By Michael Barbieri***Amanda Reckonwith was BORN THIS WAY!! And she is indeed a force to be…well, reckoned with!
Anyone who’s read my Drag-tastic column knows that I’m something of a drag connoisseur. And while I acknowledge that lip syncing is definitely an art, I’ve always had a true love of drag performers who sing live. Amanda Reckonwith is, by far, one of the best live-singing drag acts I’ve seen!
Ms. Reckonwith, who has a monthly residency at Pangea, is the hilarious alter ego of David Sabella, best known for originating the role of Mary Sunshine in the 1996 Broadway revival of Chicago. In addition, Sabella has toured the U.S. and Europe with La Gran Scena Opera Company and has been cited as one of the originators of the American countertenor sound in the mid 1990s. He’s starred Off-Broadway in Jules: The Julian Eltinge Story and was the recipient of the 2022 MAC Award for Major Male Artist.
Singing songs made famous by various gay singers and songwriters, this particular evening was Reckonwith’s tribute to Gay Pride. Making her 
entrance in a shimmering silver sequined fringe outfit that matched her shimmering spinto soprano, Amanda treated us to a wonderfully silly, tongue-in-cheek medley of “I Enjoy Being a Girl” (R. Rogers, O. Hammerstein) and Lady Gaga’s hit, “Born This Way” (S. Germanotta, P. Blair, F. Garibay, J. Laursen). Now, not only was this a fun opener, but it was also the perfect message to send in these times when anti-LGBTQIA+ laws are being passed and even the art of drag is under attack.
Throughout the evening, we were regaled with a fabulously diverse collection of songs that were either gay-themed or gay-adjacent. The set included a beautifully sung, yet brilliantly daffy rendition of Puccini’s “O mio babbino caro,” in which the highest notes were hit only by the piano, a sweetly emotional delivery of “Those Come Hither Eyes” (S. Greene, J. Kern), sung as an homage to early drag superstar Julian Eltinge, and a personal favorite of mine, “To Keep My Love Alive,” from 
Rodgers and Hart’s A Connecticut Yankee. Reckonwith’s interpretation of Victor Victoria’s “Le Jazz Hot” (L. Bricusse, H. Mancini) included a final vocal glissando that in my opinion, was better sung than Julie Andrews’ execution in the Broadway version.
Two of the most remarkable numbers, for me, were Amanda’s jazzy take on Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies,” sung rather straightforwardly at first, but which then swerved into a scat section that showed me a new side to Sabella’s talents. The scatting was skillful, yet humorous, incorporating the phrases “yabba-dabba-doo” and “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!” I’ve never been a fan of scat singing, but I enjoyed this hilarious variation tremendously! The other standout was a frenetic duet of West Side Story’s “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love” (S. Sondheim, L. Bernstein), performed “with” Miss Chita Rivera. Don’t ask!
I should also give a shout out to Musical Director 
David Maiocco, who, for this performance, was filling in for the brilliant, but extremely busy Mark Hartman. I mean, if you need a substitute, it may as well be one of the best in the business!
Sabella’s residency will include different guest artists every month; the show I saw featured singer/songwriter Ben Boecker, who gave us two of his funny, quirky story songs, one as himself, the other as his own female alter ego, Starr Simon. The shows will also incorporate new songs each month, as the Amanda Reckonwith character continues to develop, so audiences will have a different experience with each performance they see.
Reckonwith’s next performance will be on July 15th, with subsequent shows on September 22nd, October 21st, November 18th and December 16th. So make your way to Pangea, or as Amanda calls it, “the Cafe Carlyle of the Lower East Side,” and catch Amanda Reckonwith, the self proclaimed “spent-o soprano” doing what she does best!
Photos by Michael Barbieri
