Review: SONDHEIM TRIBUTE REVUE at Theo Ubique

One of the most popular and inevitable icebreakers in theatrical circles is to ask someone for their favorite Sondheim musical. Their answer can reveal much about their histories, tastes, and underlying neuroses. Those who say INTO THE WOODS were likely in a high school production that eliminated the musical's ethically ambivalent second act. People who choose COMPANY either have yet to turn 35 or are far enough away from that age to look back on it almost fondly. My favorite is ASSASSINS, an answer that gets nods of appreciation in some circles and looks of horror in others. No matter your preference, your favorites will be represented in Theo Ubique's latest cabaret revue, which is as much an informative crash course in Sondheim's oeuvre as it is a heartfelt memorial to his rich life and lasting legacy. The production runs through April 28 at Theo's performance space in Evanston.

The revue marks a welcome return to Theo's roots as a cabaret theater, and director Fred Anzevino has assembled an impressive cast of young performers who imbue Sondheim's songs with palpable emotion and, when required, welcome good humor. Maxwell J Detogne provides plenty of examples of the latter ability, particularly in tongue-in-cheek "love" songs such as "Agony" and "In Praise of Women." Detogne is frequently joined by Joe Giovannetti. Their duet "Best Thing That Ever Happened" is one of the revue's sweetest emotional highlights, though Giovannetti capably commands the stage on his own as well. He's given the opportunity to show off his tap skills in "Class" (a clever number from the otherwise oft-forgotten SATURDAY NIGHT), and his monologue about how "No One Is Alone" changed his outlook on teaching and living will bring tears to the eyes of anyone who has ever doubted their place in the world.

Another memorable moment comes when Detogne, Giovannetti, and Ismael Garcia join together in three-part harmony for the revue's penultimate number, "Being Alive." Presumably, the arrangement has been crafted by music director Carolyn Brady, who has a talent for tweaking Sondheim's tunes to show off her performers' abilities without upsetting any of his purists. For example, Garcia sings their lyrics in Spanish, a choice that celebrates their identity while emphasizing the universality of Sondheim's themes. Garcia is also one of the revue's most thoughtful interpreters of Sondheim's more emotionally complex numbers. They tackle both "Sunday In The Park With George" and "Finishing The Hat" with subtle humor as well as a barely concealed undercurrent of frustration that threatens to break through. This tension between the exterior and interior serves as the hallmark of the composer's brilliance, and Garcia never lets audiences forget this fact.

Rounding out the cast are Elya Faye Bottiger and Maliha Sayed, actresses who manage to channel some of the spirit of Sondheim's signature divas while undeniably making his numbers their own. Sayed has an impressive emotional range. Early in the revue, her light soprano vocals perfectly capture the youthful yearning of "The Glamorous Life" which are later nicely contrasted by her defiant belts in "There Won't Be Trumpets." With her bright red hair, Bottiger calls to mind a young Bernadette Peters. Her brightness and comic expression in "Me And My Town" illustrate an appreciation for the presentational weirdness of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, but she also has the quiet sweetness necessary for the show's title number.

Of course, everyone will have their quibbles with the revue's curation of songs (do we really need a drinking song from THE FROGS at the expense of something equally rousing but significantly more memorable?) as well as the show's overall structure. For example, "The Story of Jessie and Lucy" from FOLLIES lacks much of its sardonic wit when removed from the context of the show, and the number's choreography (by J Alan and Jenna Schoppe) is visually interesting but leaves its singer a bit too breathless to deliver its punchy patter. And while Garcia's rendition of "Sunday In The Park" is admirable, it feels like an anticlimactic ending to the revue's overwise well-crafted first half. Other audience members may disagree with me; there's certainly no pleasing everyone when it comes to a titan like Sondheim.

But there's no question that Anzevino, Brady, and their charismatic performers have crafted a passionate tribute to a man whose career could never be adequately represented over a mere two hours. Despite this impossible task, Theo proves once again that they can successfully harness great emotions in the most intimate of spaces, a talent they share with the late Stephen Sondheim.

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