Megan Hilty
Feinstein’s/54 Below, NYC, November 2, 2021
Reviewed by Candace Leeds
Megan Hilty rallied the crowd at Feinstein’s/54 Below saying that she was thrilled to be back in New York City as the third performer in the club’s new Diamond Series, featuring what they call “the most luminous talents on Broadway.” “Luminous” she was, striding on to the stage in a long, sequined dress that sparkled as much as her warm and charming personality. She had a full house of adoring fans who cheered wildly to welcome her and gave standing ovations to several of her songs. She began her set with a powerful knockout, “They Just Keep Movin’ the Line,” (Marc Shaiman/Scott Whittman), the first of four original songs she presented from the 2012-2013 TV series Smash, in which she starred. Later in the show, as a surprise, Shaiman, who was in the audience, joined her on stage at the piano and accompanied her for what she said was her favorite song from the show, “Second Hand White Baby Grand” (Shaiman/ Whittman).
Her powerful rendition of “I Got the Sun in the Morning” (Irving Berlin) showcased the full range of her vocal prowess, particularly her bright, powerful belt. The audience soon learned that she had planned to be an opera singer, which likely influenced the quality of her beautiful voice. She attended the San Francisco Opera’s Camp at age 16. When she was told that she probably wouldn’t be working in opera until her mid-30s, she switched gears and took a musical-theater program at Carnegie Mellon. After graduating, she made her debut as Glinda, the Good Witch, in the Broadway show Wicked, and went on to a career in musical theater and TV.
Mid-show, she turned towards her guitar player, Brian Gallagher, whom she had previously introduced with her three other band members and admitted that he is her husband of eight years and the father of her two young children. They proceeded sing a sweet duet, “Suddenly Seymour” (Alan Menken/Howard Ashman), lovingly looking into each other’s eyes.
Hilty talked about her role in the Broadway musical 9 to 5 and presented a medley from the show —“Backwoods Barbie” and “9 to 5”—adding to her voice a true country sound. For the finale of the show, she paid tribute to the “Diamond Series,” with her uniquely saucy version of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” (Jule Styne/Leo Robin).
