Broadway Unplugged
The Town Hall, NYC, July 20, 2015
Reviewed by Annamaria Alfieri for Cabaret Scenes
With its stellar concept—presenting Broadway singers without microphones—Broadway Unplugged sought to fill the stage with stars who could fill the theater with sound, using nothing but their voices. In almost every case, the show succeeded admirably. The highlights were high art.
Christopher Johnstone’s (pictured) “The Music of the Night” (The Phantom of the Opera) proved that his unenhanced voice was big enough to make Lloyd Webber/Charles Hart/Richard Stilgoe’s song ring. The well-sung rendition also proved that, without electronic tricks, the song itself does not compare to au naturel Puccini.
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Later, other cast members returned to Lloyd Webber. Jesus Christ Superstar (Tim Rice) fared much better. Jeremy Kushnier gave us an engaging and appropriately angry Judas with “Heaven on Their Minds.
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” Then, Farah Alvin, a woman taking the role of Jesus, brought down the house with a gorgeously sung and wonderfully dramatic tour-de-force “Gethsemane.”
Genuine showmanship joined with a powerful voice graced Jeffry Denman’s rendition of “What Do I Need with Love” (Thoroughly Modern Millie). In the second act, he combined his charm and stage presence with those of Caliaf St. Aubyn for a delightful tap and voice duet of “Bounce Me, Brother, with a Solid Four” (used in Swing!). A very pregnant Jenny Powers gave new meaning to the underappreciated “Back to Before” (Ragtime).
The strongest voices of the evening, no surprise, belonged to the classically-trained tenor John Easterlin and baritone William Michals. With great glee, Easterlin sang “The Ice Cream Sextet” (Street Scene). Michals ended the first act with “Stranger in Paradise” (Kismet), the first part of which was marred by rather pedestrian accompaniment. The two teamed up later in a beautiful and subtle “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise” (The New Moon).
Best of all, Adriane Lenox made “Stormy Weather” (used in After Midnight) completely new and riveting. “For Good” (Wicked), her duet with her daughter Krystal Joy Brown on pierced our hearts.