Cabaret Review by Marilyn Lester. . .
Craig Rubano is the kind of guy you want to clone. Let’s check the boxes: talented, joyful, smart, humorous and charming. Good looks don’t hurt either. All of these admirable qualities were front and center with Take the Moment at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. What emerged from this engaging and captivating show is that Rubano is a man with two callings: the stage and the pulpit. If you also consider a penchant and thirst for education and the seeking of knowledge, make that calling number three (this Yalie even sang one of that university’s Fight Songs, “Bulldog,” written by none other than Cole Porter.
Rubano made his entrance from the rear of the Beechman, deliberately and thoughtfully executing the title song, “Take the Moment” (Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim). Thoughtful was a byword for the arc of this show. It’s been a decade since the singer-actor had been on stage and the musical question “Where Have You Been?” (Cole Porter) was fully answered from the first note to the last, with a well-considered, concise narrative throughout. These two opening numbers set the tone for a very clever and brightly executed show that filled in Rubano’s eventful life over those ten years, with some childhood memories adding an intriguing further back story. Dr. Rubano (yes, he earned a Ph.D. in that time), selected a range of tunes that were far from ordinary, hit the points perfectly—expertly advancing the story, and often delivered a great deal of delicious humor. How many performers have sung “Bill Grogan’s Goat” (Traditional) or “Sweet Zoo” (Jeff Harris) on a cabaret stage? Perhaps only if one had owned a goat, as Rubano has!
Rubano’s acting career began with Off Broadway’s Charlotte’s Web, but his Broadway debut came with Les Misérables” from which he sang “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” (Herbert Kretzmer, Alain Boubil, Claude-Michel Schönberg), demonstrating superb lyric interpretation skills combined with a rich and flexible baritone of operatic proportions. What elevated this “about me” cabaret was the mere fact that Rubano’s journey is honest-to-goodness interesting, if not downright fascinating. Add to this the intelligent thematic overlay at the core of the show. Take the Moment is about just that: examining the choices we make along life’s path, from the boons: “Ordinary Miracles” (Marvin Hamlish, Marilyn and Alan Bergman) to the challenges: “Everybody Says Don’t” to the many emotional ports of call in between.
By the end of Take the Moment, Rubano’s life-to-date journey emerged as one to be celebrated. Lessons have been learned and conclusions are drawn. One of the latter is to boldly face what life has to offer and live it with positivity: “Wick” (Marsha Norman, Lucy Simon), to embrace joyful acceptance: “I Am What I Am” (Jerry Herman) and to always take the moment: “Before the Parade Passes By” (Jerry Herman). It’s not a new notion that theater is holy ground and that live performance can be a church of sorts. As Rubano ended the show with “Just One Person” (Larry Grossman, Hal Hackady) from Snoopy: The Musical, the uplift was palpable as was the call to action. Take the Moment was a sermon as effective as any heard from a formal pulpit, reminding us that for believers, the Creator’s work not only takes many amazing forms but that we all have the choice and the power to make a difference.
On the keys, Music Director Beth Ertz, who’s collaborated with Rubano for decades, was a strong, uber-talent of support. If you check out her resume, you’ll see why. Bassist David Finck on the upright also proved a superb backing musician. His plentiful use of arco/bowing gave a cello feel to the music at key points—a terrific choice given the theme of the show and the musical numbers chosen for it. The show was expertly directed by award-winning Jeff Harnar.
May 19, 2024 – www.westbankcafe.com
Photos: Gene Reed
