Cabaret Review By Melissa Griegel . . . .
54 Below was a veritable who’s who of cabaret and Broadway, as stars packed the house to see Richard Holbrook and the Tom Nelson Trio on February 28th. The sold-out show was directed by Jeff Harnar and celebrated the 24-year collaboration between Holbrook and Nelson. “The show was supposed to be in 2020, for our twentieth anniversary of making music together,” Holbrook explained, “But then the pandemic happened. So we are celebrating 20 plus four in 2024!” Marilyn Maye, Lee Roy Reams, Jim Dale, Lorna Dallas, Linda Kahn, and many other singers and actors joined friends, family, and fans in the audience to enjoy this special evening.
Holbrook began his cabaret career in 1985 performing in cabaret venues across Manhattan including The Metropolitan Room, Don’t Tell Mama, and of course, 54 Below. Holbrook dedicated this performance to sharing his love of New York City with the audience with a set list that included New York tributes such as “I Happen to Like New York”, “Confessions of a New Yorker (Hate-Love New York)”, “A Penny for Your Thoughts, New York”, and “Anything Can Happen in New York”. You can see Holbrook’s affinity for the place he calls home with every heartfelt expression on his face as he lovingly belts out the notes.
The show was sprinkled with stories about his life and his connection to music. “I moved to New York with three goals: to make music, to record an album, and to make my fortune in cabaret. At least I accomplished the first two!” he quipped. A second theme emerged as Holbrook performed pieces made famous from film musicals such Royal Wedding, Easter Parade, Shall We Dance, Gigi, and Lady be Good. Holbrook has previously dedicated cabaret shows to Fred Astaire, Burton Lane, and Richard Rodgers.
The final theme of the evening was of a personal nature. In 2013, Holbrook was diagnosed with cancer of the jaw and had to have a 13-hour jaw replacement surgery. He is happy to announce he has remained cancer-free, but he talked about how scary it was to be intubated for a week and not knowing what was in store for him. “It was very frightening,” he admitted. “I have so much respect for people going through illnesses and other difficult times.” He then sang three songs by Charles Aznavour who, he said, wrote “intimate portraits of unlikely subjects working through their pain”. The piece that resonated the most with the audience was “Quiet Love” and added in the lyrics in sign language as he sang.
The evening was a delightful throwback to the heyday of cabaret music with all the men smartly dressed in tuxedos. Musical Director and pianist Tom Nelson was joined on the bass by Tom Kirchmer and the drums by John Redsecker. Holbrook greeted fans after the show, with a long line of people waiting to say hello and give him a hug. Keep an eye out for his next show announcement; he is a delight to witness.
Photos by Melissa Griegel Photography
