All the Lives of Me: A Succession of Moments

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All the Lives of Me
A Succession of Moments

The Duplex, NYC, November 10, 2017

Reviewed by Chris Struck for Cabaret Scenes

All the Lives of Me became a concept based on the interconnecting of various songs that stuck in the mind of lead creator Joseph Appel over time. Stringing them together and choosing a variety of cast members to bring them to life was meant to show the many faces that pass through one’s life. As intriguing as that sounds, the message does get lost in the sheer number of songs (21) and lack of in-between patter describing them. Because of this, it became more of a showcase for the performers, some of whom were better than others.

In order of appearance, I think that Valerie Cirillo, Jake Alexander, Josephine Spada, Samantha Braga, and Eileen Monahan deserve special mention for their potential contributions to their own shows or other shows. Cirillo impressed with good range in “Listen to My Heart” (David Friedman), but she could also work a little bit more on her ability to maintain pitch after making such quick changes in scale. Spada and Braga, comparatively, had perhaps the most stunning volume and strength as they performed strong renditions of “Here’s Where I Stand” (Lynn Ahrens/Michael Gore) and “I’m Not Afraid of Anything” (Jason Robert Brown from Songs for a New World), respectively.

Braga’s song was likely my favorite single one of the set, but, of all the performers, Eileen Monahan appeared the most polished. On “The Music Still Plays On” (William Finn from A New Brain) and “Fifty Percent” (Alan & Marilyn Bergman/Billy Goldenberg from Ballroom), I felt pulled into the emotion due to her excellent execution.

Alexander, on the other hand, brought his own significant ability to a pair of duets. He matched Spada in a medley of “Marry Me”/”A Quiet Thing” (Kander & Ebb from The Rink/Flora the Red Menace) and Cirillo on an impressive “Something to Believe In” (Alan Menken/Jack Feldman from Newsies). During the medley with Spada, Alexander performed on one knee without a microphone, and he could still be heard clearly at the back of the room. When using a mic, such as with his solo of “’Til I Hear You Sing” (Andrew Lloyd Webber/Glenn Slater from Love Never Dies), he adjusted, to be gentler.

The key to the show most assuredly was pianist Justin Ward Weber, who followed the various performers easily through their changing styles and voices. He worked patiently and through different tempos to match their ample variety.

All the Lives of Me will be back with updates and changes, according to Appel, who mentioned that the concept is both a work in progress as well as, hopefully, destined for multiple formats. I’m certainly interested in seeing what alterations he has in store, but, in the meantime, get to know these diverse performers.

Chris Struck

Chris Struck's debut novel, Kennig and Gold, is due to be officially published in June 2019. He's written reviews for Cabaret Scenes since August of 2017. For more information about the writer, see StruckChris.com