So you're starring in a huge Broadway show touring company (Sweeney Todd), in a strange city, on a dark night - what to do? Why not rent out San Francisco's premiere cabaret showcase, bring along some very talented cast mates and put on a show. Benjamin Magnuson and Lauren Molina, two very talented actor/musicians presented an evening of pop, folk and blues material far removed from the rigors of Sweeney Todd's macabre score.

Lauren and Benjamin were with the Broadway cast of Sweeney Todd and have many years of musical theatre experience, and both are accomplished musicians. This show allowed them to let their hair down with contemporary material from the likes of Jeff Buckley's haunting "Lover, You Should`ve Come Over," Amy Winehouse' "Back to Black," Fiona Apple's "Paperbag" and Leonard Cohen's sadly beautiful "Hallelujah." Ben and Lauren switched between guitars, piano, and cello's and were accompanied by fellow cast mates Dave Garry and Katrina Yaukey on horns, flute, accordion and backup vocals.

Lauren and the band performed selections from her first CD Doo Be Doo which included her original song "Water Colored Eyes" intertwined with U2's "With or Without You." Benjamin and drummer Shannon Taylor brought it down on a blues duet of Leroy Carr's "How Long Blues" highlighted by Taylor's smoking harmonica solos. The show closed with Lauren and Ben performing a clever, intentionally off-key cello duet as if they both couldn't play. Hardly. So that's what these two theatre folk do on a night off.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
October 1, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org