Cabaret Review by Myra Chanin . . . .
I’ve reviewed restaurants and entertainment in New York and Long Island for over 20 years for various publications, so you’d better believe that there ain’t many people who can kvetch better, longer, and louder than I can, but To Life 4 gave me nothing to kvetch about. It was an entrée to 90 minutes of marvelous melodies with wonderful lyrics sung by four A Number One, Top of the Heap singers. Note: The italicized phrase was written by Lyricist Fred Ebb. I’m admitting from whence it came, lest I be accused of today’s biggest crime—plagiarism—and lose my high-paying job.
To give credit where credit is due, it’s due to Shari Upbin, the pixie who excels at everything she does. She’s a multi-talented Writer/ Director/ Choreographer/ Host/ Performer/ Librettist who was born with show business DNA. I think of her as the Jewess twin of Sammy Davis, Jr. . . . OMG, wait! I forgot! He actually converted and became a member of the tribe! Anyway, Like our Sameleh of blessed memory, Shari was performing on stage at the age of three. Formerly, Shari was also the co-producing partner of Sandi Durell in Broadway’s Sharell Productions. When Shari moved to Florida, Sandi became the editor and publisher of Theaterpizzazz.com, where my reviews appear.
Elliot Weiss, Shari’s pianist and Music Director, is really more like a one-man band. His charts are wonderful—lively, when necessary, romantic when required. He plays that Steinway like he has twenty fingers on each one of his four hands. He’s got great credentials. He’s a Juilliard graduate as well as a composer, arranger, and performer. He proves every one of his talents from the moment he steps on stage and smiles at the audience until the last of his many bows.
The program, of 24 golden songs by the most golden of Jewish tunesmiths and lyricists, includes significant melodies and lyrics by Kander and Ebb, Dorothy Fields, Jule Styne, Comden and Green, Leonard Bernstein, Jerry Herman, Mel Brooks, Marvin Hamlish, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Ed Kleban, Neil Diamond, Lionel Bart, Claude-Michel Schonberg, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick—and some less familiar names who are equally Jewish, and a few songs which Jewish performers turned into hits. They are elegantly performed by the following four attractive, passionate, clever, agile performers who glide around the stage with such grace and ease that you know performing was what each one was destined to do:
- Jinon Deeb—a home-grown Florida native actor, musician, singer, and educator who has showcased her versatility throughout South Florida and beyond, even as a voice on TV cartoon shows, including “Villainous” on HBOMAX. Watching her on stage is a delight. Even when she is “in waiting” she’s completely present.
- Shelley Keelor—an award-winning actress and touring international soloist singing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music and Les Miserable in Concert on concert stages from Orlando to Istanbul. She is a delight to watch. Her interaction with whomever her partner is intense and playful.
- Ben Sandomir—an unbelievably versatile FAU BFA grad who, in addition to being a favorite of Florida casting directors, has written and directed “Nutshow” on TV, and the feature film, Fortune Cookies and Glory. He can do no wrong on stage, with a body moves like it’s half-dancer, half-clown.
- Shane Tanner—another South Florida native who’s starred on Florida Stages for the last 30 years is a tried-and-true performer and a two-time Carbonell winner, who’s toured nationally in Oliver! and Forever Plaid and just starred in Boca Stage’s Wait Until Dark.
For me, one highlight of the splendid program was Shane Tanner’s performance of my favorite song by Jerry Herman, who I consider the most underrated Broadway music maker. Like Sondheim, he’s a brilliant, clever, rhyming lyricist—you walk out whistling his melodies right after you hear them. Tanner sang “I Am What I Am” with such passion that it went beyond being a gay hymn and became an anthem to everyone who’s ever felt like an outsider . . . and haven’t we all.
During the show, Shari asked why so many Jewish composers became so prominent on Broadway. She had three answers, but I’d like to present a fourth. Deuteronomy, in the Old Testament, forbids the creation of graven images, condemning the visual arts; but the rabbis supported the creation of new music for traditional prayers, which were sung during synagogue services. So when Jewish composers arrived in America, they found a new outlet for their melodies on Second Avenue, and it was just a hop and a skip to do the same for the actual Broadway theaters, which became a major outlet for Jewish melodies.
Shari Upbin’s To Life 4—Stories and Music Celebrating some of the Greatest Jewish Entertainers will be performed until February 4 at the Willow Theater at Sugar Sand Park (300 S. Military Trail in Boca Raton, Florida) on Fridays at 7 pm, Saturdays at 1 pm and 7 pm and Sundays at 1 pm. www.sugarsandpark.org/willow-theatre Or call 561-347-3948.
Conceived by Hy Juter Producer – Jupiter Theater Company.
Photos: Carol Kassie
