BWW Reviews: AN EVENING WITH HEIDI BLICKENSTAFF Excels at Signature

Cabarets allow the audience to get better acquainted with a performer. But for Heidi Blickenstaff, that's a unique challenge because she has already been involved in two semi-autobiographical musicals: Title of Show and Now. Here. This. However, for anyone to think that those two musicals are all there is to Heidi Blickenstaff would be to underestimate one of Broadway's exceptional talents!

An Evening with Heidi Blickenstaff, which was performed as part of Signature Theatre's Autumn Cabaret Festival, featured song choices inspired by Blickenstaff's summer. Everything from listening to Sarah Bareillis' new album, to starring as Diana in a regional production of Next to Normal, to work-shopping a new John Kander musical, all provided the background for the evening's musical selection.

Throughout the evening the audience discovered Blickenstaff as an artist with a terrific ability to infuse an emotional honesty and depth into everything she sings. Blickenstaff opened with Sondheim's "There Won't Be Trumpets" before transitioning to Vernon Duke's "Just Like A Man" and "April In Paris," followed by Jerome Kern's "Bill's A Liar."

Blickenstaff shifted effortlessly throughout the evening's song choices which ranged from heavy and emotional, to comedic and torch. With every song Blickenstaff conformed to the style of the piece while also making it her own. Her range is a testament to her skill as a performer.

Furthermore, Blickenstaff demonstrated a fearlessness in tacking songs that are either well identified with other performers, well-known cabaret standards or both. Her encore performance of "Maybe This Time" had such energy that it brought the crowd to a thunderous standing ovation.

Adding to Blickenstaff's performance was her quick wit and humor. On two separate occasions she forgot the lyrics mid-song. Lesser performers would have panicked or started over. Not Blickenstaff, after sharing a laugh with the audience over the mistake she continued on as if nothing had happened.

In between songs Blickenstaff engaged in a witty banter with the audience that provided us with insight into her life as a working actress. One story she told involved forgetting Tim Rice's lyrics in front of the famed lyricist, demonstrating candor and humor that further endeared her to the audience.

And if all that wasn't enough, late in the show Blickenstaff gave the audience a special treat. A song from the new John Kander musical Kid Victory. Earlier in the summer Blickenstaff had participated in a workshop for Kid Victory and performed a song from the show entitled "The Lawn." While parts of the song were a bit rough, particularly the ending, it's exciting that not only is John Kander back at work, but that he's working with someone as talented as Blickenstaff.

Blickenstaff was beautifully accompanied on piano by her musical director Ryan Fielding Garret. There was a touching moment early on in the evening when Blickenstaff revealed that she first met Garrett while he was performing in a regional production of Title of Show. Together their chemistry only added to an already wonderful evening.

At the beginning of her show, Blickenstaff referred to DC as her "second theatrical home" and it's easy to see why. She has starred in First You Dream at Signature Theatre, then later at the Kennedy Center, and won a Helen Hayes Award for her performance in Meet John Doe at Ford's Theatre. It is exciting to see how Blickenstaff continues to grow as a performer. As long as she continues coming back to her "second theatrical home," audiences will continue to want to become better acquainted with Heidi Blickenstaff.

Ms. Blickenstaff's set list included: There Won't Be Trumpets, Just Like A Man, April in Paris, Bill's A Liar, Manhattan, Little Girls, I Miss The Mountain, So Anyway, The Lawn, Never Again, Good Times. Encore: Maybe This Time and New York, New York (First You Dream arrangement)

Run time was one hour with no intermission.

For production and ticket information to Signature's Autumn Cabaret Festival, please visit: http://www.signature-theatre.org/

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