It’s October, time for The Town Hall’s presentation of the Seventh Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival and its popular opening show, Broadway Originals!  Host, writer and creator Scott Siegel, delving through the decades, presents performers who reprise the roles they created or revived on Broadway.  This afternoon was again a reminder of great theater entertainment of past years.  It also reminded us of today’s wonderful talents who bring fresh spirit to the standard classic and contemporary shows.

One of 1962’s memorable theater performances was Tammy Grimes as The Unsinkable Molly Brown.  Recovering from knee replacement surgery, Grimes delivered robust renditions of "My Own Brass Bed," "I Ain't Down Yet" and gave a tribute to her Molly co-star, the late Harve Presnell, singing his poignant song, "I'll Never Say No."  She had to use a walker after her surgery, but, like Molly Brown, Tammy Grimes remains unsinkable.

Another unflappable veteran, Marilyn Michaels (pictured), closed the first act celebrating “Manhattan” with her famed grab-bag of impressions, including Streisand, Garland, Hepburn and Rivers, with the Munchkins and the Wicked Witch of the West.

From the original production of Barnum came Marianne Tatum as Jenny Lind.  With her lovely soprano voice, she delivered “Love Makes Such Fools of Us All.”  From The Secret Garden, Daisy Eagan—who won the Tony Award at age 10—performed “The Girl I Used to Be,” originally titled “The Girl I Mean to Be,” and from Taboo, Sarah Uriarte Berry sang “Safe in the City.”  We heard Andrea Fierson’s “The Human Heart” from Once on this Island and Bob Stillman, Big Edie’s accompanist in Grey Gardens, harkened back that show’s 1941 setting with “Drift Away.” “Salty Teardrops” from Caroline, or Change was reprised by Marva Hicks, Vanessa A. Jones and Ramona Keller.  Their accompanist was composer Jeanine Tesori.

Lorraine Serabian closed the show with Zorba’s “Life Is.” Also from Zorbå was her decisive “No Boom Boom.”  Speaking of boom boom, Yvonne Constant, ever ooh-la-la in a white micro-mini, arrived with the élan of the musical that brought her to Broadway, La Plume de Ma Tante, singing “One of Those Songs” in English and also the very different French version.

The ighlights here were Jesus Garcia and Ben David from the opera world, who put down their microphones to deliver “O Mimi, tu più non torni” from La Bohème.  Alexander Gemignani was heartbreaking with his soulful rendition of “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables.

The evening was directed by Scott Coulter with wit and musicality. The Manhattan Rhythm Kings opened both acts, recalling Crazy for You with a loping “Bidin’ My Time” and “The Real American Folk Song (Is a Rag).”

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
October 16, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org