BWW Reviews: Natalie Arneson's MAMA DRAMA is Charming

About five years before I made the transition from Houston to New York City, Natalie Arneson and her husband packed their bags in the middle of the Great Recession and embarked on the Texas to Empire State journey themselves. Without securing jobs before landing in the city that never sleeps, the duo came with the soul purpose of allowing Natalie Arneson to chase her dreams and audition for Broadway musicals. Now, in her charming one-woman, solo cabaret set entitled MAMA DRAMA, Natalie Arneson shares her story, her struggles, and her talent.

The allure of New York City is endless opportunity, but the perseverance and strength needed to stake a claim in this grandiose metropolis is enough to test and temper and steely mettle of anyone. It is through the shared shock and awe of attempting to find footing in this concrete jungle that Natalie Arneson engages with her audience. Then, with a beautiful smile and a lovely voice, she draws us deeper and deeper into her performance and story. In fact, despite being young, pretty, blonde (re: an ingénue), and working part time jobs to remain afloat, she is also a proud mother. Yet, being a mom is also a hurdle she constantly has to jump over to pursue her stage career. Through her show, she explores how she juggles motherhood, having her second baby, auditioning, and finding a community of her own in this amazing, but sometimes disheartening, city.

With direction by Michael Schwartz and musical direction by Tracy Stark, Natalie Arneson takes the stage with great presence and performs with laudable skill that is greeted by enthusiastic applause at the end of each number. Her rich soprano greets the audience with a charismatic performance of the Peggy Lee classic "I Love Being Here With You." Later in her set, she aptly sings a dazzling rendition of Stephen Sondheim's "Another Hundred People." Other standout numbers include her delightful take on Christine Lavin's "Air Conditioner," Randy Newman's uplifting "Almost There" from the failed Disney film The Princess and the Frog, a splendidly jazzy spin on the classic "Feeling Good" by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, a stirring performance of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's "They Just Keep Moving the Line," and the amusing Cole Porter's "I Happen to Like New York." However, my favorite performance is "Welcome Home," a Tracey Stark original. The beautiful number is tenderly evocative and Natalie Arneson makes the song wonderfully effective.

Supporting Natalie Arneson in MAMA DRAMA is Tracy Stark on the piano, Skip Ward on the Bass, Jeffrey Roberts on the Drums, and her Guest Vocalists are Joshua Dixon and Gina Ricci. All of these musicians round out MAMA DRAMA, lending their artistry to ensure that the entirety of the cabaret performance is highly enjoyable.

If you missed Natalie Arneson's MAMA DRAMA at New York City's Metropolitan Room on October 25, 2014, don't fear. Just keep your eyes peeled for her soon to be announced upcoming performances! For more information about Natalie Arneson, please follow her on Twitter and YouTube.

All photos by Andreea B Ballen Photography.

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