BWW Reviews: Tony Winner Betty Buckley Brings Her Class Act to Segerstrom's Samueli Theatre

It is easy to understand why Betty Buckley has been called the "Voice of Broadway". To begin, she has an astounding instrument with an incredible range. She can belt out the lyrics from "Come Back to Me" from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and then in the next breath bring her voice down to almost a whisper, like a prayer, in essaying "Maria" from West Side Story. Secondly, she is a dynamic actress who feels the story the song is telling. Most of all, through living this material, there's great soul, a deep sense of humanity lurking beneath. I have always said it takes a great actress to be a great singer. Betty Buckley is most definitely among the small group of Broadway divas who consistently hit the mark. Her unique contribution is an unparalleled grace and class which emanate from every phrase she utters.

I have seen Buckley several times before in concert. She usually sings "Memory" from Cats and other songs that the audience attributes to her, like "With One Look" from Sunset Boulevard or "He Plays the Violin" from 1776, her very first New York musical. In this concert she veers 360 degrees, singing songs that she has always wanted to sing from her new CD Ah, Men! The Boys of Broadway, songs usually associated with and sung by male singers. What makes the evening doubly engaging is Buckley's patter in between songs, the little stories of why a song was chosen for the album or how she first happened to hear it. In many cases it's from a show she was in, but as the female lead was not allowed to sing, as in Pippin, she stood in the wings listening to Michael Rupert sing "Corner of the Sky" and longed to perform it or in William Finn's Elegies at Lincoln Center in which she adored again Michael Rupert's interpretation of "Venice", a simply gorgeous ballad about three gay men and their quest for true happiness, as conveyed through beauty and art. No one could express these individual feelings better than Buckley whose lovely imagery leaves you breathless.

Other highlights of the 80-minute set includes: "I Can See It" from The Fantastiks, "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" from Guys and Dolls, "Hey There" from The Pajama Game and a beautiful three-song medley from Sweeney Todd: "Not While I'm Around", "Johanna", and "My Friends" representing Tobias, Anthony and Sweeney himself. Speaking of how Fred Astaire movies have always cheered her up, she performs "I Won't Dance". There is also a fun tribute to West Side Story with the aforementioned "Maria" and a truly fun rendition of "The Jet Song", and my favorite segment "A Hymn to Her" adapted from My Fair Lady. in which Buckley toots her own horn a la Professor Henry Higgins in performing male roles like Tevye from Fiddler, Nathan Detroit, Fagin, Harold Hill, Billy Bigelow from Carousel with a snippet of "Soliloquy", Max Bialystock from The Producers and L'il Abner, among others. Quite a variety of roles to the tune of "Why Can't a Woman Be More Like a Man?" Great stuff!!!

Virtuoso pianist John McDaniel accompanies Miss Buckley throughout, plays a delightful overture as well as other small solo sections in many of Buckley's numbers. He's terrific! There are two more chances to catch Betty Buckley in concert: tonight Friday May 17 and tomorrow night Saturday May 18 at the Samueli Theatre of Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. It's worth the drive to see one of Broadway's greatest singing actresses Betty Buckley who will take you on an unforgettable journey through musical material you never dreamed a woman could sing with such power, conviction and delicate artistry. Brava...and Bravo!!

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