Review: RICKY RITZEL'S BROADWAY Honors off-Broadway at Don't Tell Mama

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of Ricky Ritzel and the Ricky Ritzel's Broadway series, you are missing out on one of the last vestiges of what the golden age of cabaret was like. It is a joyful, casual, unashamed celebration of the American Songbook. It is nostalgia in the best sense, a burnished look at the musical theatre before corporations got hold of it. And it runs the gamut from torch songs, charm songs, great pathos, and high camp. For any bona fide theatre nerd, it should be required viewing.

The concept of Ricky Ritzel's Broadway is simple. Each edition looks at a few shows from days gone by. There are two or three songs from each show and in between Ritzel talks about the show's history and provides trivia. It sounds pedantic, but it's anything but. Ricky Ritzel is a charming host with a droll sense of humor. His history is less like a lecture and more like a coffee clatch, full of dishy anecdotes and little-known facts. It's all a little unpolished, but that is the delight of the series. It feels like a great party where your friends just get up and do a number. I'm always thrilled to be invited.

The latest edition of Ricky Ritzel's Broadway at Don't Tell Mama was an unusual one. The focus was not Broadway at all. Instead, it celebrated some of the longest-running shows Off-Broadway. We had capsule peeks at The Fantasticks, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road, Nunsense, and Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. The program was perhaps one show too long, but there is a treasure trove of Off-Broadway material to choose from. So it was an embarrassment of riches.

The set from The Fantasticks included Mardie Millit's breathless "Much More," after which she was joined by Jon Satrom for "You Are Love." Ms. Millit and the wonderful Meg Flather gave us a charming gender-bent "Never Say No." The highlight of the evening came early when Sidney Myer gave us a beautifully plaintive They Were You." Jon Satrom returned with "I Can See It," before Mr. Myer wrapped up the section with the play's biggest hit "Try to Remember.

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change was represented by Alison Nusbsum's side-splitting "Always a Bridesmaid" wearing a maid-of-honor dress that had to be seen to be believed. Jon Satrom gave a very tender performance of "Shouldn't I Be Less in Love With You?." Mardie Millit and Meg Flather returned for the first of two numbers from I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road. They lived up to the title "Strong Woman Number" complete with choreography. Aaron Morishita was wistful in the show's biggest hit "Old Friend."

Nunsense got the divine treatment with all the performers appearing in half-habits. Sidney Myer introduced the show with "Nonsense is Habit Forming." Alison Nusbaum had her second showstopper of the night with " I Just Want to Be a Star." Aaron Lee Battle was a soulful Sister Hubert in "Holier Than Thou." I have known Mr. Battle as a first-class balladeer, so seeing his comedic side was a lovely surprise.

The last section of the night was devoted to the long-running, long-titled Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Aaron Morishita and Elaine Brier managed some rapid-fire patter in "Madeleine." Aaron Morisita gave us a fine reading of "Jackie." Elaine Brier found exactly the right tone for the protest song, " Sons of..." Evelyn Sullivan sang "Amsterdam" beautifully, although her vaudevillian presentation made me question whether she understood the song. The finale was a lovely version of Brel's most famous song "If We Only Have Love' sung by the entire company. It was a fitting end for a night filled with so much musical theatre love and devotion.

For tickets and info on more great shows at Don't Tell Mama, visit donttellmamanyc.com.

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