Laura Westman

30th Birthday Musical Celebration

The Duplex, NYC, August 25, 2018

Reviewed by Chris Struck for Cabaret Scenes

Laura Westman took to the stage with friends and family to celebrate her entry into a new decade with some fun songs and reminiscent moments, some as a young girl—Disney’s Ariel’s moment, “Part of Your World” (Howard Ashman and Alan Menken). Some of them were as a teenager: the Keane recorded “Everybody’s Changing.” Others were a bit more adult, such as “Heavy” by Birdtalker. But the common thread is that through it all she has been surrounded by love, affection, and friendship from all the people that matter most: Dad, Mom, her sister and brother. Each of the Westmans, all in attendance, played a role in a show that both recapped and affirmed the impact music can have on one family and one life.

My favorite songs came when she sat behind the piano for a pair of excellent choices written by Gregory Alan Isakov: “Living Proof” and “If I Go, I’m Going.” While no line stood out in particular, the songs were full of the emotional depth that was touched on in part and in different ways throughout the show.

Whether it was as nostalgia, friendship, love, tenderness, or warmth, a piece of Westman’s heart graced each lyric.

She brought these together to showcase the good person she is. She showed a lot of personality on Coldplay’s “Fix You,” which closed the evening.