Weaving through a crowded room, Jason Graae (in gold lamé jacket and handcuffs), made his way to the stage and before he opened his mouth, everyone was laughing. Graae, a zany, lovable singer/comic/actor/dancer, is one of those characters you want to hug and squeeze with delight.  Producing a flower pot and fake dove, his opening Magic Medley of various songs strung together included “Harry Houdini” (a role he originated on the West Coast in Ragtime), “Magic to Do” (Pippin), “Could It Be Magic” (Manilow/Anderson) – and it was non-stop merriment.

Kristin Chenoweth, beware with Graae singing “Popular” (Wicked) at the expense of musical director Alex Rybeck as fall guy.  Graae’s stories abound from his interactions with Joel Grey and The Grand Tour (in which Graae played Jacobowsky at the York Theater and in California) leading up to his sweet tenor infused “Marianne” capped by zany shtick on “The Moment Has Passed” (Promendade).

And now it’s on to his oboe solo moment purposely played off key, and then another of the many list songs, Bucchino’s “On My Bedside Table.” “Sybil (Why Did You Have to Split)” by Alex Rybeck and Seth Friedman, produced a series of audience howls with lyrics like “till one of you accused me of seeing all the others on the sly…why, why, why” and “you gave new meaning to multiple orgasms. . .”

Encore “Slasher Medley,” special material by Mark Cherry/J. Glaudini, had Graae in Hannibal Lecter mask spitting out a series of funny one-liner twists of familiar tunes: “Try to dismember,” “Carve up a happy face,” “If ever I would cleave you,” “When you walk through a storm, hold a head up high”. . .you get the gist!

Graae is a wacky wonder vaudevillian firecracker who also happens to be a good singer!  He is magically delicious!

Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
September 26, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org