Review: AMBER IMAN Couldn't Be Better at 54 Below

Ladies and Gentlemen, prepare yourselves. You are about to read a love letter. The object of affection is Amber Iman's self-titled show, which opened tonight at 54 Below. For those of you who love good music, this is the show for you. For those of you who like good stories, this is also the show for you. Amber Iman (Soul Doctor, Shuffle Along) is a musical theatre star who, by her own admission, feels out of place in the musical theatre world. And when you hear her sing, you may understand why. I can't imagine a theatrical character that could contain the depth of her expansive soul. That soul was present in all her songs. It was also evident in her stories, in which she simply "stood in gratitude" and told her truth.

In addition to starring in Broadway shows, Amber Iman is a founding member of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition and Black Women on Broadway. Her show couldn't be more empowering. For a woman who presents a strong and statuesque facade, Ms. Iman leads with a remarkable amount of vulnerability. She shared with us a startling confession she made to her therapist. She told her she doesn't get a lot of joy out of these one-woman concerts. Not because they aren't fulfilling, but because of the stress and anxiety of simply producing one. Her aim was to simply enjoy the moment. Her audience had no such ambivalence about the experience. They were in rapturous appreciation of everything Ms. Iman said or did.

Her appeal is obvious. She speaks the truth, whether it makes you uncomfortable or not. Gratitude radiates out of her, even as she tells you it's difficult to come by. She is a thoughtful, music nerd wrapped in the guise of a glamazon warrior. She can make you dance when you don't want to. She frequently asks the audience to sing along, suddenly making a very personal story about herself, all about us together, physically and metaphorically.

In fact, her show didn't even begin with her. She gave the opening number to her band, The Shimmers. Michael O. Mitchell, Jaylen Petinaud, and Andre Cleghorn are, hands down, the best band I have heard behind a singer in cabaret. Music director, Michael O. Mitchell in particular, was on fire.

When Ms. Iman did appear it was with a wondrous jam on "Party in the USA." It was more than an opening number. It was an invitation to an event. She put together a mashup of tunes she called "The Black Ass Medley." It was an amazing combination of "On & On," " Long Walk," "FUBU," and "So Fresh, So Clean." She gave us a taste of her go-to karaoke song, a phenomenal version of "Sweet Love" in which she out-Anita Baker-ed Anita Baker.

She paid tribute to her musical theatre career by welcoming special guest, Christian Dante White (Scottsboro Boys, Shuffle Along, My Fair Lady. ) Together they duetted on Sondheim's "Move On." Pay attention, Broadway. This is precisely what diverse casting should look like. She brought the house down with Des'ree's "You Gotta Be. " She returned to Broadway, giving us a peek at the workshop of The Secret Garden, singing "Hold On." She got a screaming and standing ovation.

The highlight of the evening, in my opinion, came when she talked about all the work she has done to be comfortable inside her own skin. To illustrate this she sang "Ready for Love" by India Arie and Blue Miller. It was a beautiful performance, barely above a whisper. Amber Iman has range as well as depth. She ended her show with Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." She started the song with a long ballad version of the verse that really concentrated on the lyrics, before finally launching into the dance tune. It was completely gorgeous.

Her encore could well be the theme of the whole evening. She returned to the stage for a beautiful arrangement of John Lennon's "Imagine." The crowd went wild. Amber Iman is a performer who takes you on a journey. There is never a false moment. She deserves a huge Broadway success. I would lay a wager that she gets it soon.

For more information about Amber Iman, visit amberiman.com or follow her @amberiman_ on Instagram or @amberskyez on Twitter. Amber Iman returns to 54 Below August 12, 13 & 14. For tickets or to check out other great acts, go to 54below.com.

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