Rebecca Gruenspan demonstrated budding cabaret talents in her debut cabaret, Unwritten—A Show About Adventure, Truth & Love. This isn’t your typical Great American Songbook cabaret. It reflects Gruenspan’s musical vision by offering songs from a wide variety of artists ranging from Duke Ellington to Styx. Gruenspan brings a beautiful face, warm countenance and rich lower register to Unwritten. While she struggled with a few top notes in her upper range, it did not impair her ability to share a story. Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman’s “Disneyland” is a good pick for twenty-something Gruenspan who found the hope and wonder that song conveys. One charming moment occurred when Gruenspan made a slight lyric change. Out of respect to her Jewish family, Christine Lavin’s very funny line “Maybe I can choke on this pork chop and conveniently die” from “What Was I Thinking?” morphs into one about a veal chop. Arguably the best number in the show was “I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But the Blues” (Duke Ellington and Don George), in which Gruenspan sparkles with sass and sexiness. She is an excellent wordsmith and it shows in her patter. Beckie Menzie provided excellent support at the piano. Like most debut singers, as she moves along her artistic path, Gruenspan will want to explore ways in which to add more universal appeal to her presentations. There is little doubt, however, that she will blossom into a polished and popular entertainer.
Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
July 3, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org
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