By Andrew Poretz . . .
This reviewer saw Seth Sikes and Nicolas King’s The New Belters when they first presented it last October at The Green Room 42. It showed promise, but, was certainly a work in progress. Seven months later, the boys personally invited me to take a second look after I saw them perform at The Lineup with Susie Mosher last Tuesday. Their revised show, backed by all three members the “Cast Party Orchestra” (Billy Stritch, Steve Doyle and Daniel Glass), killed. Absolutely killed. The high-energy duo took the most promising parts of the show and made them great, and added some new material and several wonderful musical surprises. This exciting act is a thousand percent improved after six months of touring, rehearsing, and just clicking, with tight harmonies, patter and showmanship. Here are highlights of our second look at the show.
The biggest change is the addition of Billy Stritch. Billy brings so much to any show as an accompanist, especially in a program where he can add his vocal harmonies along with his incredible musicianship. Billy and the trio had solo jazz number (“No Moon at All”) halfway through the show.
Entertainment royalty abounded in the sold-out house, including Michelle Lee, Ron Abel. Lee Roy Reams, Randy Rainbow, Karen Mason and Jeff Harnar.
Many medleys took advantage of these new belters’ respective skill sets. In one delightful bit, when jazz master King taught theater kid Sikes how to scat, Seth seemed far more comfortable with it than at last year’s show.
Mr. Sikes was at his comedic best with his hilarious “gay cruise ship” parody of “Waiting for the Robert E. Lee,” followed by a lovely, moving rendition of a song made famous by Barbra Streisand, “He Touched Me.” Interestingly, Seth noted that this song was originally “She Touched Me,” introduced by Streisand’s first husband, Elliot Gould, in Drat! the Cat! on Broadway in 1965. Seth’s earnest, sweet delivery, well sung and with a big finish, brought to mind a young Robert Morse. When Mr. King returned to the stage, he remarked that this sounded like a “Me Too!” song. “Hey, he touched me!”
Billy Stritch told the charming “full-circle” story of first encountering a very young Nic (age 4 1/2) when Nic’s grandmother, singer Angela Bacari, took him to see Liza Minnelli when Billy was touring with her in the 90s. Liza saw the adorable Nicolas in the front row, in a tux, and brought him up to the stage to sing to him. That was the beginning of Nic’s long friendship with the icon, who ultimately became his show business mentor. The duo became a trio of three men when they sang together on “Back in Business” (Stephen Sondheim).
A terrific “Cities” medley took the show on a tour of Chicago, Santa Fe, and San Francisco before taking “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leaving Soon for New York” (Porgy & Bess), finally declaring, as Cole Porter did, that they “…Happen to Like New York” in three-party harmony.
On Nicolas’s gorgeous rendition of “Too Late Now,” which caused many at 54 Below to wipe their eyes, Billy’s voicings invoked the late, great Bill Miller. He changed the energy right back with iconic Ella Fitzgerald arrangement of “(If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini).” There have been any number of performers who have recreated this challenging arrangement, filled with supercharged scat singing, references to other songs, and rhythm changes, but Mr. King may well be the first man to take it on. He nailed it.
Earlier in the evening, as in October, the boys had performed the Ethel Merman and Judy Garland “Friendship medley” from Garland’s television show. For an encore, they chose the oft-recreated Garland/Streisand medley of “Happy Days Are Here Again” and “Get Happy,” two titles that might sum up this entire evening. Both Mr. Sikes and Mr. King have busy performing schedules separate from one another. They will appear as The New Belters in Provincetown in July (with Billy) and in Cherry Grove in August. When they do work together again in New York, The New Belters ought to be at the top of your list.
Seth Sikes and Nicolas King: The New Belters took place on April 21 and 22 at 54 Below, West 54th Street between Eighth Avenue and Broadway (www.54below.org).
Photos supplied by audience members
