Recession be hanged! In Smile, Andrea Marcovcci gives us plenty to grin about (even her no expiration coupon from Bed, Bath, and Beyond). Early on, she bounces through “Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries.” Marshall Barer and David Colin Ross’s “Beyond Compare” is delicious. Marcovicci owns its joy and wit, finding the perfect cadence to a lyric having erudite references from Mel Tormé to Larry Hart, whose lyrics greatly influenced Barer. She gets eight bars into “Mairzy Doats” and, yes, we would eat ivy, too. “It Had to Be You” clearly explains how a choice was made. (Hope she adds one of its yummy verses). Going contemporary, she offers Pink’s “Glitter in the Air.” In the context of Smile, Pink and Andrea tell how we need to show fear that we don’t care and recognize that perfect nights should never end. Pitches are solid. Excellent musical direction came from Shelly Markham, and the singer enjoyed joking with Chicago’s Jim Cox, whose bass added the right touch of jazz. Encoring with “When I’m Sixty Four,” it’s clear why Marcovicci charms. She sings with the depth of six decades, yet looks and moves as if she has experienced far fewer.

Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
July 21, 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org