Kate Baldwin
Let’s Not Talk About…
54 Below, NYC, March 6, 2025
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
When this lady in red took the stage at 54 Below, there was no doubt that a star had arrived. When she glided into song, it was clear that a generous diva had arrived. As she wove her way through a medley of Jerry Herman’s score for Hello, Dolly! with wit and charm, it was clear that a natural heir to the crown of Barbara Cook had established herself. When she sang a single wrong note during the evening, it just illuminated how perfect she was. Kate Baldwin was back and in charge, and it was clear she held the packed audience in her thrall. The theme of her show was built around “things we weren’t supposed to talk about.” She delightfully demonstrated these with Cole Porter’s “Let’s Not Talk About Love,” which was outfitted with clever and relevant updated lyrics by Sean Hartley.
A reflection on teenage sexuality led to memories of summer camp crushes (“Constant Craving” by k.d. lang/Ben Mink) and some of which went wrong (“The Boy From…,” (Stephen Sondheim/Mary Rodgers). In that one Baldwin was hysterical because she delivered it with a light touch rather than the overkill it so often receives these days. This moved smoothly into a spoken tribute to her often-leading man, the late and much missed Gavin Creel. She saluted him with “Days of Plenty” from Little Women (Jason Howland/Mindi Dickstein); it was a deeply touching moment that demonstrated Baldwin’s generosity of spirit as a performer
The middle part of the show featured the songs of her music director Georgia Stitt, who has enjoyed a long collaboration with Baldwin. She performed seven numbers by Stitt, each of which were about a minute long. Most of them were comic in a pithy, ironic way reminiscent of Dorothy Parker and had twist endings. Titles such as “Alan’s Dear,” “Permissive Society,” and “Why I Avoid Eye Contact” hinted at the fun they offered. Another highlight came when Santino Fontana came to the stage. After some playful verbal fencing that only emphasized how much they adored each other, they blended their voices beautifully on Sondheim’s “With So Little to Be Sure Of” for some theatrical magic.
Baldwin returned to Broadway music for an incredibly touching “Always Better” (Jason Robert Brown from The Bridges of Madison County) that showed the depth of her emotive power. An equally shimmering “Stay Gentle” (Brandi Carlile) brought this rapturous evening to a close. Kate Baldwin was definitely not reluctant to talk about the topics she was told not to. With grace, humor, and talent she bewitched the audience and made this a most wonderful night of cabaret.
