Let Me be Your Star: Smash Revue
The Green Room 42, NYC, April 13, 2019
Reviewed by Chris Struck for Cabaret Scenes
A TV show portraying the making of a Broadway show, Smash (2012-2013), got a reprise when a group of young singers took to the stage at The Green Room 42 to express their feelings about the show that once so aptly represented their biggest dreams. Over the course of 22 songs and a myriad of stories, the performers described the impact the show had on their lives. An underlying theme of expectations coming to a more realistic place appeared as the night wore on. Each performance gracefully touched a raw emotion. It’s impossible to walk away from any cabaret act showcasing so many singers and not select a few performances as one’s favorites. In some ways that’s a reflection of the show’s premise of two characters—Ivy, the former understudy of another Broadway musical, and Karen, an upstart who was discovered during auditions—vying for the same role.
My favorites of the guys were Jon Gluckner, Samuel Whittaker, and Michael Restaino. Each gave a high-energy performance. Gluckner’s “Shake it Out” (Florence Welch/Paul Epworth) was one of the first up-tempo numbers of the evening, and his show-stopping pizzazz and warm personality switched the mood of the show from soul searching to strutting one’s stuff. As his blue-sequin suit glinted in the lights, it was very easy to enjoy his captivating sense of flair.
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Later, Whittaker stole the show with “(Let’s Start) Tomorrow Tonight” (Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman). Like Gluckner, he brought a lot of flair to the stage, and even serenaded the audience directly as he sauntered between tables, knowing full well that he had the audience’s rapt attention. Restaino’s “Caught in a Storm” (Benj Pasek/Justin Paul) was far more emotionally resonant than the more feel-good numbers sung by his co-stars. Also featuring vibrant choruses, Restaino, with his full-bodied voice, brought the vivid imagery of the song about balancing expectations and commitments with lines like “I’m ready to drown, but it’s coming down, but I feel so alive.”
Of the women, I highlight Deanna Giulietti and Alison Anaya, who were able to bring a lot of confidence and personality while acting out their songs. Each performed a duet early in the show, only to have solos later on.
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In “Never Give All the Heart” (Shaiman/Wittman), a song about Marilyn Monroe’s love affairs, Anaya was able to capture disappointment and a touch of flirtatiousness in lyrics like “when it comes to me/Well, their kisses come free/But they never give all the heart.” In a song with a very different tone and message, Giulietti created a defiant character unwilling to give up quietly as her powerful voice rang out. Lines like “Oh if you see someone’s hurt and in need of a hand/Don’t forget me” became, in Giulietti’s voice, a command to do the right thing rather than look the other way.
The show was spectacular if a bit long. The strong band led by Frank Saverino on piano supported a wonderful cast. He was joined by David Mayers (guitar), Aaron Downs (bass), and Jared Shaw (drums). The songs from Smash are good, and the show will likely continue to influence performers who are on their way to Broadway.
