Janet Krupin’s entrance in cap and gown for her solo debut show cleverly spotlighted her theme of a life in transition. Moving the tassel on the cap actually recreated a movement that she had done twenty-four hours earlier upon her graduation from USC. The cap and gown came off as she launched into her fitting opening number “Look at Me Now” from Andrea Lippa’s The Wild Party. We did look at her, admiringly, in her sexy white dress. Reflecting on her graduation, she delivered a very personal rendition of “I Have Confidence,” from the film version of The Sound of Music.

Many of her song selections showcased her powerful musical theater voice, but she placed some well-timed, intimate ballad numbers into her show as well. Her take on “Over the Rainbow” was to do it as a lament and it worked beautifully. The emotional high point of the show was her dramatic reading of Jerry Herman’s “I Won’t Send Roses.” Her version with some lyric changes, “He Won’t Send Roses,” was done to chilling effect. She was able to convey the lyrics on a very personal level.

As the winner of L.A.’s Next Great Stage Star competition, Janet appropriately included the song that clinched her victory, Kander & Ebb’s “How Lucky Can You Get?” She amply demonstrated that luck had only a little to do with her winning. Next time out, she should expand her patter and interplay with the audience. She’s certainly got the musical chops and, as she gets more comfortable in a club environment, she will be able to add “Cabaret Star” to her winning title. Her fellow USC graduate, talented Michael Alfera, was her Musical Director.

Les Traub
Cabaret Scenes
May 15, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org