Mary Bond Davis at Danny's: A Late-Night Blast of Energy

Playgoers looking for a perfect nightcap to an evening on Broadway and late-nighters wanting to start their fun with a blast of energy are well-advised to head for Danny's Skylight Room the next two Saturday nights, where Mary Bond Davis delivers the kind of big, beautiful performance that'll send you into Sunday morning with a smile on your face.

Best known as the original Motormouth Maybelle in the long-running hit Hairspray, Davis soars out onto the stage and shimmy dances like an electric vibrator standing on end, making every fringe on her classic black dress swing to its own rhythm. Her hour-long show, a mixture of pop, r&b, bluegrass and jazz, features powerhouse vocals, a sharp comic delivery and lovely moments of tenderness.

Selections include a tribute to Oscar Brown, Jr. with a hilariously raucous rendition of the comic gem, "But I Was Cool", followed by the sweet lullaby, "Brown Baby." Ballads like Hank Cochran's "Why Can't He Be You?" and the recently deceased Gordon Parks' "Don't Misunderstand" show her ability to smoothly travel from quiet simplicity to forceful belts and back again, giving them an interesting variety of dynamics.

"A Mary Bond evening would not be complete without a little bit of dirt," she says with a sly twinkle before sinking her clever phrasing into the Andy Razaf / Eubie Blake double entendre classic, "My Handy Man."

A remarkable talent of Davis' is her ability to give a large Broadway-sized performance without seeming too big for the intimate room at Danny's. She wisely uses all parts of the stage, moving back and away from the microphone for livelier moments, making her softer tones when she moves downstage and leans into the mic seem all the warmer.

Speaking of remarkable talents, her music director and accompanist is the splendid and versatile Ross Patterson, whose support and solo work is exceptional.

Mary Bond Davis plays 11PM performances at Danny's Skylight Room, March 18 & 25. Visit www.dannysgrandseapalace.com for information.