BWW Reviews: BARBARA MINKUS Performs Benefit Concert of Love Songs for St. Mark's

On Friday, April 17 Barbara Minkus brought her new one-woman show An Evening with Barbara Minkus "It's All About Love" (the good, the bad, the funny, the sad) to Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Glendale as a fundraiser for the Sacred Arts Ministry. Affable Ron Barnett served as musical director and accompanied at the piano and Cooper Appelt was on bass for the bright 65-minute set.

Anyone who has ever heard Minkus sing knows what a great set of chops she possesses and even though she appeared as Lucy in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown on Broadway over 50 years ago, she can still belt out a torch song to the rafters and reduce her audience to tears. "It's All About Love" is autobiographical, exploring the early years in New York and in LA on Love American Style and her eventual marriage. Her Grama Flo, a rehearsal pianist to Flo Ziegfeld, taught her Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is the Ocean" and when she did Charlie Brown composer Clark Gesner wrote "Shroader" as a love song for Lucy at her suggestion. In a very humorous song "The Physician", she compared the doctor's instant attraction to her with that of her Opthomologist blind date who soon became her husband.

Minkus uses terrific body language throughout. The petite lady has a great set of legs that she knows how to use seductively and her face is ultimately expressive. All she has to do is lift her eyebrows and you know what she is thinking. There was an adorable Angelina Jolie impression where she put her leg out from the slit in her dress... and posed. It seemed to come out of nowhere but suited Minkus' comical mood and proved how delightfully spontaneous she can be.

As the title of the show suggests love is not always happy, so serious numbers included: brief snippets of "The Man That Got Away", "Stormy Weather", "Why Was I Born" and a fabulous rendition of Fanny Brice's "My Man". She performed a lovely duet with Barnett on "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Just One of Those Things" and "You're Just in Love". On the sizzling side, there was a great medley of "Say It Isn't So", "Once Upon a Time" and a dynamite "Maybe This Time" as well as the torchy stunner "When The Sun Comes Out". On the lighter side there was a delightful "Crossword Puzzle" about a woman in love trying uselessly to keep her mind focused and then a deliciously funny story about performing with Don Ho where she literally fell into the orchestra pit and was lifted up by one of the musicians to complete the song on cue. Minkus performed "Always" as encore encouraging audience to chime in.

This was a wonderful evening of song which I did not want to end. Minkus could add a couple of other songs, perhaps a love song or two from other Broadway shows. I would love to hear her do "If He Walked Into My Life" from Mame,and Kander & Ebb's "A Quiet Thing" from Flora the Red Menace. There are a myriad of songs that suit her incomparable range. A great actress, she can be funny or sad; she can make you laugh or cry. Don't miss Barbara Minkus wherever she performs. What a gem of a songstress!

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