Katie Thompson is a rip-roaring redhead who’s a little bit country, a little bit Broadway and a little bit blues — a winning combination which makes for a pleasingly eclectic mix of songs in an evening of cabaret. Accompanying herself on the piano and singing mostly original songs, Thompson displayed a country feel, with a touch of Patsy Cline in her voice, in her opening and closing numbers: “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” and “Your Side,” the latter from a musical she’s written called R.R. R.E.D. — “about redheads taking over the world,” she explained, “because redheads are fierce and awesome.”

Proving she’s not prejudiced, however, she brought a brunette — Kate Shindle, Miss America 1998 — on stage to sing another song from the show called “Red-Headed Step-Child,” about the problems experienced by a stepmother because of her new husband’s red-headed daughter. Shindle wowed the audience with a powerful Broadway belt.

Thompson also shared the stage with blonde Shelly Bort, who sang “Stay” in a duet that featured nice harmonies; then, singing alone, Bort showed off her powerful legitimate voice on “Level,” about holding onto the residue of a failed relationship.

Thompson demonstrated her ability to belt in “Cold-Hearted Snake” — an Elliot Wolff song Thompson arranged as a duet she hopes to do someday with Queen Latifah, leaving space for Latifah to rap and telling the audience about the “perfect harmony” between them.

Thompson also invited Tom Lenk on stage to sing “Good Enough,” a song they wrote together with a 1950s sound that could have been lifted from Grease (“I know you’re not great/But you’re good enough”); and she sang two songs with Lesli Matta playing bongos — “You” and “Why Are You Still Here?” the latter featuring a Latin beat which was accentuated by Matta’s accompaniment.

Thompson sings in several different styles, with her ability to belt adding Broadway luster to her performance, and her easy stage presence relaxes the audience into accompanying her wherever she wants to take them.

Elliot Zwiebach
Cabaret Scenes
March 27, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org