New York City Theater

Okay, seriously - what's the point of restaging Bob Fosse's DANCIN'? Isn't it time to revive PIPPIN? Or maybe do a decent revival of SWEET CHARITY with the original choreography?

Whatever. So let's take a look at the first two nights of entertainment at the Broadway Cabaret Festival, a subsidiary event stemming from Scott Siegel's Broadway By the Year series at Town Hall. This was, in fact, the first Town Hall/Broadway event since their Summer Cabaret Festival. The next will be Broadway Unplugged in November.

Two years ago, the Broadway Cabaret Fest kicked off with a night of Kander & Ebb songs. Last year, it was Jerome Kern stuff. This year, it was Stephen Schwartz, with Schwartz himself in attendance to politely applaud for 90% of the show and then finally sing a song or two at the piano.

The press agents did not supply a running order for either the Schwartz show or the Betty Buckley concert, so I can't refer to one and reprint the songs. But I'll try to remember highlights.

What really struck me was how Stephen Schwartz's material is so post-golden age musical theater, not the kind of stuff emphasized at the typical Broadway by the Year events. And even Betty Buckley's concert attempted to move away from typical Broadway fare, with her driven, somewhat even obstinate emphasis on performing non-Broadway material (blues, Christian, jazz, country, ect).

I could feel the anger from much of the audience at Buckley, who began her concert with a full half our of very slow, non-theater material. First rule of performance: know your audience!! But things got considerably better once she began doing Broadway stuff, mostly as an effort to promote her new album "Betty Buckley 1967." While I understand that she is performing the concert to promote that and another new album, it was so clear that she was at Town Hall to promote her own agenda that it became somewhat offputting. Unlike last year, when say Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner performed, both of whom have been seen any a number of the Broadway By the Year-related events, Buckley is a stranger to our environment.

Buckley actually made a point of saying she really wants to return to Broadway in something. He jokingly pleaded for "the boys," the producers, the writers, whomever, to make her a show. Well, Ms. Buckley, here's my advice: start smaller. Go back to Papermill. Or better yet, do an Encores! show. Encores! would probably LOVE to do a classic show built around you. Build some buzz. And take it from there. Otherwise, you might be whimsically talking about a return to Broadway for the next 20 years in your concerts.

But in any case, Buckley was in perfect vocal form. Her performances of songs from the "1967" album were generally great ("Might as Well Be Spring," "Cest Magnifique," ect). And her act one finale, "With One Look," and act two finale, "Memory," were extraordinary. Hell, she was even crying during "Memory" and making cat-like gestures with her hands. It was unreal!

But back to the Schwartz show on Friday... At the end, Schwartz took the stage and sang a somber "For Good" at the piano. Then, as the finale, Mrs. Carol Schwartz (his wife, apparently? current wife? ex-wife?) played PIPPIN's Bertha and sang a feel-good rendition of "Time to Start Living."

I was hoping that Scott Coulter would be tapped to direct the Schwartz concert, who always provides outstanding vocal performances at the Broadway By the Year shows. His direction showed true understanding of the material (He's worked extensively with Schwartz on a number of projects), and he brought real creativity to the staging.

Greatest moment: Liz Callaway's performance of "Meadowlark." Her "Lion Tamer" and "All for the Best" were also great, but her "Meadowlark" is a masterclass in musical theater acting, along the same vein of Barbara Cook's performance of "Buddy's Eyes" and "Mr. Snow." How about giving Callaway a Broadway Cabaret Festival concert next year??

I do not have the time to attend BROADWAY ORIGINALS on Sunday afternoon. I noticed that Len Cariou, the original Sweeney Todd, who was highly publicized as the leading attraction, is no longer listed on the press materials. But whatever. I'm sure the event will still be highly entertaining.