By Michael Barbieri**** What can one say about KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler that hasn’t been said many, many times over? They are cabaret icons; they sell out every show they present and they’ve entertained more people, both together and individually, than just about anyone in cabaret! Their newest show, Almost Like Being in Love: An Evening of Alan Jay Lerner was yet another sparkling jewel in their collection of fabulous shows and their appearance at The Green Room 42 was packed to the rafters!
Sullivan is a MAC and Bistro Award winning singer who has appeared on countless stages nationally and internationally. She headlined for nearly 20 years at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel, starred in the Broadway revival of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and has made numerous television appearances. She has recorded six albums on the DRG Label and was named Artistic Director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation in 2012.
Nadler is an internationally acclaimed singer, pianist, comedian and tap dancer who has racked up his share of prestigious awards—8 MAC Awards, 3 Backstage Bistro Awards, 2 New York Nightlife Awards and the 2015 Broadway World Editor’s Choice Award for Entertainer of the Year, among others! He’s performed at Carnegie Hall and his Broadway credits include Dame Edna: The Royal Tour and The Sheik of Avenue ‘B’. He has five solo recordings and four with KT Sullivan; his caricature hangs with scores of other famous faces at the famous Sardi’s restaurant.
Almost Like Being in Love was a celebration of composer Alan Jay Lerner’s 100th birthday and the combination of all those glorious songs delivered by Nadler and Sullivan amounted to cabaret perfection!
Opening with “One More Walk Around the Garden” and “You Haven’t Changed at All” from Carmelina and The Day Before Spring, respectively, they segued into Brigadoon’s “Almost Like Being in Love.” Indeed, neither of them had changed at all! Both singers looked and sounded spectacular, alternating their vocals with singing each other’s praises. They reminisced about an early gig in San Francisco, talking over each other playfully and showing the crowd the ease of their musical partnership.
Some of the highlights of the evening included a wonderfully bawdy rendition of “I Could’ve Danced All Night,” (My Fair Lady) in which Sullivan omitted the word “danced” in place of a strong piano chord! She also displayed her gorgeous, lilting soprano on “Here I’ll Stay,” from Love Life, backed by Nadler’s lush accompaniment. And there was a moving undertone of loss and regret in Nadler’s simple, heartfelt rendition of “Too Late Now,” from Royal Wedding. He followed that with Camelot’s “I Loved You Once In Silence,” with his dramatic vocal invoking the heartbreak of finally giving in to a secret love, only to then lose it.
Sullivan showed her flair for comedy with “Mother’s Wedding Day” from Brigadoon, delivered in a silly, high-pitched nasal voice and faux Scottish accent, yet with every word crystal clear! And a true show-stopping moment came when Nadler gave us a spectacular tap dance during his wonderful solo turn on “Garbage Isn’t What it Used to Be,” from the unproduced My Man Godfrey (the show Lerner was working on when he died), complete with Maxie-Fords and buck-and-wings!
Other standout moments included Sullivan’s moving version of Camelot’s “Before I Gaze At You Again,” which she acted beautifully, her lovely voice breaking with emotion, and Nadler’s “What Did I Have That I Don’t Have?”, from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. This number started out a bit jokey, but transitioned into a more serious tone, then built to a huge, emotional finish. That, to me, was the eleven o’clock number of the evening!
Of course, it would be remiss of me not to mention the pair’s fabulous duets, which included “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” from My Fair Lady and the wistful “There’s Always One You Can’t Forget,” from Dance a Little Closer. These numbers were sweet and tender, demonstrating not just the pair’s stage chemistry, but their long, close friendship.
I’ve read that Sullivan and Nadler have plans to bring this show back soon, and if you’re one of the very few out there who’ve never experienced their brand of class, showmanship and stunning musicality, this is certainly one to catch! As they closed the evening with “You’re All the World To Me” from Royal Wedding, it occurred to me that the choice was very appropriate: to those of us in the world of cabaret, KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler mean all the world to us!
Photo Credit, Michael Barbieri
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