Kelli O'Hara presented a theatre-sized cabaret show backed by a theatre-sized band. Lincoln Center's American Songbook series ended its first week of the 2008 season with one of musical theatre's most sparkling ingénues. She acknowledged her competition, which includes Kristin Chenoweth, Audra MacDonald, and Rebecca Luker, by singing a song written for her by musical director Dan Lipton and David Rossmer. "They Don't Let You in the Opera if You're a Country Star" opened with the Nashville twang and built up to dramatic coloratura heights. While the song was a bit drawn out, it gave Kelli O'Hara the chance to show her stuff.

Her strongest songs were from the theatre. She demonstrated her clear, soprano tone with a vibrant "I Could Have Danced All Night" (Lerner and Loewe), and took a chance with Adam Guettel's "Fable," an audience favorite by Victoria Clark in The Light in the Piazza. Sondheim's "What More Do I Need?" illustrated O'Hara's attention to story-telling, crystalline diction and stressing lyrics and internal rhymes, bringing out the spirit of the song.

She told about her audition for Sweet Smell of Success when she did not recognize Marvin Hamlisch, but "agreed" to let him accompany her. Here she sang, "That's How I Say Goodbye," which was cut before the show came to Broadway. She told about visiting an ailing Betty Comden with Adam Guettel and cast members of The Light in the Piazza to perform the show's songs, and then saluting Comden, she poignantly delivered "Make Someone Happy" (Comden, Green, Styne) .

Equally poignant was a soft, "The Glory of Love," (Billy Hill), remembering how her grandfather working the fields in Oklahoma always singing the song. Later in the show, she sang her own composition, "Here Now," a song with the same delicate feeling.

Guest star Victoria Clark came on to duet "Fatso," the laments of dieting. Another The Light in the Piazza costar, Matthew Morrison, joined her in a Harry Connick, Jr. song, "Wonder in the World." O'Hara brought out husband/songwriter, Greg Naughton, to sing with her his song, "The Sun Went Out."

The show worked hard to showcase Kelli O'Hara's vocal talent and a taste of her amiable personality. We're convinced. Next time around, maybe she can cut the guests and focus more on her luminous voice and tenacious hold on lyrics.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
January 26, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org