By Andrew Poretz***Vocalist Ava Nicole Frances returned to The Green Room 42 recently for one night only to celebrate her new album, The Dream That I See, recorded at the venue in 2024. The young singer, newly 21, is a San Francisco transplant with a growing following hereabouts (which nearly rivals her fan base on 
the West Coast), including stalwarts of the cabaret community, many of whom were on hand for this show. The rising star was accompanied by pianist-musical director Michael Collum, bassist Eric Wharton, drummer Jon Berger, violinist Jon Weber, and guitarist-guest singer Luke-Michael.
Frances has grown even more attractive and poised than when this reviewer first wrote about her in 2023, and at this album release concert, she included additional material to update the 2024 show2. It has been a pleasure watching her progress: she’s been preparing literally since childhood for a life on stage, blessed with a beautiful, powerful and rangy voice. With a wealth of experience and knowledge under her belt, plus the guidance and love of her two dads (husbands Sonny Vukic and Frank Silletti, who’s also her director and costumer), and an excellent band, Frances is a versatile and dynamic performer who wows her audience from beginning to end.
The show had a focus on show tunes, both modern and classic. Frances opened strong, making an exciting entrance on wireless mic from the back of the venue with “A Million Dreams” (Benj Pasek, Justin Paul) from The Greatest Showman. Her voice was powerful, her delivery emotional. This artistic strength would be the hallmark of much of her set. A terrific rendition of “Washington Square” (Bob Goldstein, David Shire, with special lyrics by Marilyn Maye) had Frances singing a bluesy opening with just the bass. The arrangement had multiple modulations, with each modulation upping the intensity by adding an instrument, until the song reached a terrific climax, with a big-note finish. Frances turned to vintage Great American Songbook with a superb, tear-inducing medley of “I’ll Take You Dreaming” (Sylvia 
Fine, Sammy Cahn) and “When You Wish Upon a Star” (Leigh Harline, Ned Washington) that caused many in the audience to reach for a Kleenex.
The songs were introduced by wonderful stories that brought the audience through Frances’ fascinating journey from frustrated theater kid to a couple of rounds of “American Idol.” Her “Idol” story was particularly well-presented with great suspense, as if we were watching it play out over several weeks. Her powerful rendition of “Snow Angel” (Renee Rapp, Alexander Glantz), her final song on the reality show, garnered her first of five standing ovations. (Her many young friends and fans in the audience often squealed like Beatles fans in 1964.)
Guest singer and guitarist, the hyphenated Luke-Michael, took center stage to perform his “Angry At a Man,” with Frances providing harmony. Luke-Michael has 
a gorgeous tenor voice and a terrific, heartfelt delivery. He is undoubtedly someone to keep an eye on. With a Greta Garbo mask, Frances introduced a heartwarming segment celebrating her father Frank’s amazing work with costumes and makeup: a slideshow of incredible transformations of young Ava into various Hollywood and music stars, such as Garbo, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland. She was “Raised like a gay man in the 70s,” she said. She elaborated, to much laughter, “My dad makes the costumes… my other dad shows up.”
A 1970 Linda Ronstadt country-pop hit, “Long, Long Time” (Gary B. White), showed Frances’ surprising facility for country music, for which she has the perfect voice and delivery. This reviewer can imagine her as much a big country star as a Broadway star. Frances performed her own song, the politically-tinged “Four Years of Fun,” along with the devastating “Perfect Little Girl” (Janis Ian), working herself up into a teary emotional state. A final “pass the tissues” moment came with “The Story Goes On” (David Shire, Richard Maltby), with an explosive finish that garnered another standing ovation. Ava Nicole Frances seems destined for stardom, whether on Broadway, the concert stage or beyond. Brava!
Photos by Matt Baker
