Like fireworks, Christina Bianco popped up from behind the piano onto the darkened stage of the Laurie Beechman Theatre, lit now by a single spotlight, which her lustrous singing and vibrant presence earned.  Seated on the piano, with “Hurry It’s Lovely Up Here,” she immediately launched into her cabaret debut.  Small Wonders was appropriate named for this petite singer who is as cute as the proverbial button.  With this first song, she demonstrated the enormous vocal range of her voice. With later numbers, she revealed an intelligence that enhanced her considerable talent.

Young Bianco is no newcomer to the theater scene, having performed professionally from the time she was eight years old. With a voice that was at times soft, vulnerable and beautiful, she could also be a powerhouse when she belted out a song.  One that received a particularly strong response from the audience was Kander and Ebb’s “Arthur,” which had some of the quality of a Gilbert and Sullivan patter song. And Bianco scat as well, her vocal pyrotechnics eliciting an explosive response from the audience, not only clapping but cheers and whistles too.

Bianco was extremely well served by director Miles Phillips, a multiple award-winning actor and cabaret performer. The variations in Bianco’s movements on stage and consequently her relationship to her audience added to the vitality, interest, and energy of the show. At one point Bianco came down from the top of the piano to seat herself on a high stool.  At others, she moved about the stage with mike in hand. With accompanist Elizabeth Nantais, the fit was glove-like, with the pianist tempering her touch of the keyboard to Bianco’s interpretation.

Bianco showed herself capable of charming patter always relevant to the song she was about to sing. Once she quipped about her accompanist’s problem with a “faulty F.” The audience loved it. Reaching out to the audience with more such patter could only strengthen her cabaret performance.  As it is, she is still too influenced by the theater and its invisible fourth wall.

Bianco’s encore was a comic parody of Celine Dion singing “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.”  The audience was with the singer all the way, appreciating her facial expressions as well as the vocal feats involved.  The piece required a huge range of humorous acting as well as vocalizing, and Ms. Bianco could negotiate it all.  Watch out Celine Dion!

Small Wonders is at The Laurie Beechman Theater again on Monday, May 19^th.

Gloria Taplin
Cabaret Scenes
May 17, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org