Pert, perky, pixie-ish Neile Adams has had a long and varied career in theater, film and television. She began her career as a dancer, moving into the limelight when choreographer Jack Cole cast her in the original Broadway production Kismet in 1953, appearing with cabaret icon Julie Wilson.  (Julie was in the audience cheering her on.) George Abbott spotted Adams, wanting her to replace Gwen Verdon as Lola in Damn Yankees, but the Versailles Night Club wouldn’t release Adams from her contract.  As fate goes, Abbott eventually cast Adams in The Pajama Game, running concurrently on Broadway with Damn Yankees.

The slim and adorable Adams sang her way onto the Metropolitan Room stage opening with “I Am What I Am” and it was evident that she was a Broadway dancer replete with extravagant gestures.  Her choice of material was varied from “Dancing on a Dime” to “Sabor A Mi"/"La Ultima Noche” and “Something Cool.” She was particularly engaging on “It’s DeLovely,” as she sprightly jumped up to sit on the piano.

Personal stories about romance and marriage to first husband Steve McQueen in 1956 were attention-getting. It was a whirlwind romance and a 15 ½ year marriage producing two children. After the divorce, Neile relates taking her alimony, going off to Europe and eventually being introduced to businessman/entrepreneur Alvin E. Toffel, whom she married in 1980 and lived with happily together for 26 years until his untimely death.

With a cleverly arranged bio medley, she told her life story, in song and patter, featuring “Story Book” (Wildhorn), “My Heart Stood Still” (Rodgers/Hart), “Poor Everybody Else” (Coleman/Fields), a highlight, along with the realities we suddenly notice when the bloom is off the rose “You Chew In Your Sleep” (Schmidt/Jones) to “My Attorney Bernie” (Frishberg).

Although her vocals were several times drowned out, or maybe her mic wasn’t loud enough, and sometimes she didn’t quite make those top notes, the best parts of the evening were those when she quietly presented insightful ballads, i.e., “I Don’t Remember You"/"Sometimes a Day Goes By” (Kander/Ebb) and heartfelt “You and Me” (Peter Allen).  Adams was connected to “New Words” (Yeston), remembering the nostalgia of young grandchildren.  The piece de resistance came at the close of the show with a poignant pictorial rendering of her life, personal and theatrical, on a drop down screen as she sang “The Lives of Me” (Peter Allen) from the audience.

The show was directed by veteran Ted Sprague. Band members included Andy Howe (musical director/pianist), Jared Egan (bass), Rex Benincasa (drums). Other notables in the audience: Vera Fairbanks, Ken Urmston, Gemze deLappe, Stuart Hodes, Annette McDonald. She appears at the Metropolitan Room thru October 4.

Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
October 1, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org