By Bart Greenberg***Vocalist John Philip brought his considerable talents to Don’t Tell Mama for a show with the slightly convoluted but completely accurate title Positivity Reigns … Say “Yes”: A Celebration of the Pride of Life. The singer has a fine voice and is simplicity personified, a minimalist of small gestures and pure emotions. When the peripatetic Seth Sikes joined him halfway though the show, there was a major shift in energy. SikesPositivity Reigns … Say “Yes”: A Celebration of the Pride of Life occasionally over the top Vegas enthusiasm was well balanced by Philip’s laid back approach. Together, they offered up a perfect team. 
Philip kicked off the evening with a happy declaration by mixing “Today I Love Everybody” (Harold Arlen/Dorothy Fields) and “Old Friends” (Stephen Sondheim). The latter had some extra and specific lyrics by director Marilyn Maye, who did so on several numbers throughout the show. He also offered up a delightful Irving Berlin song, “Let Me Sing a Friendly Song” followed by two celebrations of romance, “This Can’t Be Love” (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart) and “It’s Love” (Adolph Green & Betty Comden/Leonard Bernstein). All of this was delivered with a full supply of joy.
Much more pensive was his memories of first love with a beautifully arranged medley (evidently arranged by the director) of “Summer (The First Time)” (Bobby Goldsboro, “Yesterday, When I Was Young” (Charles Asnavor/Herbert Kretzmer) and “Charade” (Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer). A very human 
moment. Of course, much credit must go to the on stage musicians, David Pearl (pianist and conductor), Michael O’Brien (bass), Rob Garcia (percussion) and Peter Douskalis (guitar).
Sikes then joined Philip on stage for a lively “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” (Eric Idle) and an upbeat version of “Sing Happy” (John Kader/Fred Ebb), complete with some entertaining choreography and gentle ribbing – much was made of their age difference. Philip then yielded the stage to his younger partner for a big medley including “I Got Love” (Gary Geld/Peter Udel), “Whenever I See Your Smiling Face” (James Taylor), “I Love to See You Smile” (Randy Newman) and “When You Smile” (Joe Goodwin/Larry Shay/Mark Fisher). The emphasis on smiling was definitely in keeping with the theme of the show, and the audience was eagerly smiling back.
Then, as a special treat, Maye took the stage to send the evening into the stratosphere. With great joy, she demanded “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” (Charlie Smalls). No one would dare. Then, because she was having such a good time she also offered up one of the great life affirming Broadway showstoppers, “Before the Parade Passes By” (Jerry Herman).
Philip and Sikes took the stage back for the ultimate in positivity with Kander and Ebb’s “Yes” and Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen’s “Accentuate the Positive”. In a dark and troubling world, there wasn’t a single member of the audience that didn’t leave the show in better spirit than when they arrived.
