Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Broadway divas at the top of their game: Sierra Boggess and Liz Callaway at Feinstein’s/54 Below

• By drediman
• September 10, 2021
• No Comments

This week, I popped into Feinstein’s/54 Below to witness a pair of Broadway divas return to in-person performance, much to the satisfaction of their adoring fans. It was a wonderful treat to be in the audience for these uplifting concerts, and both were at the top of their game. Here are my thoughts.

SIERRA BOGGESS
Feinstein’s/54 Below

Last night, I caught Broadway favorite Sierra Boggess perform her latest cabaret act (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), which is scheduled to run at Feinstein’s/54 Below through Saturday night. If you’re only familiar with the musical theater actress from her work on the Great White Way or the West End, I urge you to get to know the vibrant personality behind the iconic characters she’s played onstage.

On Broadway, Ms. Boggess has created roles in The Little Mermaid (as Ariel), It Shoulda Been You, and School of Rock. She’s also arguably the most in demand Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, having been chosen to open the lavish Las Vegas production at the Venetian and participate in the show’s 25th anniversary. She was even asked to lead the show’s long-awaited Paris premiere, which alas did not go as planned. Additionally, she was cast as Christine in the original West End production of Love Never Dies, the sequel to the long-running hit. The first thing you’ll notice about this beauty (she looked stunning last night in her flowing yellow summer dress) is her luscious soprano, which wouldn’t be out of place on the Met stage. But the real joy of her show was the chance to spend some time with her genuinely open hearted, girl-next-door personality.

Ms. Boggess appeased fans of her stage work right off the top, with sweet renditions of “Beyond My Wildest Dreams” from The Little Mermaid and an amusing parody of The Phantom of the Opera‘s “Think of Me”, which she famously sings in four different ways. Her sterling voice sounded stunning wrapped around two classic show tunes – “Will He Like Me” from She Loves Me and “My White Knight” from The Music Man (both of which were originally sung by the legendary Barbara Cook). In the banter department, she fabulously holds her own, most notably in a ballsy and very funny lead up to the title song of The Sound of Music, which bled into a triumphant “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady. The show wound down with a moving tribute to the late great Rebecca Luker via a medley of Lily’s gorgeous songs from The Secret Garden, as well as a return to Phantom with a stirring “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. As an encore, Ms. Boggess sang “No One Is Alone”, a choice which couldn’t be more apt.

LIZ CALLAWAY: COMIN’ AROUND AGAIN
Feinstein’s/54 Below

Then there’s Liz Callaway, who returned earlier this week to Feinstein’s/54 Below for a performance of her latest cabaret act Comin’ Around Again (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), which comes on the heels of two sold out shows earlier in the summer. I had missed those earlier engagements, so I was grateful to be able to catch this encore showing.

To Broadway fans, Ms. Callaway is perhaps best known for originating roles in 80s/90s musicals such as Merrily We Roll Along, Baby, and Miss Saigon. However, the latter portion of her career has seen her become, like her sister Ann Hampton Callaway, an in-demand cabaret artist. And rightfully so. While not as flashy as other divas out there, she nonetheless draws you in with her warm stage presence and grounded personality, confidently commanding the stage without showy histrionics and letting her talent speak for itself. It’s a complete breath of fresh air to see a performer like her eschew world-weary sass and continue to embrace a sense of wonder. She’s also currently in superb voice, sounding as sunny and fresh as in her ingenue days. Ms. Callaway continues to evolve into a most sensitive and mature interpreter of the Broadway and popular songbook, and she captivated me completely with her performance last week.

Obvious highlights from her show included soaring renditions of her signature songs – “Meadowlark” from the maligned The Baker’s Wife, the moving anthem “The Story Goes On” from Baby, and of course “Journey to the Past” from the animated film Anastasia. All three of which thoroughly captured my imagination. The riches continued with clarion, movingly unadorned takes on a couple of Sondheim gems, particularly the immortal “Send in the Clowns”, as well as a mashup of “Old Friends” and “Like It Was” from Merrily We Roll Along. The curve ball of the night was Carly Simon’s “Comin’ Around Again”, which Ms. Callaway imbued with touching honesty. Other highlights were inspired by the act of singing – the show-stopping Sondheim parody “Another Hundred Lyrics” (after “Another Hundred People” and “Getting Married Today” from Company) and the rousing closing medley. A class act through and through.