BWW Reviews: Emily Padgett and Erin Davie Sing with Heart and Humor at 54 Below

Making their 54 Below debuts together, Emily Padgett and Erin Davie crafted a cabaret show that was filled with humor and heart. Singing duets and solo numbers, the lovely ladies who played Violet and Daisy Hilton in this season's Broadway revival of Side Show at the St. James Theatre skillfully entertained the dinner time crowd and left us looking forward to the next time they tread the boards on the Great White Way.

Offstage, the duo teased the audience by signing the lines "I'm Violet. I'm Daisy," and then they entered with a vibrant and warm rendition of "Next to Me" (Emeli Sandé, Hugo Chegwin, Harry Craze, Anup Paul). Despite the premature closing of Side Show, both Padgett and Davie wore fantastic smiles. "We had a long run on Broadway," Padgett said as the audience tittered. "We did," chimed in Davie. "Yeah. From 42nd Street to Chinatown" joked Padgett. Cheerfully, the pair then sang a brightly toned rendition of "Two Peas in a Pod" (Scott Frankel/Michael Korie).

Davie showcased her powerful and classically trained instrument on the beginning of "One Halloween" (Charles Strouse/Lee Adams), and then she switched into a delightful Broadway pop sound. With a heaviness that was evocative and compelling, Davie also sang "What Makes Me Love Him" (Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick). With great emotionality Davie launched into "Every Day a Little Death" (Stephen Sondheim), conveying the bitterness and the anger of the character with ease. Padgett joined her, giving a light and airy quality to the soprano part of the number. At the conclusion of the song, Padgett chimed in "That's like our eulogy to Side Show," waited a beat, and then exclaimed, "That's right; I went there!"

Bringing a ton of sass, both women sang a charming version of "What You Don't Know About Women" (Cy Coleman/David Zippel). They ended the song with a perfected unison, pairing both pitches and syncopation with mesmerizing agility. Padgett took over the stage with beautifully sung "I'm Not Afraid of Anything" (Jason Robert Brown). On this tune her voice was full-bodied and heavy, which is unlike how she handled her instrument in Side Show, showing the audience some great versatility. Inspired by a performance by Betty Buckley, Padgett sang "Old Friend" (Michael Feinstein) and chased it with "Bluebird" (Sara Bareilles). Both numbers were sung with lovely soul.

Singing with a ton of romance, Davie launched into "An Old Fashioned Wedding" (Irving Berlin). Davie joined her signing with a delightful brashness. Together they worked in "Who Will Love Me As I Am" (Henry Krieger/Bill Russell). Davie sang with tangible heartache and anguish on "It's Never That Easy" (David Shire/Richard Maltby, Jr.) and Padgett commanded the stage with her warm and earthy tones on "I've Been Here Before" (Shire/Maltby, Jr.). Celebrating their Southern roots, the pair closed the show with a heartfelt rendition of "Same Kind of Different" (Lee Ann Womack), and both proudly sang with accents. Naturally, their encore was a stirring rendition of "I Will Never Leave You" (Krieger/Russell).

Padgett and Davie both seemed to be having a lot of fun with their 54 Below debut, and that energy flowed from the stage and invigorated the audience. They were also given loving support by a talented and capable band. In so many ways, this duo has promised to never leave us, and so far they seem to be keeping their word.

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