Broadway Unplugged Returns

At least once a year, showtune lovers get to experience a full concert of the beauty, the intensity, the magic of the raw, natural human voice unencumbered by any kind of artificial amplification. Sprung from a concept put to wonderful use in his Broadway by the Year Series, Scott Siegel has made last year's hit Broadway Unplugged concert into an annual event, and brought it back for a rousing sequel on Monday night.

BJ Crosby opened the evening with a defiant and soaring "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls, proving that all one needs to do justice to this classic are a strong set of pipes and an endless supply of emotion. William Michals effortlessly conjured Ezio Pinza with his "Some Enchanted Evening," and Emily Skinner's rendition of "Raunchy" from 110 in the Shade was a study in less-is-more, delightfully effective and sexy while never becoming vulgar or over-the-top. Bill Daugherty made the standard claimed by Barbra and Liza into his own when he performed a stirring "What Did I Have?" from On A Clear Day....

Norm "When Will He Have His Own Star Vehicle?" Lewis quietly and gently brought down the house with a sweet rendition of the standard "I'd Rather Be Sailing," which he preserved for posterity on the Original Cast Recording of A New Brain. Without a microphone, the song became less a powerhouse ballad and more introspective and poignant. Cabaret artists Anne Steele and Jennifer Kruskamp had a true challenge in following such an understated and powerful performance, but unfortunately, their rendition of "I Know Him So Well" from Chess did not rise to the occasion. The pop song seemed to fade as it crossed the footlights, and Ross Patterson's Little Big Band's accompaniment quickly overwhelmed the singers' lovely, but too soft, voices.

Conversely, Mary Bond Davis's excellent rendition of "I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues" was powerful enough to earn the lady the title of "Sassy" that jazz legend Sarah Vaughan left behind fifteen years ago. Broadway by the Year regular Marc Kudisch filled Town Hall with his rich voice and warm humor when he sang "Fate" from Kismet, and beloved comedienne Mary Testa took a turn for the dramatic with her soulful rendition of "The Thrill is Gone."

To open Act II, Mr. Kudisch returned with his Thoroughly Modern Millie co-star, Tony-winner Sutton Foster to perform the classic duet of one-upmanship "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun. In what could only be described (by Mr. Siegel himself, no less!) as a "fun train wreck," both singers lost their places and dropped their lines throughout the song, adding an extra layer of manic hilarity to the already adorable Berlin standard as they struggled to keep going. Cabaret artists Bobby Belfry, Brandon Cutrell, Peter Gonyo, Steven Ray Watkins, and Lennie Watts added to the playfulness with their endearing rendition of "It's A Hard-Knock Life," performed with much sass, flair, and impossibly high belting. The quintessential Bat Boy, young Deven May, infused Company's "Being Alive" with much passion and energy. Alice Playten entered in a bathrobe and wheelchair to sing a bravura "In Just No Time At All" from Pippin, discarding both the chair and the robe to finish the number in a stunning red dress that would have made Gypsy Rose Lee proud.

Ron Bohmer sang a lovely and mournful "Lonely House" from Street Scene, and Ms. Foster returned to perform what may easily be one of the most beautiful ballads ever written, Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When." Her gentle soprano served the song well, and nicely completed the emotional moment begun by Mr. Bohmer.

Of course, any concert with such a large cast is bound to have a few weak moments. Taboo star Euan Morton made "On the Street Where You Live" into a self-indulgent camp showcase rather than an earnest expression of obsession or love. Cheyenne Jackson's rendition of "Joey Joey Joey," from The Most Happy Fella, was likewise disappointing, though more for an overall lack of emotion than for any mugging. Liz Callaway's lovely voice should have served a better song than "Be A Lion" from The Wiz, and the usually very reliable Martin Vidnovic provided a rather flat "Stars" from Les Misérables.

Fortunately, those few weaknesses could not diminish the overall greatness of the evening, and the final performers were especially strong. Barbara Walsh, who last year stepped in at the last moment to perform a breathtaking "Holding to the Ground" from Falsettos, returned to sing a "Losing My Mind" that once again left the audience breathless. The incomparable Eddie Korbich filled the theatre with his clear and resonant voice with "There But for You Go I" from Brigadoon, which he was scheduled to perform at last year's inaugural concert. Christiane Noll sang Ragtime's stirring anthem of hope, "Back to Before," a bittersweet end to an evening that reminded us of how much singing styles have changed since the popularization of amplification. We may never go back to before the days of microphones, but as long as devotees of natural singing encourage concerts like Broadway Unplugged, we can at least enjoy a glimpse of what those days were like.

All photographs courtesy of Linda Lenzi