Cindy Firing: You and I—A Tribute to Barbara Cook

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Cindy Firing

You and I—A Tribute to Barbara Cook

Davenport’s, Chicago, IL, February 18, 2022

Reviewed by Carla Gordon

Cindy Firing pulls out the stops in her high-octane tribute to her idol and fellow coloratura soprano, Barbara Cook. Firing brings out the big-money notes early in her show as she offers an original parody about Cook combining melodies of songs by Sondheim, Bernstein, and from a completely different genre, Janis Ian. In a section about auditioning, Firing transitions from the tender “Goodnight My Someone” (The Music Man) to the showy “Glitter and Be Gay” (Candide). She shared the interesting story of Cook’s audition for Leonard Bernstein, who initially intimidated her but ultimately became dazzled by her vocal flexibility. Firing’s training in opera paid off as she tackled the notes that seem higher than Everest.

In her later years, when Cook lived more in the cabaret world than in the musical theater world, she was considered to be among the foremost interpreters of Sondheim. Firing reflects Cook’s choices in a pairing of “Loving You” (Passion) and “Losing My Mind” (Follies), expressing the message shared by these two show tunes—that when love consumes us it is seldom joyful. Music director John Cook’s (no relation to Barbara) arrangement of this pairing is a gem. When Firing shared thoughts about Cook’s struggles with alcoholism, obesity, and a rocky marriage, we were able to relate to her not just as a musical theater and cabaret icon but as a human being who had challenges like most of us.

Included in this show were lovely arrangements from Cook’s long-time cabaret musical director, the late Wally Harper, including “It’s Better with a Band,” which became a signature song for Cook. The pairing of Harper’s “Sing a Song with Me” and Irving Berlin’s “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy” was charming. In her lovely blue-sequined gown which at times recalled the 1920s, Firing brought solar energy to the stage, moving often and gracefully, and singing big. That said, the most powerful moment in You and I is arguably the honest, understated discovery of joy in “Till There Was You” (The Music Man). Vocal gifts are important in cabaret, but reaching hearts outshines all. It is in her simpler, quieter moments, that Cindy Firing morphs into a truly compelling artist.

Carla Gordon

Carla Gordon is a singer/songwriter, director, and producer. The Chicago Tribune cited her among “Chicago’s most accomplished cabaret performers….a major player in Chicago cabaret.” Reviewer Pam Peterson called her “Honey-voiced wisecracker!” Ageless Magazine called her performance as Sophie tucker, “A gem!” Gordon writes custom material for singers nationwide. Her flagship show, "Blacklisted," featuring songs made famous by artists blacklisted under McCarthyism, has toured to critical acclaim. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Cabaret Professionals and on the Advisory Board of the Skokie Theater. Her songs air on WFMT’s Midnight Special and are being performed performed by cabaret artists nationwide. carlacabaret@aol.com