William Michals: Broadway’s Romantic Baritone!

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:3 mins read

William Michals

Broadway’s Romantic Baritone!

54 Below, NYC, February 18, 2025

Reviewed by Jacqueline Parker

 

William Michals
Photo: James Gavin

In one of the most popular odes to love at first sight, William Michals enthralled us with “Some Enchanted Evening” (Rodgers & Hammerstein), and we were enchanted throughout the entire evening. From that moment on, one had the urge to jump on a lyric and let his voice carry you to whatever heaven may exist. His is a rich baritone is satisfying in the way a sunset on a beach or a perfectly blended Manhattan can be. Hence, it was a fine instrument to lead us on a journey through the various vicissitudes of love.

His scholarly and insightful patter along with his gentle acting enhanced the overall experience as he delivered a much-welcomed post-Valentine’s Day program. His voice was powerful but not overwhelming in the way an operatic voice might have been. Every word was clearly enunciated in the way his material deserved. All of these elements of his performance came together most memorably in his rendition of “If Ever I Would Leave You” (Lerner & Loewe). It’s difficult to eradicate (and who would ever want to!) the memory of Robert Goulet’s rendition, but Michals did. Somehow, it became a bit more sincere and hence more realistic.

A change of pace came when he sang “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (Phil Spector/Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil). He slowed the tempo a bit so that the frequently unintelligible lyrics became clear, and they were well worth hearing. Toward the end of the song, he encouraged the audience to join in, and we happily complied. “Come back to Me” (the tongue-twister from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) showed off Michals’ vocal and verbal dexterity as he happily skipped through it and never missed a chance to emphasize its humor.

The penultimate song, Jacques Brel’s “If We Only Have Love,” was the perfect way to wrap up a journey through love, and Michals’ performance drove home the importance of its lyric, now perhaps more than ever. The show concluded with a comic song “The Baritone’s Complaint” (Charles Bloom), an homage of sorts to some of the great baritones who have preceded Michals on the Broadway stage and elsewhere. Michals was passionate about his music, which he communicated clearly and lovingly to his audience throughout the evening. Equally passionate was his music director and pianist Michael Lavine, who skillfully supported him. Thanks go to Scott Siegel who produced and directed this memorable evening.

This just in! If you yearn for the kind of synesthetic experience described in this review, Michals will appear in The Light in the Piazza at the Huntington Theater in Boston from May 8 through June 15. I’ll be hopping on the Acela for this. How about you?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jacqueline Parker

Like Ethel Merman, lifelong New Yorker Jacqueline Parker began her career as a stenographer. She spent more than two decades at the city's premier public agency, progressing through positions of increased responsibility after earning her BA in English from New York University (3.5 GPA/Dean’s List). She won national awards for her work in public relations and communication and had the privilege of working in the House of Commons for Stephen Ross, later Lord Ross of Newport. In the second half of her career, Jacqueline brought her innate organizational skills and creative talents to a variety of positions. While distinguishing herself in executive search, she also gave her talents to publishing, politics, writing, radio broadcasting and Delmonico's Restaurant. Most recently, she hosted Anything Goes! a radio show that paid homage to Cole Porter and by extension the world of Broadway musicals and the Great American Songbook. Other features of the show were New York living, classical music, books, restaurants, architecture and politics. This show highlighted the current Broadway scene, both in New York and around the country through performances and interviews with luminaries including Len Cariou, Charles Strouse, Laura Osnes, Steve Ross and Joan Copeland. Her pandemic project was immersion into the life, times and work of Alfred Hitchcock, about whom she has written a soon-to-be-published article. Jacqueline has been involved in a myriad of charitable causes, most notably the Walt Frazier Youth Foundation, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Sisters of Life, York Theatre, and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival. She is a proud Founder of Hidden Water. Her greatest accomplishment is the parenting of her son, a lawyer specializing in mediation. She has many pretend grandchildren, nieces and nephews, on whom she dotes shamelessly, as well as a large circle of friends to whom she is devoted. Her interests in addition to theater and cabaret are cooking, entertaining, reading, and spending time on Queen Mary 2.