One might say that Jamie deRoy outdid herself as she wound up her season with Songs from Tony Award-Winning Musicals, except that her ongoing variety series, Jamie deRoy & Friends, has a long-established history of assembling collections of extraordinary performers. And, one could add, celebrity-chocked audiences. 

Opening the show herself with a spirited “Hernando’s Hideaway” from the 1955 award winner, Pajama Game, deRoy was followed onstage by the MAC Award-winning, sassy soprano KT Sullivan with “Always True to You (In My Fashion)” and other selections from Cole Porter’s smash, Kiss Me, Kate. 

Stephanie D’Abruzzo, a Tony Award nominee for her dual roles in Avenue Q, beguiled the audience with “There’s a Fine, Fine Line” from the musical. Tony winner Debbie Gravitte matched the moment with her renditions of “Mr. Monotony” and “Memories,” and composer Charles Strouse brought much of the audience to its feet with “Tomorrow,” from his Broadway show, Annie.

Tony Award winner Len Cariou was a charmer as he described his dubious response to the prospect of singing a song while slitting a throat in the proffered title role in Sweeny Todd.  Then, charmed vocally with that musical’s “Pretty Women.”  A medley of South Pacific tunes (from the 1950 Tony Award musical) received a concert-quality instrumental performance by pianist Jon Weber. 

Rounding out the cast were a former Evita – Loni Ackerman – MAC Award winner Amy Wolk, Tanya Holt and Josh Scheer.  DeRoy returned to the mike for a parody on The Sound of Music’s “Sixteen Going On Seventeen”, delightfully doctored by the show’s director, Barry Kleinbort to “(I Am) Sixty, Going On Seventy.” Lanny Meyers was musical director, and J.P. Perreaux the talented hand on lights and sound.

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
June 11, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org