When Dianne Fraser sings, it’s the words moreso than the melodies that matter.

The melodies are nearly all very recognizable Broadway standards, but most of the words are not because they include a lot of special material written by Fraser’s husband, Jeff Cohn — a novelist and TV writer who has contributed mightily to helping his wife construct a very original act. Cohn’s achievements cannot be discounted as he’s cleverly re-worked the original lyrics so that all the new material fits in smoothly, without twisting words or putting a different emphasis on certain syllables — and his stuff is funny.

For example, in a song about doing research on becoming a cabaret singer, Fraser sang, to the tune of “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” (from Damn Yankees by Adler and Ross):  “My final song can’t be too long or preachy/Maybe I’ll steal something from Andrea Marcovicci/All I need now is to dazzle with some pithy, precious patter/ Histronic gestures, plus a little Sondheim/ With an emphasis on the latter.”

In perhaps her most clever number, to the tune of the title song from The Pajama Game  (Adler and Ross), Fraser recounted her early career in summer stock:  “The Pajama Game, Kiss Me Kate and Mame/All in Couer D’Alene, Idaho in case you’re wondering.” She also mentioned that she “did Chicago in Oklahoma and Oklahoma in Joliet — that’s near Chicago” and that she “was Roxie in Biloxi [and] did Gypsy in Poughkeepsie.”

Fraser sang with warmth and control in the middle register, though she strained a bit on some higher notes, but her enthusiasm for the material and her winning stage personality made the few misses easy to overlook among all the positives.

She dispensed with the special material in the middle portion of her act as she saluted her favorite composer, Stephen Schwartz, with a simple, straightforward “Chanson” from The Baker’s Wife and a powerfully-delivered “The Wizard and I” from Wicked.

In discussing her life arc, Fraser said she eventually became a secretary at a theatrical agency, which she described in a terrific Kander and Ebb song called “Ten Percent” that was cut from Chicago. She was also effective on “Rich, Famous and Powerful,” David Friedman’s hilarious salute to raw ambition; “Will He Like Me?" (Bock and Harnick) to illustrate meeting her husband; and a very beautiful “You and I” by Leslie Bricusse from the musical version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

At the end of her act Fraser noted that 54 minutes had passed, which put her right on schedule for her finale.

During the show a couple of audience “members” heckled her from their seats, including Edye Allison and Clifford Bell, who also directed.  Fraser was backed by Jonathan Dinerstein on piano, Nate Light on bass and sister Denise Fraser on drums.

Elliot Zwiebach
Cabaret Scenes
July 23, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org