Review: Liz Callaway & Jason Graae's HAPPILY EVER LAUGHTER Is a Hit at 54 Below

Milk and cookies…. Music and lyrics….Scotch and soda…. Rhythm and blues… Macaroni and cheese… Yin and Yang…. Will and Grace… Comden and Green… Paired up, they suit each other, or as the song “We Go Together” from Grease so eloquently says, “‘We Go Together,’ like Ramma-lamma-lamma-ka-dingity-da-dinga-dong” and “Shoo-wop-sha-whada-whadda-yippidy boom-da-boom.” Going together even better is a perfect pair of pow this week at 54 Below. In their official New York City debut as a duo – a dazzling, delicious, dynamic, dynamite,  duo — decades-long friends Liz Callaway and Jason Graae sparkle with real chemistry and connection. The opening on July 3rd, the night before the Fourth of July, had plenty of fireworks of its own and their bang-up job continues on July 5 and 6.  Both are in great voice and are energetic, seemingly untouched by time.  

Each has a history of doing solid solo cabaret shows and prior primo partnering, all of which I’ve especially enjoyed over the years. She continues to sporadically and spectacularly share the nightclub stage with her sister Ann Hampton Callaway (with a couple of cool CDs resulting). And, while it’s not true that he has a brother, joining him for annual parade shows in New Orleans each March on Fat Tuesday, named Marty Graae –ha ha – he did joyfully join forces with Faith Prince for a charming double act (also at 54 Below). 

The current Callaway/Graae lollapalooza is titled Happily Ever Laughter, and while the garrulous guy has always been full of laugh-out-loud mischievous humor and quips, the act seems to be giving the female vocalist welcome free reign to show off more of her funny side. As a performer in cabaret and concerts, her bread and butter is generally beautiful ballads and belting, although some sly, well-timed humor has been sprinkled in her acts before. Together they provide a barrel of fun, singing duets and chatting about their past interactions (a brief overlap attending the same college, both being cast early on in a production of Godspell, he as her “date” for the Tony Awards when she was a nominee, etc.). And there are heartfelt moments, too, and oh-so musical they are!  He also plays the oboe and her voice is as clear as a bell.

It’s great to watch them having their way with material, like Annie Get Your Gun’s competition song “Anything You Can Do,” loaded with surprises, in cute revisions to the lyric and banter. Elsewhere, making the combo extra special was the idea to have each of them reprise an early-career stage number and have the other join in. (I won’t spoil those surprises here).

Solo turns were plentiful, too, including other audience-pleasing looks back. In the “If at first you don’t succeed: try, try again” category, Liz Callaway talked about auditions to voice famous Disney animated movie characters, being one of the final women being considered and then losing each of three gigs to others (including someone she was then co-starring with on Broadway!). And then her luck changed, she explained, when she got to be the singing voice for the title character in Anastasia; her renditions of its two big songs by Ahrens & Flaherty sounded as grandly glorious as ever. Another treat by that writing team came with a super-nice treatment of “Nice” from Lucky Stiff.  And speaking of “lucky,” a goofy Graae segment was the saga about securing and later losing the long-term job of being the voice for the leprechaun in commercials for the cereal Lucky Charms was, well, charming.  And cheeky.  And chuckle-worthy.  He was a smash as he smashed and kicked a box of the sugary breakfast item, hilariously channeling his past anger, as did a hammy dive into the depths of “How Lucky Can You Get?” from the film Funny Lady.   

Turning wistful and serious, Jason Graae talked about meeting and marrying his love, the perfect cue for a song from a musical he was in on Broadway:  “What More Can I Say” from Falsettos. (Since that show has a character who shares his first name, it might have been fun to have his co-star follow up by addressing him with a bit of the score’s number that includes the repeated line “Jason, please see a psychiatrist…” However, if I had one wish for a reprise of something from his theatrical past, I’d vote for a sample of the production where he portrayed a certain beloved, iconic, endearing title character of the clever canine variety (the musical Snoopy!). 

Other selections included some Sondheim gems such as (appropriately) “It Takes Two” and “Old Friends,” with both vocalists’ old friend and frequent collaborator at the piano for these and everything: the talented music director/arranger Alex Rybeck. He’s very much the third musketeer in their merriment and magic, providing supportive and sprightly accompaniment and building big numbers wonderfully, with notable little touches between things along the way. (He chimes in a little, too, including, in one showstopper, the funniest original rhyming line of all.) Since they’ve had a history with him, too, it would be great to include some wry Rybeck comments or an anecdote about past gigs done together. 

I can, without reservations, recommend making reservations for this run’s remaining performances of July 5 and 6. I think you’ll be happily finding laughter and love songs, and loving Happily Ever Laughter. (Saturday’s show will be live-streamed, so even if you can't make it in-person, you can still check out the fun.)

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See more upcoming shows at 54 Below on their website at www.54below.org.

Learn more about Liz Callaway on her website at lizcallaway.com

Learn more about Jason Graae at jasongraae.com

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