Review: Matthew Morrison Shows Off His Strengths Belting Broadway and Standards in Rainbow Room Debut, Proving He Should Stick to Just That

Once a theatre kid, always a theatre kid, and even after Hollywood has called, one cannot seem to elude the song and dance beckoning of their Broadway roots.

For proof of such a personification, look no further than Matthew Morrison, the smooth-crooning triple threat who made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of FOOTLOOSE back in 1998, and went on to star in several stage productions before becoming a household name as the earnest glee club teacher on the once-must-see series GLEE.

Making his Rainbow Room debut on October 24, the second-ever performer in the venue's new LIVE! From the Rainbow Room series, Morrison attempted to toe the line between his Broadway past, and his evident yearnings to also traverse through the genre of more contemporary pop. What was made clear by this 70-minute set, though, is that Morrison is irresistible in his element of Broadway and jazz standards, but veers dangerously close to wedding-singer shtick when delving into Hot 100 tunes.

Exemplifying as much, the evening's most pleasing highlights were supplied by Morrison's own Broadway credits: a medley of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic SOUTH PACIFIC, which included a lush interpretation of "Some Enchanted Evening" as well as "You've Got to be Carefully Taught," those original lyrics which are today shockingly offensive still intact. Additionally, Morrison constructed an adept eight-minute medley of songs from HAIRSPRAY, in which he played dreamboat Link Larkin in 2002, each song separated with brief plot interludes, allowing him to essentially run through an impressive one-man version of the Marc Shaiman show in its abridged entirety.

Morrison's buttery-smooth vocals also found their sweet spot with standards outside of the theatre, including very traditional takes on "It Don't Mean a Thing" and "The Lady is a Tramp." That applied to an Elton John medley, as well, during which Morrison pulled a fast one by "introducing" Sir Elton and then apologizing, writing off his absence because "he must be busy." Selections included "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" along with the über well-known "Rocket Man," both of which (particularly the latter) coerced Morrison to, at times, mimic the Rocket Man himself a bit too closely opposed to merely emulating. However, the tunes sat so nicely within his wheelhouse that it is hardly worth logging a complaint.

About halfway through his set, Morrison retreated to the background microphones, allowing his backup singers to each sing a song of their own. Both Kiley Dean and Terron Brooks were musically astounding, as were the rest of Morrison's musicians, called the M and M band. On piano was musical director Brad Ellis, who GLEE fans would recognize from his role on the series in which he portrayed a music director named, well, Brad. Ellis was accompanied by a wonderful (and sizable) band which included Dan Kalisher (guitar), Pete Antunes (drums), Gary Wicks (bass), Jimmy Emerzian (saxophone/woodwinds), Jonathan Bradley (trumpet), and Erm Navarro (trombone).

The weakest of the theatrical selections was, actually, a two-hander of songs from FINDING NEVERLAND, which marked Morrison's post-GLEE return to the Great White Way. The musical, which opened in 2015 and shuttered this past August, was sharply criticized by many for its lack of musical theatre theory, most evident in its bland score mired in wannabe pop. This, somewhat ironically, mirrored the low points in Morrison's own show, as well.

Concluding with "Happy" by Pharrell and Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk," two songs entirely unremarkable in their pastiche funk, Morrison was unable to attain the natural suaveness and appeal in both his voice and demeanor, which he had so wonderfully achieved with the standards previously performed. It's unfortunate that he chose to end the show on such a note, as it did leave a taste of saccharine pop impersonation sitting on the audience's palette, when most of the evening surely was more akin to musical champagne which would have otherwise had patrons exiting in a state of bubbling delight, uplifted as high as the 65th floor of the Rainbow Room itself.

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