Review: With REDEMPTION OF A 90'S KID at 54 Below, Sean Stephens Comes Out as a Solo Artist

There are certain milestone moments in the lives of parents (and other parental figures) that move the heart and touch the soul: the baby's first word, the toddler's first steps, the first day of class, the first school dance, and the first recital. Last night, friends, family, and the community of cabaret artists who feel like the parents, Aunties, Uncles, Guncles, and older siblings of Sean Stephens filled the seats and the room at Feinstein's/54 Below as their adored Sean had his first recital. And the pride flowed freely among the crowd.

Sean Stephens is one of the sweethearts of the cabaret community. As, group show by group show, Sean has demonstrated a knack for musical storytelling and a stage presence worthy of a solo club act, his name has begun to work its way into the lexicon of the community. There are many artists of varying demographics who make up the workforce of ensemble soloists - some stay in the corps, while others dare to challenge themselves by taking the terrifying step into the solo spotlight. The writing was on the wall for a while and people were, fully, expecting Sean to go out on that limb, and after many delays Mr. Stephens took that leap of faith last night at 54 Below, in the 9:45 slot, with REDEMPTION OF A 90'S KID.

Redemption of a 90's Kid is more than a solo show debut for Sean Stephens - it was a full-on exploration into what it is to be vulnerable onstage. In the opinion of this writer, the linchpin to the true success of a cabaret act is authenticity, and Sean Stephens was nothing if not authentic last night. To that end, his solo show debut was a success. There is room for growth, to be sure ("I think your form and content will improve with time," said Truvy) but it can be stated, with clear conscience and ringing affirmation, that Sean Stephens put on a fine show last night. He clearly has a good voice that has had proper training, he has a vision for what he wants his storytelling aesthetic to be, and he has the intention to be honest with his audience - all good factors for any club act, and (factually) aspects that don't walk into the room with every cabaret artist, even though they should. The fact that Sean brought these things to the show and the stage has him ahead of the debut show curve. Singing nine songs from the Nineties and three songs not, Sean ran the gamut from musical theater to Top 40 to two self-penned tunes created in quarantine. The singing actor threw himself into every musical number and he flung himself all around the stage, and he did it with four guest artists, and that is where this writer would like to begin the critique.

It's a lovely thing to share your stage (and your experience on the stage) with loved ones - many do the guest artist thing, and with great success. Moving forward in the solo show arena (and Sean Stephens should move forward in the arena), Sean and his director, Robbie Rozelle, might consider that this is a solo show, not a talent show, and the focus must remain on the central figure of that show: Sean. Two guests in a club act is par for the course, four guest artists sends a message to the audience that there wasn't enough belief that Sean could carry the show on his own (which he can, by the way). And while his RENT duet with Walter Graham struck exactly the right note, his duet with Sean Doherty missed the mark because of one simple, correctable missed opportunity: two men singing a famous duet by Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion IS the joke. Exaggerated physicality and facial expressions leaning into SNL territory communicates humor less effectively than playing it absolutely straight. This writer would love to see the twosome revisit the number with the kind of deadpan seriousness that makes Neil Simon plays hilarious. And as for Sean's number with drag artist Marti Gould Cummings, one might offer that inviting Robin Williams to be a guest on your show renders it no longer your show. Ms. Cummings is a force of nature and a star, and even though the love between them and Sean was extremely visible, their presence rather dominated the "Wig in a Box" segment of the show. It would be fantastic to see Stephens and Cummings revisit the Hedwig and the Angry Inch number after Sean has a little more experience under his belt as a solo artist, at which time he will be able to match their star power, rather than be eclipsed by it.

When it came to the numbers Sean performed on his own (sometimes with backup singers Beda Spindola and Najee Gabay), Stephens showed a strong aptitude for finding his emotional pocket and melding it with some impressive vocal skills. His is a strong and appealing voice that works with musical theater and pop music. He just needs to remember to breathe, at all times, because one's breathing affects every other aspect of one's physicality. Naturally, there will be nerves and excitement on an opening night, and last night they didn't really show during opening number "Fancy" but by the time Mr. Stephens got to his second number, an ambitious Annie Lennox tune, it seemed as if Sean had forgotten to breathe, an issue that rose to the surface a few times during the night. A truly lovely "Back to Before" was bordering on gorgeous and it would have gotten there, if Sean had had the inclination to take just one great big deep breath. It would have served him, mightily, because the performance of Marin Mazzie's Ragtime opus was marvelous and moving - and a solid promise of things to come.

It might seem, after these modest observations, that this review is leaning into the critical. Please let the reviewer clarify: I think Sean Stephens is good. He is almost impossibly likable (especially when speaking honestly about himself and his life), he has a gift as a vocalist and an instrument to feed that gift, and he has energy, honesty, and authenticity. He also has a good team in director Robbie Rozelle and Musical Director Mason Griffin, and the trio might consider sitting down together to talk about the next presentation of Redemption of a Nineties Kid because the show is good - but it needs a fresh pair of eyes to point out that the Redemption of Sean comes (very visibly) in the script during the tenth song of the show, leaving Stephens with two fun and peppy numbers that take the audience away from Sean's beautiful final monologue that happens in the middle of his Judy Garland number. The message of the monologue is quickly forgotten, lost in the bounce of what are, essentially, back-to-back encores: it's like being served a hamburger right after you've finished your filet mignon. And there is musical filet mignon in the Sean Stephens debut solo show, all of it resonating from a personal place deep within Sean - perhaps that is why the unquestionable triumph of the evening was a raw, honest, tenderhearted "How Do I Live?" that was dedicated to his late mother. It was one of those moments that make cabaret an art form that audiences should explore - intimate, vulnerable, and human. Sean Stephens' mother would have been proud of him for that performance, and for the entire outing. Indeed, everyone in the room last night should have been proud of Sean Stephens.

I know I was.

The wonderful REDEMPTION OF A 90'S KID band was Musical Director Mason Griffin on piano, Wes Bourland on bass, Ashley Baier on drums, and the gifted guest artists for the evening were (in order of appearance) Walter Graham, Sean Doherty, Marti Gould Cummings, and Emerson Steele.

Sean Stephens REDEMPTION OF A 90'S KID was a one-off. One hopes there will be future performances. Follow the Sean Stephens Instagram page HERE for updates.

Find other great show to see at the 54 Below website HERE.

Sean Stephens gets a five out of five microphones rating for performing his entire show without the use of a lyric sheet, tablet, or music stand.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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