BWW Reviews: Audra McDonald Mesmerizes at Strathmore

Let's get right to it. I could probably write a one sentence review of Audra McDonald's concert at Bethesda's magnificent Music Center at Strathmore that would sum up my reaction quite well. It would read something like this: Audra is perfection and can do anything. However, you probably want a little more than that, right? How about this? Audra gave an entrancing performance that showcased her tremendous versatility, seemingly unparalleled vocal talent, and natural ability to engage with and embrace the audience. She made every song an incredible highlight.

So, let's break it down a bit more.

Backed by her longtime music director Andy Einhorn on piano, Mark Vanderpoel on bass, and Gene Lewin on drums - talented musicians in their own right - the six-time Tony Award-winner took us on a largely musical theatre journey from the 1920s to today. Her incredibly wide-ranging setlist featured songs written by the musical theatre greats like Stephen Sondheim, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cole Porter, the Gershwin brothers, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Harold Arlen, Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green and more, along with newer writers like Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, Adam Gwon, and Jason Robert Brown, with a few others included for good measure.

Whether singing recent selections such as Adam Gwon's moving "I'll Be Here" from Ordinary Days and Jason Robert Brown's wistful "Stars and Moon" from Songs for a New World, or comparatively older selections like Kander and Ebb's "Sing Happy" (Flora the Red Menace) or Styne/Comden and Green's "Make Someone Happy," - a song that took on new meaning for her since 9/11 - Ms. McDonald did what few musical theatre performers are able to do equally well in a concert setting. Each featured impeccable vocals and equally as impressive lyric interpretation.

While every song was a highlight, a few stood out as among the most memorable.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's vocally challenging "Climb Every Mountain" is one of those songs that some might categorize as being overdone. Although I - like the performer self-confessed - tend to prefer more obscure and less standard selections in these kinds of concerts, I do have to say that hearing Ms. McDonald sing this one live was nothing less than positively thrilling. Her take on this familiar tune was a highlight in NBC's recent live telecast of The Sound of Music and the same can be said here. Certainly, this number showcased her vocal range, but that never pulled focus off of the encouraging lyrics.

Ms. McDonald also made good use of Strathmore's wonderful acoustics, natural vocal talent, and Julliard training and gave us a wonderful unplugged version of the George and Ira Gershwin's Summertime (from Porgy and Bess). Much like when she performed the song on Broadway, you could hear a pin drop during this number and for good reason. However, I liked the rendition even better here because you could hear her natural voice in all of its glory.

Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn's "My Buddy" also proved memorable. Audra shared that she had sung this popular song as a child, but only recently had she begun to appreciate its meaning. Dedicating her performance to a World War II vet that she heard sing the song outside of a Cambridge area Chipotle ("her office," she exclaimed), her touching vocals made the already beautiful melody soar even more. The down-to-earth performer hit a similar home run emotionally with Kander and Ebb's "Go Back Home" (from The Scottsboro Boys), which she dedicated to the youth of Covenant House. To my mind, this is one of the most haunting songs Kander and Ebb ever wrote and she interpreted it beautifully.

The other two highlights came in the form of Sondheim's "Moments in the Woods" (from Into the Woods) and Heisler and Goldrich's "Baltimore," but for two different reasons.

Stephen Sondheim personally recommended that Audra sing "Moments in the Woods" (and "when Steve says to do something, you do it," she said). I appreciated that she performed one of the lesser done numbers from Into the Woods and her crystal clear diction and masterclass-worthy song interpretation skills illustrated that when performed right, this is most definitely not a throwaway song.

"Baltimore," on the other hand, is a number that others do perform in a cabaret/concert setting (Emily Skinner comes to mind), but I thought it was a particularly interesting addition to her set for three reasons, beyond the fact that the jokes about a nearby city were likely to resonate with the Bethesda audience. First, it gave her a chance to take on some comedic lyrics - something that those less familiar with her might not realize she can do well. Second, her experience in parenting teenagers was put to good use with this song because it's about a young woman wishing she had listened to her parents about what to look for/not look for in a guy. It definitely gives it new meaning. Third, I always appreciate when anyone sings a 'Marcy and Zina' song in a concert that's likely to be attended by people who may not be enormous theatre geeks because it exposes a larger audience to their tremendous work.

Following her regular set and an encore performance of "Over the Rainbow" (which she sung in honor of the fight for marriage equality - a cause she supports), she was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. The latter display, I think is overdone today, but in this case it was very much warranted. In fact, she probably performed the best concert I've seen. Strathmore is a very large venue and I'm quite confident her vocals and her natural warmth reached the very last row and every last person in the audience.

Audra McDonald performed a one-night-only concert at the Music Center at Strathmore - 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda, Maryland - on March 27, 2015. For a list of her upcoming concerts, consult her official website.

Photo: By Michael Wilson.

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