Review: Brian Stokes Mitchell Shines In SONGS AND STORIES as 54 Below's Diamond Series Continues

Sometimes it is easy to forget that Brian Stokes Mitchell is one of the all-time great leading men of Broadway. That is because he is always here. It is also easy to forget that the Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, or that Judi Dench is the greatest living actress, or that an afternoon nap is always better if the curtains are open and the sun is shining on you. Because they are always there. So we might, at times, take them for granted... until we stand before the Canyon, watch Chocolat, fall asleep on a Saturday afternoon, or spend two hours at 54 Below, listening to Brian Stokes Mitchell sing. And then you kind of thump yourself on the forehead and tell yourself that you are in the presence of greatness.

To be in the presence of Brian Stokes Mitchell is a privilege, and one not to be taken for granted... or ever, ever, to be forgotten.

Last night, Brian Stokes Mitchell played his opening performance of the Tony Award-bestowed 54 Below's Diamond Series. This exciting and elegant programming of special events created by the fine folks at Feinstein's has been a boon to the club-going experience of late, providing patrons of Broadway's Living Room with incredibly special evenings they will never forget. With a four-course meal of exceptional quality, a glass of bubbly upon arrival, and an extended, intimate concert with the headliner, a night at The Diamond Series is like taking a step into the past, to enjoy the kind of New York night one might witness in a sophisticated Astaire and Rogers movie. From start to finish, the entire evening is a glittery, gorgeous experience, rich with all the glamour and music from one of those Silver Screen films. And the music, here, has never been better.

Brian Stokes Mitchell's show is titled SONGS AND STORIES, which is certainly appropriate for the evening because, whether using musical compositions or his own natural rhetoric, Mr. Mitchell is a storyteller of the highest order who uses all of his innate qualities and all of his acting training to connect with his audience, in service of the stories. To listen to Mr. Mitchell sing on CD is a very satisfying experience, but to sit in a room with him and watch the overwhelming display of emotions that wash over his face and that effectively alter his physicality is a special treat. This is storytelling created at the core, informed by heart, and delivered with passion. And humor. Oh, there is so, so much humor from Brian Stokes Mitchell that the joy that he derives from his work as an artist becomes like a love potion, endearing to him an audience of already besotted people. Whether jazz-jamming with his remarkable band of exquisite musicians, telling hilarious stories about his father and about his experience serenading Manhattan during the pandemic or rolling with the flow of unexpected conversations with audience members, Mitchell is warm and funny and playful and ever-so-grateful to be sharing these stories and songs with family, with friends, and with fans who have become friends. The man is a mensch - totally accessible, absolutely lovable, and thoroughly committed to his craft.

And what craft this is.

Songs And Stories, Brian explains early in the evening, was proposed (by himself, to himself) as an evening of Jazz and Standards. But, then, himself considered that the fans would want to hear The Broadway, so he and Musical Director Tedd Firth (a most amazing man and artist in his own right) devised a clever and fun way to give the people what they want (to describe it would be a disservice to future audiences that deserve to experience the fun in real-time), and they certainly did deliver. There were spine-chilling numbers from the scores of Kiss Me, Kate, Man of LaMancha, and (of course) Ragtime, deftly worked in and around jazz-arranged Cole Porter, some innovatively treated Antonio Carlos Jobim, a stunning Forties medley, and a sensational mashup of tunes involving the New York City subway system. Stokes and Firth have outdone themselves, playing an unquestionably generous one hour and fifty minutes of unparalleled musical entertainment, the highlights of which (for this writer) included (my personal favorite song) "Lush Life" and back-to-back showstoppers "Satin Doll" and "Pick Yourself Up," the latter designed to highlight each band member in stunning solos. Mr. Mitchell is, indeed, lucky to share the stage with Bassist Jordyn Davis, Drummer Mark McLean, Saxophonist/Flautist Bob Magnuson, and Musical Director Tedd Firth, each of whom Brian respects so much that it is plainly visible from his appreciative gaze during their solos, as well as the great care he takes in pronouncing and articulating each of their names so that the audience can both hear and note them. Not every nightclub performer (in fact, very few) take this kind of care in ensuring that the audience will, fully, acknowledge the musicians on the stage, but Brian Stokes Mitchell does, and it speaks volumes about who he is, as a person and as a colleague.

As an artist, there is simply nobody like Brian Stokes Mitchell. The depth of emotion that he can create covers the full spectrum, whether singing a song dedicated to his college-bound song (maybe the best "New Words" this writer has ever witnessed) or just having a playful time with Tedd Firth's artistic arrangements. And when he realizes he might have over-extended himself with too many power ballads, Stokes is candidly funny with his audience, explaining the need for balancing out the easy numbers with the demanding ones and asking them to, "pray for my voice" (which, of course, isn't needed but is, ultimately, a very funny, human and endearing moment.) There isn't a moment of Songs And Stories that doesn't remind a person of the important place that Brian Stokes Mitchell holds in the community of live entertainment and in the history of Broadway. He is a treasure, through and through, and that is probably why he is the first Leading Man to be invited to play The Diamond Series.

And quite rightly so.

Brian Stokes Mitchell will play SONGS AND STORIES for the Feinstein's/54 Below DIAMOND SERIES nightly at 8:30 pm through June 25th (seating for dinner starts at 6 pm, and this writer advises arriving early, for full enjoyment of the Diamond Series experience; on a personal note: order the Mango Coconut Cake.)

For information and reservations to SONGS AND STORIES visit the 54 Below website HERE.

Brian Stokes Mitchell has a website that can be accessed HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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