Donna McKechnie
A Musical Memoir
The Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC, April 10, 2026
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Photo by Stephen Sorokoff
Donna McKechnie came bursting onto the stage of The Laurie Beechman Theatre belting out “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” (Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim), and for the next hour and a quarter it certainly was. Even though she announced she had gotten her Equity card in 1958, her appearance and her energy certainly defied that date. In her show A Musical Memoir, she shared stories from her career and her life and freely dropped names such as Gwen Verdon, Hal Prince, and Fred Astaire. Of course, she delivered many, in whole or in part. These were often surprising choices since they were not always numbers she had originally performed. With dynamite instrumental backing from music director/pianist Ian Herman, Ray Kilday on bass, and Ray Marchica on drums, the show was filled with electric and surprising moments.
Her tribute to Astaire was perfect gossamer, recalling their one “date” that climaxed with a dance with the master. It was a marvelous mix of storytelling, singing, and dancing. Another magical moment was a lyrical dance to one of the “Night Waltzes” from Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music that led into a sterling rendition of “Send in the Clowns.” She performed that often-heard number with deep understanding and barely controlled emotion. Early on, her tales of her up-and-down life as a working performer in New York City were interwoven with Ed Kleban’s clever “Broadway Boogie Woogie.” That was an appropriate selection; it was also the composer/lyricist’s audition piece for his role in A Chorus Line.
Quieter moments were just as effective. A somber, meditative “One More for My Baby (and One More for the Road) (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) was very moving. Sweet Charity’s “Where Am I Going?” (Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields) was vulnerable and clear in its feelings, and her delivery of the portion of “At the Ballet” (Marvin Hamlisch/Kleban from A Chorus Line) based on her own childhood story was overflowing with honesty.
McKechnie is in the middle of her residency at the Beechman where she appears monthly through June. This is a rare chance to enjoy an evening with a true theater star as she reflects on her professional life. Hopefully, there will be a sequel in which she might discuss being one of the few actresses to play all three roles in Follies; her showy part in State Fair Andrea McArdle, another icon doing her own residency at the Beechman; and perhaps even a mention of her time on the classic daytime horror soap opera Dark Shadows, where she played her own granddaughter. But for now, this was an extremely satisfactory show.
