Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Broadway’s MELISSA ERRICO celebrates the femme fatale and all things noir in her cabaret show at Birdland

• By drediman
• February 13, 2023
• No Comments

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, cabaret and musical theater fans wil be able to catch Broadway’s Melissa Errico (My Fair Lady with Richard Chamberlain, High Society, Dracula, Passion, etc.) playing against type by living her femme fatale fantasy at the subterranean Birdland Theater. Entitled A Noir Romance, Ms. Errico’s cabaret act celebrates all things noir, inspiring a set (much of which is featured in her album “Out of the Dark”) that evokes the shadows, desires, and seductiveness of the elusive genre.

Over the course of the evening, the sold out late night audience at Birdland was treated to some fabulous music-making. Ms. Errico was in terrific voice, and the distinctive smokinesss of her voice worked beautifully with the show’s jazzy noir theming. Indeed, her instrument effortlessly wrapped itself around jazz standards like “Angel Eyes” and “Haunted Heart”. Which is not to say that musical theater fans were left uncatered to. Indeed, Cy Coleman and David Zippel’s “With Every Breath I Take” from City of Angels (we really do need a major New York revival of the 1990 Tony-winning musical ASAP) was given a breathtaking rendition, and “The Gentleman Is a Dope” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Allegro was a total delight. 

At my late show, Ms. Errico looked luscious, looking the part dressed to the nines in a glamorous old Hollywoood gown and showing off a sculpted Veronica Lake do. With the invaluable support of musical director Tedd Firth — who led a fabulous jazz quintet — the approachable Broadway star generously, often playfully guided the audience through her love of noir (including a brief educational overview of the genre) and the merits of its escapist qualities.

RECOMMENDED

MELISSA ERRICO: A NOIR ROMANCE
Cabaret
Birdland Jazz Club
Approximately 1 hour (without an intermission)
Through February 14