Judy Kuhn

March 17, 2012

Feinstein’s at Loews Regency – March 6, 8, 9 and 10

Poised and serene, actor-singer Judy Kuhn exhibited a regal demeanor from the first moment she stepped onto the Feinstein’s stage. She moved her arms—her whole body, in fact—gracefully yet assertively. At a passionate moment, her hand fluttered to her throat as if to cool it with a damp handkerchief (or perhaps to check her racing pulse). During a moment of earnest sentiment, her fingers twined above her heart. These gestures came off as completely authentic; nothing seemed forced or overly programmed. She was able to engage fully with the material at every turn.

Kuhn’s set included theatre songs and standards. But she also sang several selections by multi-faceted singer-songwriters from the 1960s and 1970s with significant folk roots: Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and Laura Nyro. And it’s no wonder Kuhn is attracted to their music. She sounds in some ways like a folk singer herself—but one with classical vocal training. Her voice is clear and steady, with a flute-like quality. She uses show-bizzy vibrato very little. She comes through loud and clear, though she’s no Merman-league belter.

A few songs into the program, I worried a little about Kuhn’s vocal variety. A string of these selections focused on the theme of sexual desire, with Kuhn exploring that no man’s land (or combat zone) in which lust and love collide and compete. As the sequence progressed, though, it became apparent that her voice is pliable and capable of fine nuance. Each new song offered slight variations on the theme. “Something Cool” (Billy Barnes) smoldered. “Temptation (Tom Waits) blazed. And “Forbidden Fruit” (Oscar Brown, Jr.) lightened the mood, with Kuhn taking the serpent’s point of view, comically urging listeners to loosen up and eat ravenously from the tree of knowledge.

Kuhn clearly values lyrics that are rich in imagery. They seem to challenge the thespian within—and she delivers on the challenge. The Mitchell and Nyro songs, especially, served as poetic cornucopias for her. (She has performed and recorded many other Nyro songs previously.) Kuhn described Nyro’s “Goodbye Joe” as a unique specimen: a joy-filled break-up song. She sang it as a woman full of gratitude to her departing lover for having provided such bountiful memories—of “the sky and the deer on the highland.” This song was, for me, one highlight of the evening. Another was her final programmed number, Mitchell’s “Night Ride Home.” Singing about a drive through a surrealistic Fourth of July night, she made me feel that I was the one riding shotgun with her.

All of Kuhn’s artistry was enhanced by the wonderfully full playing of her three musical cohorts: Dan Lipton on piano (he also served as musical director), Greg Joseph on percussion, and Peter Sachon on cello. Joseph’s work in particular—especially his hand-drum playing and shaker expertise—gave the swirling, churning arrangements a good deal of color and excitement.

Kuhn demonstrated an easy rapport with the audience, though her between-song patter was limited. Much of it was autobiography-based—seemingly candid but not deeply confessional. She utilized personal anecdotes well to set up songs. For instance, her description of a time when she had a long-distance relationship with her husband served as a prelude to the tender “Look at You, Look at Me” (Jule Styne, Frank Loesser).

As a finale, she sang her signature song: a sweeping emotional ballad from Chess, “Someone Else’s Story” (Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice), which she noted had been written specifically for her. Kuhn’s performance reminded the audience that her home base is musical theatre. I hope, though, that she continues to work in cabaret settings as well as on the legit stage. She clearly has an affinity for this performance format.

 

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About the Author

Mark Dundas Wood is an arts/entertainment journalist and dramaturg. He began writing reviews for BistroAwards.com in 2011. More recently he has contributed "Cabaret Setlist" articles about cabaret repertoire. Other reviews and articles have appeared in theaterscene.net and clydefitchreport.com, as well as in American Theatre and Back Stage. As a dramaturg, he has worked with New Professional Theatre and the New York Musical Theatre Festival. He is currently literary manager for Broad Horizons Theatre Company.