BWW Reviews: Cast Bids SIDE SHOW a Fond Farewell with 'Added Attractions' Encore at 54 Below

Back by popular demand, March's Side Show: Added Attractions concert returned to 54 Below this week. Packing in two more performances, the Monday evening show celebrated the short lived Broadway run of the revival of Side Show, the March concert, and the upcoming release of Broadway Records' Side Show: Added Attractions - Live at 54 Below.

Emceed by book and lyrics writer Bill Russell, the May installment of the concert featured principal and ensemble cast members of the 2014 Broadway revival, composer Henry Krieger, and original Broadway cast member Jeff McCarthy. Between numbers, Russell shared insights into the creative process behind Side Show and how he and Krieger reworked the show collaboratively with director Bill Condon to prepare it for its revival.

The show opened with David St. Louis treating audiences to his delightfully soulful and compassionately intonated baritone instrument on "The Devil You Know." Kelvin Moon Loh, Derek Hanson, Lauren Elder, Javier Ignacio, Josh Walker, Con O'Shea-Creal, and Blair Ross, who sang the ensemble parts on the tune, joined him. With a ton of charisma Erin Davie and Emily Padgett switched roles on "Like Everyone Else." Ross, with a glorious accent, brought out the cruel bite in an extended version of "You Should Thank Me Every Day." Only accompanied by the piano, Ignacio stirred the audience with his beautiful and evocative performance of "All in the Mind." Padgett, Davie, Matthew Hydzik, and Hanson (singing the Terry part) charmed the audience with a stand-alone version of the sprightly and catchy "Stuck with You."

To showcase some cut from all versions material from Side Show, Krieger accompanied himself on the piano as he sang "I Can't Say No To You," a song written for Jake. As he sang the number, it was easy to imagine how St. Louis would have performed the number had it found its way back into the show for the revival. Next, Davie and Padgett treated audiences to their unequivocally expressive and emotive rendition of "Sideshow," which is a bonus track on the 2014 cast recording.

The third portion of the concert included music that was not included on Broadway Records release of the 2014 Broadway cast recording. Stepping in for Ryan Silverman, McCarthy sang the Terry part on "New Year's Eve & Proposal" as Davie, Padgett, and Hydzik recreated their brilliant performances from the St. James Theatre. Yet, it was during "Private Conversation" that McCarthy really showed off his opulent and rich baritone instrument. With a stunning growl to his voice opposite Hydzik's brightly toned and vibrant instrument, the cast made "Buddy's Confession" a truly memorable moment. Then St. Louis brought the house down with a soft, sweet, and undeniably sexy version of cut song "The Choice I Made."

Davie, Padgett, Hydzik, and McCarthy charmed the audience with a cute mash-up of the show's Vaudeville numbers "Ready to Play" and "We Share Everything." Each member of the ensemble got to shine as they sang a version of "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" that featured each of them on solo lines. Russell shared "I Don't Want to Go Back to Reality," a free verse poem, with the audience about the personal significance of the Broadway revival. Many of his sentiments echo in the hearts of fans of the show, and the cast mirrored his feelings as well.

As a fond farewell to the 2014 revival of Side Show, the cast sang a rousing and beautiful version of "Say Goodbye to the Sideshow" and Davie and Padgett treated the audience to "I Will Never Leave You" one last time.

Broadway Records' Side Show: Added Attractions - Live at 54 Below, which was recorded during the two concerts on March 9, 2015, will be released on May 12. To pre-order the album, please click here.

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