A masculine presence was seen at the Metropolitan Room walking through the audience, saying “hello” to various people, casually placing his guitar on stage and waiting to be announced.  When he was, Tom Wopat made his way to the stage, cool and relaxed. The Wisconsin-born performer, known as good ol’ boy Luke Duke (The Dukes of Hazzard, 1979-1985), opened with “Let’s Fall in Love” (and who wouldn’t ?) as his virile baritone invaded our presence. He’s an appealing performer in every way; reflective, playful and lighthearted and perhaps mostly because of his utter nakedness in front of an audience.

One of eight children, he started singing and dancing in high school musicals, continuing at the University of Wisconsin, debuting in television in 1978. He triumphed in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway opposite Bernadette Peters earning a Tony nomination, and continued to appear on television in Cybill, Home Improvement and hosting his own show on The Nashville Network.

Accompanied by the talented Tedd Firth on piano (he’s a show unto himself), Wopat continued the evening with a Joni Mitchell song, “2 Grey Rooms”, followed by “Makin’ Whoopee,” as a slow swing, and obviously something he knows a lot about as a father of five !  Recently having filmed a movie in Thailand (The Hive – I think he said it had something to do with radioactive ants), he was inspired to write a song called “Thailand Sea” to which he accompanied himself on the guitar. His patter can be funny as he presents stories with a twinkle in his eye getting his audience to laugh with him.

The mixture of songs from “Ruby” to “Twisted” and Cole Porter’s “Don’t Fence Me In”—no mic (special arrangement by Tedd Firth) and “I’m Hip” conveyed his versatility to move an audience in many directions. “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress” (Jimmy Webb) is one of his most beautiful romantic ballads. A highlight of the evening was the medley “42^nd Street" and the Jet Song from West Side Story.

Soon to open on Broadway as a lead in A Catered Affair, Wopat sang John Bucchino’s “Don’t Ever Stop Saying I Love You.” Wopat recently did the reading for a new headed-for-Broadway show, “Catch Me If You Can”— the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. who, before the age of 19, conned millions of dollars worth of checks, singing “50 Checks” from that score.

Tom Wopat is direct and poetic and makes each person feel he’s speaking only to them. He’s a performer who doesn’t perform; he just is !

Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
March 11, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org