By Bart Greenberg***Part infomercial, part Cabaret Convention North, Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea h
eld at the Triad Theater in Manhattan featured a string of top flight cabaret artists who will be appearing at the LTV Studios in East Hampton this summer. Hosted by the charming, if occasionally awkward Donna Rubin and Josh Gladstone, the fast-moving evening certainly offered a maximum of entertainment.
The evening took off with the delicious team of KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler. Offering up the champagne of Cole Porter’s “Well Did You Evah” and “De-Lovely” with scintillating verve. Separately, Sullivan performed a fine medley of New York songs: “Give My Regards to Broadway” (Georg
e M. Cohen) and two more Porter tunes, “Take Me Back to Manhattan” and “I Happen to Like New York,” accompanying herself on the piano. Then Nadler attacked the same instrument with his usual brio with the lesser known “Vodka” (George Gershwin, Herbert Stothart, Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach).
A bit more Porter came from the peerless Natalie Douglas, as she jazzed her way through “Begin the Beguine” for sublime results. In a very different, but just as effective style – Broadway brass –
Marta Sanders declared what she would achieve “Before the Parade Passes By” (Jerry Herman).
Maria Abous brought a soaring soprano to “Waiting for My Dearie” (Alan J Lerner, Fredrick Loewe), filled with the yearning of the lyrics. Maternal warmth was provided by Karen Murphy as she offered a charming greeting to the audience: “Hello, Young Lovers” (Richard Rodgers, Hammerstein). Then the two divas joined forces with the crown prince of cabaret, Steve Ross, for an enchanting “Almost Like Being in Love” (Lerner, Loewe), showing these tunes off to their best advantage.
The delightful stars of the moment, the Kenyan triplets Moipei, who have easily conquered the New York City cabaret community, offered up a fresh and entertaining “Music of the Night” (Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart). Then the delicious team of Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano dueted on two different views of Manhattan: the jazzy “Broadway” (Wilbur H. Bird, Teddy McRae, Henri Woode) and the moody “I Cannot Hear the City” (Marvin Hamlisch, Craig Carnelia), both delivered with their trademark blend of voices. To bring the splendid evening to a close, the fine Craig Rubano sang “The Impossible Dream” (Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion) in both English and Spanish, delivering the unexpected accomplishment of making it sound fresh.
