BWW Reviews: Ben Nordstrom and Katy Tibbets Shine in 'Broadway Romance'

With late morning sunshine streaming through the gorgeously colorful plate glass windows of the Sheldon Concert hall, accomplished singers/actors Ben Nordstrom and Katy Tibbets, along with pianist extraordinaire Neal Richardson, took to the stage to present a wonderful hour of "Broadway Romance" for an attentive and appreciative audience. From start to finish they charmed a packed house, providing splendid and tuneful selections from the vast Broadway canon.

Nordstrom and Tibbets kicked off the festivities with a playful rendition of "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" (Annie Get Your Gun) , that set the tone for this fun set. This was followed by a nice run through Stephen Sondheim's "It Takes Two" (Into the Woods), and I was reminded of one of my early reviews as a critic, which found me at the Lyceum Theatre in Arrow Rock, MO reviewing Ben's fine performance in that same musical.

Jason Robert Brown's lovely duet "I'd Give it All for You" was next, and provided the opportunity for some nice vocal interplay before Ben took a solo turn on the rhythmic classic "Something's Coming" (West Side Story). Another duet found the pair cast as twenty-something expectant parents as they dashed through a cute number from Baby.

Tibbets took the spotlight for a humorous take on "Taylor, the Latte Boy" that thoroughly delighted the crowd. Another highlight for the pair came with "Follow Your Heart" (Urinetown), before Nordstrom delivered a solid interpretation of Stephen Schwartz's "Corner of the Sky" (Pippin). Tibbets returned with a sassy version of "Spring Cleaning" (Fugitive Songs) before they hooked back up for "The Next Ten Minutes" (The Last Five Years), and a rousing closer of "Suddenly Seymour" (Little Shop of Horrors).

Individually, Nordstrom and Tibbets both have the talent and charm to captivate a crowd, but when their voices blend they take it to the next level. Ben's warm vocals and Katy's natural brightness work amazingly well in various harmony-infused combinations to produce an absolutely sweet sound. It's something I raved about when they both starred in Fugitive Songs (Echo Theatre Company) in 2009, and it was clearly on display on Saturday morning.

Pianist Neal Richardson also deserves kudos for his work arranging and accompanying the pair on this occasion.

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