Micaela Leon: Tigers, Muses & Jasmine

When Micaela Leon glides through the audience up to the stage, Don't Tell Mama transforms from an intimate midtown cabaret room into a glamourous nightclub in Weimar-era Berlin. In her fascinating new show, Leon conjures, recreates, and pays homage to eight legendary women from that fascinating and legendary brief German renaissance in between the wars.

Tigers, Muses & Jasmine is no mere tribute to previous singers. That might have been interesting enough, but Leon doesn't seem content to perform standards from one particular artist. Instead, she immerses her audience in Weimar history and culture, both artistic and political. She narrates stories of the actresses, singers, writers and revolutionaries who became the icons of their various fields, and balances narration with songs that the women made famous, or that represent their ideals.

By performing the songs in both German and English (often alternating verses), she lets the audience experience not only what the songs sounded like, but also what they may well have felt like. Raw emotion transcends language, and the songs, whether joyously sensual or bitterly angry, are immediately understandable.

Friedrich Hollander's "Sexappeal" pays homage to Marlene Dietrich, Mischa Spoliansky's "I Am a Vamp" represents legendary sex symbol Anita Berber, and the flirty "The Smart Set" represents flirty Ruth Landshoff. On the political side, Leon sings a smartly caustic "Supply and Demand" (by Hanns Eisler & Bertolt Brecht) to honor Communist martyr Rosa Luxemburg.

Representing journalist Gabriele Tergit, Leon performs Hollander's bitter "Munchausen," a devastatingly ironic commentary on lies and willful ignorance. The song grows from angry to heartbroken as Leon gradually lets the piano take over increasing measures of each chorus, until she merely stands still in silent grief, letting the music express the abundant rage. It's a magical moment both musically and dramatically, and proves that Leon's skills as an actress are a match to her skills as a singer. Lina Koutrakos' deft direction nicely captures each emotional moment throughout the evening, and Paul Trueblood's musical direction amplifies the moods.

Tigers, Muses & Jasmine is a fascinating journey through a fascinating, fleeting moment in history that set the stage for the second half of the 20^th Century. Best of all, the show can appeal to anyone with an interest in history, 20's music, or just a good old-fashioned nightclub act. Long may it run, and more frequently than once a month.

Tigers, Muses & Jasmine - The Wild Heroines of Weimar Berlin runs every third Friday of the month at Don't Tell Mama. The next show will be on Friday, February 16 2007 at 7PM.

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