Tim Connell
An Uncertain Age
Pangea, NYC, October 10, 2026
Reviewed by Alix Cohen
Tim Connell has crossed over into his third decade, and he’s not going quietly! Bookended by being offered senior fare and being asked for his ID, his show was filled with reflection, poetry, humor, and determination.
“If it’s magic”/Then why can’t it be everlasting/Like the sun that always shines/Like the poets in this rhyme,” Connell sang (“If It’s Magic”; Stevie Wonder). His understated musing quieted the room.
“Butterfly” (Neil Bartram) was a fairy tale with a message. The flutterer thinks he isn’t worth anything in the scheme of things until wind points out it originates “with the currents of air that start from your tiny wings.” Who else but this philosophical artist would find such a song? In Connell’s hands, it was almost a lullaby.
“Hit Me with a Hot Note” (Duke Ellington/Don George) followed a story about being invited to The Pines (a vibrant center of LGBTQ+ social life). Clearly the artist kicked up some sand. Hips swiveled, shoulders shimmied. At the piano, MD James Followell swung with glee.
The coy “He Never Did That Before” (Debra Barsha/Mark Campbell) brought out the actor in Connell. Eyebrows raised in a point, he was credibly surprised, pleased, perturbed, and confused.
A different take on relationships arrived with the eclectic “Love Is Everything” (Jane Sieberry). “Love is everything they said it would be/But love made me too blind to see/You’re chickening out, aren’t you?” Piano was lyrical, vocal was sincere rather than flowery. I heard a slight sob among the notes.
A bouncy, updated version of “Anything Goes” (Cole Porter via the show’s director, Mark Chmeil) was clever. “In olden days when things were great/We had separation of church and state/Now who knows.” “Your hearing’s crap/And your knees are crap/Every vein is varicose.”
“I Am a Town” (Mary Chapin Carpenter) should be performed more often during these dark times. Like “That’s America to Me” (Abel Meeropol/Earl Robinson), it’s a love song to the people of this country. Tone was sweet, not saccharine; folksy, appreciative; Connell authentic.
“Taking the Wheel” (John Bucchino) careened in, a bike ride without brakes, a ski slalom, a sail catching wind. The artist was ready and filled with anticipation. “Wheeeeeel” took a victory lap.
“Times Like This” (Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty) was utterly charming and probably good advice. “The kind of eyes that welcome you/The minute you walk in/A tender glance you simply can′t refuse/At times like this, a girl could use a dog.” The vocalist was wistful.
A little less exposition—especially towards the show’s end—would be welcome, but all in all, this was a warm, smart evening. Tim Connell was in grand voice. James Fallowell colluded with skill.
