BWW Reviews: Megan Hilty's A KENNEDY CENTER CHRISTMAS Delights

Megan Hilty, star of stage and screen, offered a good dose of holiday cheer and some fine vocals to an appreciative Kennedy Center audience this weekend. Combining musical theatre and pop selections she usually does in cabaret format with a few holiday tunes, the varied set offered a little something for everyone and allowed her to showcase her enviable versatility. While it's nearly impossible to pick highlights - because everything was just that good - a few favorite moments emerged.

Smash may have been a short-lived television show on NBC, but Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's wonderful original music lives on in Megan's cabaret set. "Let Me Be Your Star" and "They Just Keep Moving the Line" allowed her to belt to the high heavens while "Secondhand White Baby Grand" was memorable for the rich emotion and beautiful tender vocals. Ms. Hilty featured a few of these numbers in her previous Kennedy Center cabaret last May, but I certainly didn't mind the repetition. The performances are the kind you can watch over and over and not for a second wish for something new.

Ms. Hilty and husband Brian Gallagher, who accompanied her on guitar, recently had a baby girl and she commented in between songs how this experience has changed the meaning of certain songs she's covered for years. Her renditions of Irving Berlin's "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)" from White Christmas and Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens' lesser-known "A Place Called Home" from A Christmas Carol were simply touching. They fit in nicely with the concert's holiday theme while still offering something a little different than yet another take on an overdone Christmas tune.

Following "A Place Called Home" with Stephen Schwartz's "Popular" (from Wicked) may have seemed a strange choice from a set list construction standpoint - as Ms. Hilty aptly pointed out - but that choice allowed us a striking reminder of her versatility. At one moment, she can melt one's heart with a poignant ballad and then the next minute she can remind us why she's one of the best musical comedy actresses. Her spastic take on the catchy tune never gets old and is, to be sure, endearing. To be sure, she's one of the definitive Glindas to have graced the Broadway stage. Much like with "Popular," Megan's take on Jule Styne's "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) - nicely paired with "Santa Baby" - highlighted, without question, how she command a stage like few other of her contemporaries.

Among the other holiday tunes, two particular selections stood out to me. An interesting arrangement of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" (featuring Mr. Gallagher on guitar/vocals) and "Blue Christmas" was noteworthy for the creativity and Ms. Hilty's jazz-infused vocals. She also looked like she was having a lot of fun performing with her husband. The joy was infectious. Another highlight came in the form of a duet with her exquisitely talented pianist Matt Cusson (other musicians included Jack DeBoe on percussion and Dennis Keefe on bass). While many have covered "Baby, It's Cold Outside" in the past few years (Idina Menzel/Michael Bublé and Sara Bareilles/Ben Folds come to mind), I enjoyed Hilty and Cusson's take on it for two reasons. First, they pointed out the creepy lyrics (it's true; they are creepy). Second, both are stellar musicians and, from a technical delivery standpoint, this was one of the best.

All in all, Ms. Hilty proved once again why she's one of the best in the business today. It's such a pleasure that she has the opportunity to perform in Washington, DC so often. We're really lucky!

Megan Hilty performed at the Kennedy Center - 2700 F Street, NW in Washington, DC - on December 13, 2014. For a listing of upcoming Kennedy Center events, consult its official website.

Photo: Courtesy of Kennedy Center website

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