BWW Reviews: ANDREA MCARDLE Returns to Kennedy Center

As a kid, I loved all things Annie. I wasn't yet born when the show premiered on Broadway, but was introduced to it - like many were in the 80s - through the cast recording and the initial movie version. I'm no longer a little kid, but I have to admit I was pretty excited to see Andrea McArdle - the original red-headed orphan who I had previously only heard on an audio recording - in her solo cabaret performance at Kennedy Center last week as part of the Barbara Cook's Spotlight Series. The series features some of the best performers that Broadway has to offer and Ms. McArdle is certainly deserving of her place within that elite group for her long career in musical theatre.

The hour-long cabaret consisted of mostly songs from musical theatre, but a few holiday and pop songs were thrown in for good measure. Certainly, the audience was treated to that ubiquitous "Tomorrow" (a softer, more emotional version, nicely paired with Jerome Kern's "Look for the Silver Lining"). However, the set list was varied just enough to showcase the strongest components of Andrea's voice, and her willingness to take on a variety of musical styles. She did not only select those bombastic "belt" songs one might expect.

Starting things off with another Charles Strouse tune, "A Lot of Livin' To Do" (Bye, Bye Birdie), she got the audience in the mood to have a good time. However, it was some of the more dramatic songs that proved most resonant with me. Among them was her take on "I Dreamed a Dream" (LES MISERABLES). Ms. McArdle was a replacement Fantine in the original Broadway production and it was a treat to hear her connect emotionally to the powerful, sorrowful lyrics. Another highlight was Stephen Schwartz's Meadowlark. Admittedly, I have a huge bias to the Liz Callaway version of the song (as does, apparently, Ms. McArdle), but she did the challenging song justice. The soft and loud dynamics she employed in her song delivery set her rendition apart from so many others I've heard and complemented the sentiment of the song nicely. It's nice to see a performer avoid any urge to simply full out belt the entire song.

Other highlights came in the form of Sondheim's "Everybody Says Don't" (Anyone Can Whistle) and Jerry Herman's "Wherever He Ain't" (the under-appreciated Mack and Mabel). This is largely because it looked like Andrea, backed by the incomparable Steve Marzullo on piano, was having a lot of fun performing them. She didn't always seemingly put a lot of effort into her stage presence or making one moment distinguishable from another (or at least make it seem like what she was doing was a natural extension of her), but the moments when she did stood out. These two selections were among those.

While some of Andrea's jazzy selections did not necessarily prove to be highlights for me (an Ella Fitzgerald version of "Santa Claus" among them) because they didn't necessarily seem to be in her 'wheelhouse,' I admire the decision to do something a little bit different - something others might not expect from her. Overall, it proved to be a delightful way to spend an evening.

Running Time: 60 minutes.

This cabaret was held on December 5, 2014 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. For further information on upcoming Barbara Cook Spotlight Series offerings, consult its website.

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