Eric Michael Gillett "Cast of Thousands – Gillett Sings Carnelia"

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                                                                                                                                                                              It's the show of the year that has everyone talking. Eric Michael Gillett has returned, fifteen years after its original inception, with Cast Of thousands – Gillett Sings Carnelia. Clearly, the timing is right. The cabaret and theatre community can't seem to get enough of this one-man show that has been playing to sell-out crowds and extending at the Laurie Beechman Theatre for months. And, with good reason. Gillett's acting and singing are riveting. It's his most powerful performance to date, in an extraordinary cabaret-theatre piece based on the creative story songs of Craig Carnelia.

The show was first performed at the now defunct Eighty Eight's, where it had a successful, award-winning run. In its new incarnation, Eric Michael Gillett revisits the songs from that revue and adds some newer material written by Carnelia over the years. It is all skillfully directed by Arthur Masella, with Jeff Cubeta deftly serving as musical director. Here, Gillett brings a waterfall of emotional nuance; a subtle, good-humored sexiness and an originality to everything he sings, making one realize the crucial role good instincts play in the confessional and poignant analogy of Craig Carnelia's stories with music.

Gillett, who comes from Anaheim, California, and an established background that includes the circus, theatre and cabaret, has built a loyal following over the past two decades by making every song his own with an ease that seems to spring directly from who he is, not somebody's idea of who he should be. He's not afraid to take chances. The culmination of all this is a perfect fit for these life experiencing, reflective songs from the Carnelia catalog. The prolific songwriter has had four shows produced on Broadway and received two Tony nominations along the way (for Sweet Smell of Success - along with Marvin Hamlisch and for his contributions to Studs Terkel's Working). Such is his earnest conviction, that Gillett may be the first singer this observer has seen to make total sense out of the quixotic "Life On Earth." And that's only for starters in this winning show,  which has turned out the be the aforementioned show of the year.

Touching on a bevy of characters from Carnelia's shows, Gillett glides with ease through the wide eyes of a little boy, a housewife, a cowboy and assorted other real-life people we all know – or have once been. At times, the depth of the description is shattering, as on the sadness of "The Picture In the Hall," as one reflects pensively on people you never knew, as you turn life's pages. Other times, it is illuminating or funny as with "Apartment 1-F," where a bug is found in the sink. "Look In My Eyes" is a romantic ode to loving someone. This begins an astonishingly complex journey of love and heartache, from the very first glance to the end of it all, that fuses a powerful medley juxtaposing: "Give Me A Nickel" with "You Can Have the TV," "The Last Forty Years," "Cowboy Waltz" and "Just A Housewife." In lesser hands, this oratorio might have been emotional overkill. Here, it's like reading a book on life, and what can and cannot be. It was as draining as it was exhilarating, and it gave Gillett his finest acting moments in a show that displayed him equally as an interpretive actor and a passionate singer. At times, his baritone soared; other times, his emotions piqued with a fervor that recalled a monologue right out of a work by Eugene O'Neill. Gillett was that good.

A similar flood of emotions crescendoed in a melancholic medley about a boy with a dream, fusing "The Kid Inside," "What You'd Call A Dream" and "Magellan." Again, Gillett hit a home run. The popular song "Flight," with its desperate exhilaration, was blessedly toned down here, and an uplifting reprise of "Life on Earth" closed this commanding show, that can clearly have a life outside cabaret. Few shows over the last decade have lived up to all the hype and acclaim as Cast Of Thousands. Few artists are worthy of the thunderous ovation that closed the evening. Go!

Cast of Thousands has been extended, with shows on Tuesdays, August 2 & 23, Wednesdays, September 14 & 21 & Wednesdays, October 12 & 26. All shows are at 7pm

The Laurie Beechman Theatre is located at 407 West 42nd street at 9th Avenue.
Reservations and information: (212) 695 6909