Excitement and laughter crackled in the Laurie Beechman Theatre as two bright young songwriters’ work shared the bill, thanks to producer/host Suzanne Carrico, who opened things with Patrick Frankfort’s searing “Shame.” His hilarious male lament about loss of “Hair” was aced by Kenny Holcomb. For fireworks, dynamic pro Jonathan Whitton seized “The Day,” leaving Pat himself with nothing but “Nothing”(it’s a song!).

The skillfully crafted songs of Tammy Smith (a deliciously zippy performer herself) were mainly from her score, Vacation Bible School.  It’s hilariously satirical! Molly Pope brilliantly built the neurotic tour-de-force imaginings of “If We’d’ve Met.” Angela Schultz, Jennifer Furman, Booth Daniels (Pat’s musical partner) and Brandon Cutrell sang admirably from both writers’ work.

Shortchanging a paying audience, a couple of under-prepared singers relied on looking at material on music stands, diluting impact and communication (though we’d hate to have missed those numbers).   But you couldn’t miss the talent! 

Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
July 18, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org