Review: THE AMERICAN SONGBOOK ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES ERIC MICHAEL GILLETT Beautifully at Chelsea Table + Stage
Carolyn Montgomery and the ASA sure know how to put on a show.
By: Stephen Mosher Oct. 05, 2022
Throughout any given year, any given show business season, there are multitudes of award shows, benefits, and Honors evenings in which the work, the life, and the life's work of artists (or a particular artist) are placed in the spotlight. Far too often these events designed to pay tribute to the artists who will go home with a trophy end up mired in over-produced programs and self-aggrandizing productions, and audience members go home exhausted, unsatisfied, and barely even remembering the purpose for their uncomfortable shoes, tight ties, and late night out.
Nothing could have been further from the experience of attending the American Songbook Association's presentation of the inaugural Darrell Henline Award to Eric Michael Gillett on Sunday night.
Darrell Henline was the founder and publisher of Cabaret Scenes Magazine, the periodical that has been the bible to members of the industry and small venue audiences for decades, until his death in 2008. The American Songbook Association partnered with the publication, making it the official magazine of their organization, and this year executive director Carolyn Montgomery and the ASA Board of Directors decided to create an award in his name, one that honors members of the cabaret community whose names stand for continued excellence and distinction. When they chose Eric Michael Gillett to be the first recipient, they could not have chosen more wisely. And when they put together the evening in which he would be bestowed with his citation, it would appear that the ASA made a list of every single flaw to be found in every award show since the beginning of time and made a determination to throw them all out with the garbage, which is precisely what they did.
On October 2nd, with Carolyn Montgomery serving as announcer for the blissfully host-less event, the ASA presented one hundred minutes of impeccable entertainment in a seamless production that featured a cast of actors hand-picked by Mr. Gillett himself, who opened the show with a mash-up of "Sweet Beginning" and "I'll Jump" that left the audience cheering, and with a full understanding of what it is that has given Gillett the longevity his career has had. In a word, the performance was stunning. Serving as the opening act for his own show was a classy way to kick off the evening, but as soon as he had the crowd's hearts racing with his own stellar storytelling, EMG retired to his table to allow Montgomery of the goddess mic to introduce each of the extraordinary performers who showed up to pay tribute to this man deeply loved and respected by so many. One by one, each act appeared on the stage to do their part in the celebration before running back to their seat. Enjoyable were occasional anecdotes from the likes of the inimitable KT Sullivan (who announced that she calls Eric her oldest friend in New York "Because he is") and Adriane Lenox (whose daughter, Crystal Joy, Eric has watched grow up) but many of the artists stepped up to the mic, performed, and left the stage, with an affectionate wave or air kiss in the direction of the honoree, artists like Andy Tighe, who drew tears with the closing number from "A Class Act" or opera singer Billy Shaw, who stepped in at the last minute for an ailing Karen Akers. The entire evening moved along at a proper pace, thanks to the diligence of the actors in getting on and off the stage in record time, thanks to stage manager Goldie Dver (who kept those mics and stands squeaky clean between numbers), and thanks to the goddess herself, Carolyn Montgomery, whose work as disembodied hostess voice was beyond reproach. This was truly one of the most professionally executed award shows this writer has ever seen - other members of the industry could learn a lot from Montgomery and co.
Aside from exceptional entertainment, what really guided the proceedings was an obvious ardor from the actors for their honoree, a dedication made clear in quotes recited by Carolyn, like Kelli Barrett's observation that Eric Michael is her director of choice because he cares more about her success than she does, or through video footage, like the one sent in by Gillett's longtime friend Kelli O'Hara, who detailed happenings from their years of friendship. Few moments were as powerful, though, as watching Ben Moss and Gillett duet with the song "For Good" from WICKED - the expression on Moss's face, while singing with his mentor, was one of purest adoration. Every teacher should be, thus, appreciated by their students - it was the most touching part of the evening, and a definite highlight in the musical proceedings.
Other special moments included KT Sullivan's rich, warm voice and interpretive skills (as both singer and pianist) on the Amanda McBroom composition "Dreamin'" and Crystal Joy's Cole Porter medley, which brought the house down and made this lover of fine musical entertainment circle her name in the program three times. This is a singer that is to be investigated, post haste. These are only two performances that resonated, especially, with this writer in an evening of quality talent on display, and that includes the work done by Musical Director Tracy Stark, bassist Skip Ward, and drummer David Silliman. Simply put: there was not one wrong move made throughout the night, one that featured the announcement of the winners of the 2022 ASA/Pomranz Performance Grant Recipients: Kathleen France, Alexis Fae Gach and Tim Keller. The American Songbook Association and Carolyn Montgomery are to be commended for their work, for a wonderful night of entertainment, and for their choice of Eric Michael Gillett as the first recipient of the Darrell Henline Award. He may have taken home the trophy, but the winners on Sunday night were the people in the audience because it was truly a night never to be forgotten - by everyone, not just Eric Michael Gillett.
Visit the American Songbook Association website HERE to learn more about the important work that they do.
HERE is the Eric Michael Gillett website.
Find great shows to see at Chelsea Table + Stage by visiting their website HERE.
Billy Shaw
Kelli Barrett & Jarrod Spector
Ben Moss and Eric Michael Gillett
Melanie Vaughan and Eric Michael Gillett
Craig Pomranz
Keith Meritz
Photos by Stephen Mosher
Visit the Stephen Mosher website HERE.
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