Sean McManus
And the Nominees Are…
Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC, May 6, 2025
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Sean McManus is a charming fellow who came up with the clever gimmick of presenting an imaginary awards show as a cabaret act. With the strong support of his music director and often co-performer Drew Wutke, he displayed his own vocal and dramatic talents along with his excellent skills as a mimic. What he didn’t have was a director who might have helped him to shape the show into a more consistent experience and to trim away some of the less-successful moments.
The “Seanies” kicked off in high gear with a pitch-perfect imitation of Patti LuPone, followed by imitations of such other gay icons including Jennifer Coolidge and Bernadette Peters in duet on “Maybe This Time” (John Kander/Fred Ebb). The first misfire was a video bit involving Sarah Palin that went nowhere. Far more effective and emotionally touching was McManus’ recreation of the role of Tobais in Sweeney Todd he had performed at Papermill Playhouse, for which he won a supporting-performer award. His delivery of “Not While I’m Around” (Stephen Sondheim) was indeed a magical moment.
In a cute self-deprecating bit, McManus and Wutke shared hate comments that had appeared on the former’s social media. This led into a group of songs that clearly had personal meanings for him, including “Never Getting Rid of Me” (Sara Bareilles) and “Part of Me” (Katie Perry). This turn from the show’s comic beginning to the introspective second half created an uncomfortable split. Both parts were well-performed; they just made an uncomfortable sequence. Some additional excellent imitations included Carol Channing and Schitt’s Creek’s “Moira Rose,” which were certainly entertaining but further confused things. An unironic “I Am What I Am” just summed up the schizophrenic nature of the show. An experienced show doctor might well have solved the problem of this entertaining show that had a great deal of promise.
