David Sabella
25 CHICAGO 25
Feinstein’s/54 Below, NYC, November 17, 2021
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Master of all cabaret trades David Sabella celebrated 25 years of the ongoing revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s Chicago, as well as its personal meaning to him, in a wonderfully entertaining and very moving program at Feinstein’s/54 Below. Launching the show with a spirited opening that blended “Looping the Loop,” “All That Jazz,” and “Yes” (70 Girls 70), the performer drew the audience in with his tale of why the show, and especially the role of Mary Sunshine, meant so much to him and how he won the part over tough competition, that included a fierce future Tony winner, Billy Porter. The economy with which the story is told with the blending of words and music is admirable.
The same economy was used to tell the emotional central tale of the piece, his sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes humorous tale of his attempts to create his own family via adoption, encompassing a revised “Roxy’s Monologue,” “Life Is…” (Zorba), “A Quiet Thing,” (Flora the Red Menace) (delivered with simple perfection), and “My Own Space” (The Act). Not only did this demonstrate the wide range of Kander and Ebb’s talent, but also the deep and universal emotions found within the songs. All of the brilliant medleys and arrangements were created by music director Mark Hartman who, with Jonathan Michel on bass and Dan Gross on drums, also provided fine, fluid musical support throughout the evening.
There were fun, unexpected excursions during the show, such as a totally forgotten song first introduced by Julian Eltinge, the illustrious drag artist from the early part of the 20th Century, whose vaudeville act was the model for Mary Sunshine. The song, a pleasant trifle called “Those Come Hither Eyes,” was written by Jerome Kern and Schuyer Greene. Another delightful surprise was guest artist and Broadway veteran Jana Robbins, who joined Sabella for a very funny duet, “You Know Me,” sadly cut from The Visit. She remained on stage to offer a deeply nuanced rendition of “So What” from Cabaret.
A varied and intriguing song list, excellent arrangements and musical accompanists, an accomplished guest star, a moving plotline, and a generous and charismatic performer at the center of it all—what more could an audience ask for? Sabella will give anyone who missed the evening another chance in March 2022.
