The inimitable Sharon McNight sailed through her new show Gone But Not Forgotten, a salute to character women of stage and screen. This is fertile ground for McNight, as she mentioned throughout the show that she personally knew or had met many of the women the evening highlighted. The carefully chosen song selection included numbers closely tied to the character: "I'm Tired," Madeleine Kahn's hilarious number from Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles, Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams" and "I Fall to Pieces" and Ethel Merman's "Some People" from Gypsy. The latter was McNight's audition piece, and it's easy to see why -- all brassy, big and bold.

McNight shines on humorous novelty songs made famous by the likes of Hildegarde ("Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup"), Judy Canova ("Wabash Blues"), and Betty Hutton ("Rumble, Rumble"), and I don't think anyone does a better Bette Davis with her rendition of Frank Loesser's witty "Either Too Young or Too Old." Sharon got to perform her now famous 7-minute Wizard of Oz medley. It's a musical Cliff Notes of the Munchkin segment from the film with some classic dialogue thrown along for the whirlwind ride.

McNight's swing arrangement of "Ol' Man River" as performed by Martha Raye was a revelation. Accompanist Joan Edgar, a longtime musical director for Charles Pierce, lent a piano-player vaudeville type backdrop for the evening which matched the old film and stage musical material wonderfully. With Sophie Tucker's "The Man I Love," McNight ventured into very familiar territory. Her past one-woman shows Sophie Tucker Songbook and Betty, Betty Bette (celebrating screen legends Grable, Hutton and Davis) display her ease at characterizations which has endeared her to her many fans.

Winner of six San Francisco Cabaret Gold wards, 3 Cable Car Awards, a MAC award, a Bistro and a Tony nomination, Sharon McNight is a larger than life character paying tribute to her beloved forebearers -- characters all and wonderful ones at that.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
September 22, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org