Review: An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee at the Kennedy Center

David Foster is the musician behind much of the soundtrack of our lives. He is mostly known for his ethereal melodies from the 80s and 90s, and for producing hits for iconic singers like Celine Dion and Whitney Houston (just to name a few). As Foster points out before he and his band burst into that iconic song (you know the one) from the film, St. Elmo’s Fire, he isn’t really known for uptempo songs. Honestly, it’s true – people love Foster for his passionate and more romantic songs. Foster breaks out songs from his rolodex of hits and shares the stage with friends (and family) on the Kennedy Center stop of his tour of An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee.

Although like the show’s title suggests, this show isn’t just about David Foster; it’s also about Katharine McPhee, Broadway singer and actress, who also happens to be his wife. McPhee’s career took off after her stint on American Idol. She has starred as Karen Cartwright in NBC’s Smash and recently was on stage as Jenna in the hit musical, Waitress. 

The music at the center of this intimate evening is a selection of Foster’s hit songs and songs that are popular with McPhee’s fans. Foster opens with some catchy instrumentals, and brings out saxophonist Kenny G., who joins the band for a song via jumbo scene. The band features bass player Keith Nelson, keyboardist Beau Cooper, and drummer John “JR” Robinson with Foster leading on piano. 

McPhee steals the show by channeling her inner Judy Garland for a cover of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and reprising Jenna’s emotional journey in the song, “She Used to Be Mine,” from Waitress. Unexpectedly, it’s McPhee’s cover of Grethen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” where she brings out the energy.  Along with McPhee, Foster showcases the vocal talents of Daniel Emmet, who was a top 10 finalist on America’s Got Talent, on stage for a few songs. Emmet’s voice shines during “You Raise Me Up,” but his best song is definitely the opera classic, “Nessun Dorma.” He hits those notes with a brassy gusto that is out of this world. His duet with McPhee on “The Prayer” is superb as well. Rennie Foster, McPhee and Foster’s three-year-old son, joins his father on stage to play drums for one song. It’s a cute moment to see David and his son performing together. Rennie definitely knows how to keep a beat going!

An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee offers more than just songs for your enjoyment. Both Foster and McPhee tell little stories along with jokes. Certain stories are more interesting than others. One of the best stories is Foster and McPhee telling the audience how they met. It’s fun to hear directly from them on how they went from being friends to falling in love. Foster also gives a little “behind the song” anecdotes, and this is truly what the audience wants. While the audience participation is all in good fun, there is something special about learning these little facts directly from the musicians themselves.

The banter between McPhee and Foster is sweet and makes it pretty obvious that they are married. McPhee’s Celine Dion impression is pretty hilarious, and she should definitely think about doing more impressions on this tour. The back-and-forth teasing between Foster and his band is entertaining. However, there are “jokes” that don’t land well, such as the self-deprecating jokes about weight and The Karate Kid Part II. 

An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee is a night full of catchy tunes, but there are some moments where the narrative needs adjusting to make it a truly intimate evening. 

An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee, part of the Part of Renée Fleming VOICES series, was at the Kennedy Center on Sunday, February 25, 2024. The show is currently on tour. Check out the tour dates here. 

Running Time: About 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission 

Image courtesy of the Kennedy Center

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