Review: The Randy Andys HOLIDAY FÊTE at Pangea
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 10, 2019
The Randy Andys Holiday Fête brought sass and spirit in equal measure to Pangea last night. The 'girl group gone retro' is a singing trio of actresses (à la The Andrews Sisters) in rotating formations based on who is in town. They were in full swing last night with 9 of the Andys lending their voices, beauty, and charisma to the show, in addition to a couple of delightful holiday guests.
Holiday Fête they named it and a celebration it was. With The Randy Andys' warmth, charm, and pitch-perfect 1940s-era vocals, your name had to have been Grinch or Scrooge not to have spent the entire evening with a grin on your face. From the very first moments of the night, when The Andys made their way through the audience singing the Christmas classic 'Happy Holiday', you were swept up in the festive atmosphere, brought candy canes or playfully caught under the mistletoe. There didn't seem to be a Christmas song that was left out in the cold in last night's set, with The Randy Andys and their special guests putting their spin on classics from their namesake's era all the way up to Mariah Carey's everlasting holiday hit 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'.
The Randy Andys' Alison Mahoney served as our party host for the night, facilitating easy banter between numbers and helping to usher the night's guest stars into the celebration of song and spirit. The first of the Holiday Fête's special guests to "drop by" the party was Marissa McGowan, most recently seen in the Broadway revival of Kiss me Kate. She and three of The Randy Andys treated the room to a rendition of 'Santa Baby' with a twinkle in their eye and their voices in perfect harmony.
Frozen's Robert Creighton, or as The Randy Andys would playfully sing-song his name, "Bobby", was the next guest to make his way to the stage. With his take on 'Frosty the Snowman', he brought not only his wonderful voice but his dancin' shoes as well, jumping into impressive tap breaks throughout the song much to the audience's delight.
Phantom of the Opera's Tug Watson was the final guest of the evening and he treated the room to both the sound of his smooth vocals and a duet with Robert Creighton to 'Sisters' made famous by Rosemary Clooney.
While the guest stars provided an extra bit of sparkle to the night, it was The Randy Andys who continued to sweep the audience away to a sassy and brassy winter wonderland of their making. Each of The Randy Andys was more charming and talented than the last, with plenty of moments to shine both on their own and in trios.
As the evening came to a close, The Randy Andys invited the audience to join in on a sing-along to Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas', which brought even more warmth to an already cozy night as people wrapped their arms around others shoulders and swayed together. It served as a lovely reminder that the most beautiful part about the holidays is the way that they can bring people together. I can honestly say that when The Randy Andys Holiday Fête ended I was far from ready for the night to be over. And judging from the smiles on everyone's faces as the lights came up, I'm very certain that I was one among many who felt the same.
The Randy Andys
Joanie Anderson (RENT)
Chelsea Barker
Monica Blume
Katie LaMark (Rock of Ages)
Alison Mahoney (Evita)
Alaina Mills (Beautiful)
Catie Pires-Fernandez (Beauty and the Beast)
Sarah Pothier (Eugene Onegin)
Alexis Louise Young (Once on This Island)
Director:
Music Supervisor/Arranger:
Adrian Ries
Associate Music Director:
Andrew Morrissey
Percussion:
Choreographers:
Gina Daugherty
Katie Yazbeck
Aaron Salazar
Founder/Producer:
Photo Credit: Chloe Rabinowitz
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