Review: Caitlin Kinnunen and Isabelle McCalla Share Pride and Authenticity With BABE! at The Green Room 42 By Photojournalist Thomas Salus

The Green Room 42

June 17, 2022

Babes! Starring Caitlin Kinnunen and Isabelle McCalla

by Thomas Salus

Talent, Friendship, and PRIDE are the three words that can be used to best describe Friday night's performance of BABE! featuring two seasoned broadway actors, Caitlin Kinnunen and Isabelle McCalla.

What strikes me about Broadway cabaret is that many shows can fall into one of two very broad categories. One category is that the headliners are highly experienced performers with years of shows behind them; their fans know their work and are enthralled with watching them belt out some of the greatest show tunes. The other category is a showcase of younger, upcoming talent looking to find their way to a big stage, or maybe they are celebrating coming off their first Broadway show. Regardless, either of these categories certainly entertains.

What Kinnunen and McCalla brought to the stage Friday night was something fresh and in between those two categories mentioned above. Both actresses have a long list of successful shows behind them, including the basis of BABE!, a show where they reminisce about their time together as the characters Emma and Allysa Greene, the original lesbian women at the center of The Prom. Early on in Friday's show, both women had a chance to perform solo songs from The Prom singing "Just Breathe" and "Allyssa Green". As the stars of their show, neither actress got lost in an ensemble of multiple singers during the evening, instead standing out as incredible entertainers. Their talent really had the chance to shine.

Friendship was also part of the PROM experience that was expressed by these two young women. Throughout the program, one could sense the bond between the two friends and colleagues. Each actress stepped aside to let the other be in the spotlight, like when McCalla sang "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" while strolling off the stage and into the crowd to find a few dancing partners. The opportunity to put one another into the light was as important to the friends as were the moments they shared, singing a duet. It might be hard to find the right words to share how the audience saw or felt this friendship between them, but it was apparent if only through the simple, perpetual smiles each of them had on their faces for the entire performance.

It probably wasn't much of a coincidence that PRIDE was the final way to describe last night since the arching theme of the show was one in support of the LGBTQ community during PRIDE month. One of the most moving moments of the program was when both Kinnunen and McCalla shared their sexuality with the crowd and came out in public. This moment was shared in song with "Changing My Major to Joan" and "Good Kisser," and in spoken word, when the ladies talked about their lesbian kiss that aired during the now-famous appearance that The Prom made on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That kiss, they informed, brought such strong polarizing reactions on social media, from high praise and bravery in helping others in the LGBTQ community, to intense and scary criticism. Sondheim's "No One Is Alone" captured, perfectly, the theme of equality and support they were expressing all night long.

The show was rounded out with a collection of other songs including "Speechless", "Dance With You", and a very funny "Mooo!" (cow costume included). When asked, post-performance, Kinnunen shared that what the show meant to her was the ability to express her deep friendship and creative efforts with McCalla, both of which were patently apparent from the enthusiasm, the smiles, and the breathlessness from giving their all in their opening night of BABE!

There are two more opportunities to see this show this weekend at The Greenroom 42 and this writer would highly recommend it.

BABE! plays The Green Room 42 again on June 19th and 20th at 7 pm. Ticket reservations can be made HERE. Visit the Caitlin Kinnunen website HERE and THIS is the Isabelle McCalla Instagram page.

Thomas Salus is a New Jersey/New York-based photographer specializing in theater and sports photography. For close to ten years, Tom has been providing his photo talents to community and larger regional theaters, supporting their productions, and highlighting the performers through his images. In addition to theater, he works with area professional, college, and high schools sport teams to capture the action on their stages. Tom has worked with New York-based Cabaret artists, freelanced for local newspapers, and worked with organizations like Little League International. Tom's photography started when he and his wife Kelly were raising their four children and capturing moments of their theater and sports accomplishments. Tom is excited to be working with Broadway World as a contributing photographer and getting the opportunity to photograph some of the most amazing talent in that artistic community. Thomas Salus can be found on Instagram HERE and at his website HERE.

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