Cabaret Review by Ron Fassler . . . .
Last night on the tiny stage at 54 Below, that giant of a cabaret icon Marilyn Maye removed a sheet of paper off a music stand and told her sold-out audience, “You never read your lyrics, you learn them. (a beat) Until you’re ninety-six.”
The crowd roared and Marilyn, as always, had them in the palm of her hand. Reading some original lyrics set to Jerry Herman’s famous anthem from La Cage Aux Folles, she declared, “Whatever my age, I’m still here onstage holding this page, singing I am what I am.” Even if she’s breaking a cardinal rule, you have to hand it to her that she’s still trying out new material after more than seventy-five years of performing. Forever kicking her leg high on her own personal anthem, the Herman confessional “It’s Today,” rings as resoundingly as ever. Ageless and wonderous, I’ve lost count now of how many times I’ve seen her. But if there’s anything to accomplish in writing yet another rave review, perhaps it’s to get someone who’s never thrilled to being in her company to purchase tickets to see her whenever and wherever she’s playing. There’s Friday April 12th and all next week between the 14th and 20th and extended dates May 2, 5 and 6 to catch her at 54 Below, so make those reservations now!
Backed by her musical director of eighteen years, Tedd Firth, brilliant in his own right, and the faithful Tom Hubbard on bass and Mark McLean on drums, presents an alchemy which makes for some beautiful music. When Marilyn scatted her way through the ingenious arrangement of Lerner and Loewe’s “On the Street Where You Live,” it raised a fever in the room. Following it with “Get Me to the Church On Time,” another My Fair Lady gem, she performed at such a quick tempo I was worried a cop would come into the club and cite her with a speeding ticket.
The theme of the show this time around was Broadway. All the songs, save her final one (“That’s What Friends Are For,” come from big time musicals. As someone who is still waiting to make her debut in a musical in a theatre between 41st (the Nederlander) and 53rd (the Broadway), she’s perfectly fine settling for 54th Street. Although she played the great dames in Mame and Hello, Dolly! regionally, for whatever reason, she’s never strutted her stuff in a big Broadway house. Jokingly, she suggested to the audience she should have titled the show “Never on Broadway.” To that I would say, never say never.
In addition to Jerry Herman, she gave us Stephen Sondheim, Harold Arlen, Frank Loesser, Burton Lane, John Kander, … a treasure of treats all with her signature stamp of originality in phrasing and interpreting lyrics by the likes of Johnny Mercer, Howard Dietz and the aforementioned Alan Jay Lerner. What style, what grace, what humor! As I’ve often written, she conducts a master class each and every time that defines who she is in her heart and soul (she is still teaching regularly). Indefatigable and seemingly defying time, the wonder is not that she’s still doing it but that she’s still doing it so well.
But that’s what you get when you put in the hours. As the old saying goes, she’s forgotten more than most of us know. It’s in the true nature of giving that she’s committed to memory the many life lessons she shares without ego or remorse. And those songs! She keeps the flame lit to insure a life for the Great American songbook and there’s no better keeper of the flame.
Marilyn Maye’s engagement at 54 Below, continues April 14-20 and has extended dates May 2, 5 and 6.. For further information, go to www.54Below.org.
Photos: Ron Fassler
