Tall, slim, all-American handsome with graying hair, a sought-after leading man for Broadway and London musical theater, Howard McGillin shaped his Oak Room cabaret debut into a relaxed, neatly professional evening of song. Dressed in a natty dark suit and open-necked shirt, he combined “formal” and “casual” as his show addressed its title, Isn’t It Romantic?

The answers flowed as McGillin sang in warm, clear-diction fashion, subtly employing his actor’s skills to bring each song’s character and story to life. His numbers came from Broadway—Sondheim’s “Good Thing Going” and “Putting It Together,” Bock/ Harnick’s “Dear Friend”; from standards—Berlin’s “Isn’t This a Lovely Day (to Be Caught in the Rain,” Kern/Hammerstein’s “All the Things You Are”; from contemporary writers—Tom Kitt and Amanda Green’s “Laura, Laura” (Broadway’s High Fieldity) and from the evening’s fine musical director, Joseph Thalken, the lovely “Time” (Was) with lyrics by Barry Kleinbort; from way back when—a spirited “How ‘Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm?”(After They’ve Seen Paree)?, even from opera (La Bohème). Between songs, Howard recounted his professional life—sometimes in more detail than attention spans allowed.

Throughout the show, McGillin exuded a warm, winning Midwest charm (although, he recounted, he was actually brought up in Los Angeles). Afterward, a guest commented, “Overall, I couldn’t tell whether that charm was real or whether McGillin is a fine actor performing ‘charm’!” I had to agree. But we also agreed: it didn’t matter. We had enjoyed an entertaining, top-of-the-class show, a welcome addition to the cabaret stage.

Peter Haas
Cabaret Scenes
September 16, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org