offering that recently played at Don’t Tell Mama. Playing Benjamin Misstep, Brewer gave us more or less a play with songs inserted rather than a more traditional autobiographical cabaret act. We have all seen shows with this theme before—perhaps too many times—and yet Brewer, a witty writer and charming actor, won over the audience with his heartfelt and often corny show. It’s old-fashioned romantic comedy with a gay twist.
Brewer has been around for a while, working in theatre as well as cabaret and he is a prolific writer. He has a passing resemblance to Paul Lynde, but without any of the cynicism. He has chosen a nice mix of songs, old and new, starting with the high-energy “Tear Up the Town” (Brian Lasser) followed by the devilish “If” (Comden & Green, Jule Styne). On the latter, a lyric that is rife with complex rhymes and rapid-fire delivery, Brewer messed up the words, but that brought forth his own laughter and relaxed him—up until that point, he had seemed a touch nervous and tentative with this difficult piece.
Brewer is more an actor than a vocalist. In his oft-used lower register, he sounds a bit like Brenda Vaccaro and in the uptempo songs he tends to push and the pitch is unreliable. “He Taught Me to Dance” (Gerry Dieffenbach) showed us his softer side, with his touching, fragile tenor tones.
About a third of the way through the show, Gene Gosselin (in his cabaret debut) made a surprise appearance on stage and played a number of comical roles (four of the mismatched dates, for example) and, eventually, the newfound love. This added a new layer of duet possibilities (which also included musical director Joyce Hitchcock, who not only ably accompanied on the piano, but also played kind of a stoic favorite aunt/older sister/best friend character who dispensed nuggets of advice here and there). “We’re Just Two Little [Boys] from Little Rock” (Leo Robin, Jule Styne) was lots of fun and “That’s Life” (Dean Kay, Kelly Gordon) was more buoyant than gritty, but it worked. Best of all was “One Step” (Maltby & Shire), which Brewer and Gosselin modified to work as advice from celebrities, to great comic effect. Gosselin was the real singer of the three, and had his shining solo moment with “One in a Million You” (Sam Dees). The show’s closer was the highly appropriate “Every Goodbye Is Hello” (Andrew Lippa).
Charles Sanchez directed with a sure hand, putting the small stage to great use with inventive and pleasing choreography, varying the energy with the song placement and finding a nice balance between the three very different personalities on the stage.
Ultimately, mismatch.com is a feel-good show with hummable melodies and G-rated laughs, that leaves us with the message that hurts don’t last forever, and if we just keep getting back out there, we can and will find love again. Even we jaded New Yorkers need to be reminded of that every once in a while.
Kevin Scott Hall performed in cabaret clubs for many years and recorded three CDs, including “New Light Dawning” in 1998, which received national airplay. He also worked at the legendary piano bar, Rose’s Turn, and has taught cabaret workshops and directed shows since 1995. Kevin earned his MFA in Creative Writing at City College of New York. He is an adjunct professor in the Theatre and English departments at City College and Borough of Manhattan Community College. His novel, “Off the Charts!” was published in 2010, and his memoir, “A Quarter Inch from My Heart” (Wisdom Moon), in 2014. Kevin writes a monthly column and entertainment features for Edge Media Network, writes reviews for BistroAwards.com, and freelances for other publications.
Any one of us who has been through the New York City dating conundrum—gay or straight, at whatever age—will be able to relate to Daniel Brewer’s mismatch.com, his new cabaret offering that recently played at Don’t Tell Mama. Playing Benjamin Misstep, Brewer gave us more or less a play with songs inserted rather than a more traditional autobiographical cabaret act. We have all seen shows with this theme before—perhaps too many times—and yet Brewer, a witty writer and charming actor, won over the audience with his heartfelt and often corny show. It’s old-fashioned romantic comedy with a gay twist.