Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Cabaret Roundup: BEN CRAWFORD sings his face off at 54 Below; SUSIE MOSHER and JOHN BOSWELL unleash “Cashino” at Birdland

• By drediman
• August 30, 2023
• No Comments

During these quieter days of late August, I found myself indulging in New York’s vibrant cabaret scene. Here are my thoughts on a couple of these recent nightlife outings.

BEN CRAWFORD: SONGS I LIKE TO SING THAT I HOPE YOU’LL LIKE TO HEAR
54 Below

Fresh off his stint as the final Phantom in Broadway’s long-running but now shuttered The Phantom of the Opera, the big-voiced Ben Crawford got the chance to let his hair down (or take off his mask?) to entertain fans at 54 Below. Appropriately entitled “Songs I Like to Sing that I Hope You’ll Like to Hear” (RECOMMENDED), the singing actor’s one-night-only cabaret act stayed light on the kind of deep confessional that has become the norm (e.g., Jason Danieley’s “Without a Song”, recently at the same venue). Instead, Crawford’s versatile, laid back show seemed mainly an excuse for him to simply sing his favorite songs, I’m sure especially freeing for him after having been practically stylistically straightjacketed at the Majestic. For someone known for his robust baritone, it was a bit of a surprise how many of his song choices veered towards pop, jazz, and funk. That’s not to say that he stayed away from show tunes. On the contrary, songs by Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, Lerner and Loewe, and Stephen Sondheim were sprinkled throughout the set to adequately satisfy musical theater fans. Over the course of the evening, Crawford’s forceful, chameleon-like vocals were ably supported by music director John Coyne on piano and Rosa Avila on drums, allowing the evening to slink along a feel good train of song.

SUSIE MOSHER & JOHN BOSWELL: CASHINO
Birdland Jazz Club

Then down at Birdland Jazz Club, I had the rare opportunity of catch Susie Mosher and John Boswell once again team up to unleash “Cashino” (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). A sort of Kiki and Herb-type act, the show finds Mosher and Boswell hilariously taking on the fictitious roles of delusional cabaret performers Pepper Cole (Mosher) and Johnny Niagra (Boswell). Instead of getting lost in their characterizations, both Mosher and Boswell smartly bring a hefty dose of their own distinctive musical and personal idiosyncrasies to their performances, to inspired results. Together, they furiously bulldoze through medleys that makes Moulin Rouge‘s dizzying mash-up numbers look like child’s play (e.g., Annie the musical matched with songs by Annie Lennox, Chicago the musical meets Chicago the band, “Bettler on the Roof”, etc.). In terms of demeanor, both Mosher and Boswell mesh ideally – she’s a terrorizing, unpredictable force of nature (her unhinged breakdown number is pure comic genius); he’s sweet, occasionally bewildered, and the perfect foil for Mosher’s antics. Altogether clever and whip smart, the duo is invariably always one step ahead of you, which makes their mash-ups that much funnier. Suffice to say, the nearly sold out Monday night audience ate it up, rewarding them with multiple well-deserved standing ovations.