BWW Reviews: E. Faye Butler Rocks Center Stage with HERE'S TO THE LADIES

What a surprise it was to see a photo of E. Faye Butler in the March 18, 2011 edition of the national publication "The Week" in which she stars in the musical Working at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place in Chicago.

This has been quite a season for Butler. She'll be returning to the Arena Stage in June reprising her role as Aunt Eller in the musical Oklahoma for which she received a Helen Hayes Award nomination.

And audiences are in for a treat if you can catch her original work Here's to the Ladies! playing at Center Stage's intimate Head Theatre through March 27, 2011.

It was Butler who first suggested to Center Stage Artistic Director Irene Lewis to start a cabaret series at the theater. This is her second such performance and it is a dandy.

The stage is bordered with six photographs. On the left are photos of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee. On the right are Mahalia Jackson, Judy Garland, and Dinah Washington. Whenever Butler sings one of their songs, a spotlight highlights each artist's photograph, a nice touch.

There's a vase of white roses on the piano as a wonderful trio opens the show with a jazz rendition of "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" (obviously a plug for Oklahoma). The outstanding musicians backing up Butler were Jeremy Kahn on the piano (Butler's musical director), Dominic Smith on drums, and Ephraim Woolfolk on bass.

Arriving on stage in a floor length black dress with sporadic sequins, Butler began with a jazzed version of Stephen Sondheim's "Old Friends" from Merrily We Roll Along. She then got the audience clapping along to Louis Jordan's "Let the Good Times Roll".

Butler gave a sincere thanks to Irene Lewis. She commented, "I owe everything to her. She was a champion for me." She then sang an up tempo version of Billie Holiday's "All of Me" dedicated to Lewis. Next came a sensual version of "At Last" sung by Etta James. This was followed by Nancy Wilson's classic "Guess Who I Saw Today".

Chick singers. Butler told how each singer begins as a "chick singer" where they female vocalist performs for the first time with musicians, many times not knowing the songs or arrangements. Gershwin's last song he ever wrote was "Our Love is Here to Stay" and Butler did it beautifully. Then with a Latin Beat was Cole Porter's "Night and Day".

One of Butler's wishes when she first saw Judy Garland in the film "A Star is Born" was to one day sing "The Man That Got Away". Her wish was then fulfilled. A tune by Ella Fitzgerald was next, the Ellington masterpiece "It Don't Mean a Thing" featuring some great scat singing. The first act ended with the hilarious "Mr. Paganini".

After intermission, it was no surprise to hear "Here's to the Ladies Who Lunch" from Sondheim's Company. I wish this song could have lasted for ever. Each note, each word was so carefully annunciated and sung. For those unfamiliar with Butler, you could see that she was a consummate actress. She finished the song with toasting with a champagne glass with a cherry in it.

The spotlight next shined on Peggy Lee and we heard a terrific rendition of "Fever" with some great drumming by Smith using only mallets. Butler's first performance at Center Stage was playing blues singer Dinah Washington in Dinah Was. What a great song followed, "What a Difference a Day Makes." Another song from the show was next, the sensual "I Want to Be Loved".

Some history was included in the evening. Butler's mother, who passed away three years ago, worked for the National Baptist Convention booking acts. Music was always in her home. Notables such as James Cleveland and Aretha Franklin came to their house. In tribute to her, Butler dropped the microphone and did a medley a capella of "Summertime" and "Motherless Child". A huge ovation followed.

I was happy to hear a song from Working, "I'll Sleep to Noon." She paid tribute to her 101 year old grandmother (still alive) who though a domestic making $2 a day, put four children through college.

The lovely "I've Got the World on a String" by Lena Horne followed. Drummer Smith was superb with the brushes.

Butler main wish is play the lead in Gypsy. After hearing her "Rose's Turn" I hope she gets her wish. Bassist Woolfork pulled out his bow and made the song even better.

Carol King's masterpiece "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman" (sung by the great Aretha Franklin) was a great way to finish the evening. Butler rocked the theater.

The requisite encore was "Long John" a hilarious and sexy tribute to a dentist who's 7 feet tall.

Here's to the Ladies plays Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 27 at 2 p.m. You could even make it a double-header seeing the wonderful Snow Falling on Cedars on Saturday afternoon and Butler at night. Many of the cast members were in the audience Thursday night, a day off for them.

For tickets, call 410-332-0033 or visit www.centerstage.org.

ON DECK AT CENTER STAGE

Crime and Punishment April 13-May 15.

Coming next is Ken Roberson in Middle Aged Passage Crisis, playing May 19-22.

Playing May 10-15 in a Special Engagement is Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews?

Play Lab: A new play by newly named Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah May 26-29.

For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

 

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos

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