By Andrew Poretz***There are few cabaret performers more compelling than singer-songwriters Ann Hampton Callaway and Amanda McBroom. They first paired up for their Divalicious! show in 2016, which only last week made its triumphant New York debut for a sold-out, three-night run at 54 Below. The final 
show was livestreamed by 54 Below. NiteLife Exchange was on hand for the second night. The stars were backed on piano by fellow diva (and Ms. McBroom’s frequent songwriting collaborator) Michele Brourman, and by double-bass virtuoso Ritt Henn.
Their considerable strengths complement one another, particularly when singing together. Both fine singers, Ms. Callaway brings her jazz chops and trademark, quick-witted humor, while Ms. McBroom is a consummate actor who commands the stage with even the softest vocal passage. All three women were dressed similarly in black ensembles with sheer, sequined jackets, as if to equalize them. (Mr. Henn also wore all black.)
The dynamic duo opened with “The Glory of Love” (Billy Hill), after which they bowed and said, “Goodnight!,” to much laughter. Ms. Callaway announced that the show would feature “an evening of standards and ‘Amandards’.”
Working alone on “All the Things You Are” (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II), Ms. Callaway demonstrated her vocal jazz mastery with a rubato verse and a swinging refrain. During a scat run, she humorously suggested, “Everybody sing along!”
In the star’s telling of writing for ultimate diva Barbra Streisand, Ms. Callaway did a funny Streisand impression. Streisand loved an instrumental piano piece by Norwegian composer Rolf Løvland called “Heartstrings” and commissioned Ms. Callaway to write lyrics for it for her A Love Like Ours album. The piece evolved into “I’ve Dreamed of You,” which Streisand sang to James Brolin at their wedding. Streisand’s recording gave Ms. Callaway her second platinum-selling certification. The gorgeous ballad has something of an Irish lilt to it. At the break, she sang a sweet, wordless counterpoint to Ritt Henn’s bowed bass solo.
Ms. McBroom performed a pair of songs co-written with Michele Brourman. The lyrics to “Eggs” (‘As in ‘how do you like them?’) are quite clever, but it was Ms. McBroom’s delivery and a well-honed comic timing that made this a sassy zinger of a song. In “Wheels” demonstrated her formidable storytelling skills—using changes in inflection, expressive eyes and gestures, and the presence she holds—to move the listener.
Ms. Callaway returned to sing a medley of Dorothy Fields songs with Ms. McBroom, who told a remarkable story of Fields’ generosity when she had her Broadway appearance (in Seesaw) in 1973. “Romance is important,” the prolific lyricist told her. Ms. Brourman helped with vocals for the first time. At one point in the duet, Ms. Callaway exclaimed, “Oh my God, she’s gonna scat!”, as Ms. McBroom, who earlier claimed she couldn’t do that in a million years, gamely tried her hand at it. By the time the medley reached its conclusion with “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” Ann had Amanda scatting like a pro.
Ms. Callaway soloed with a bluesy “Black Coffee” (Sonny Burke, Paul Francis Webster) from her recently-released Peggy Lee tribute album, Fever: A Peggy Lee Celebration. Ms. McBroom returned for “Information Please,” a wonderfully poignant song she wrote with Ms. Callaway about a lonely little girl who dialed 411 (Information) just to talk to the operator—a concept would likely be lost on anyone under the age of 50.
Ms. Brourman had her turn in the spotlight, singing “You’re Only Old Once,” a funny song she wrote with Ms. McBroom. The song has something of a Randy Newman sensibility. The diva duo became a trio for much of the show’s remainder.
Ms. Callaway performed a stunning, entirely a cappella rendition of “Over the Rainbow” (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg). This is the third time this writer has been lucky to hear this rendition over the years. It is always a show stopper.
If the previous number was breathtaking, Ms. McBroom’s next song, “Carousel” (Jacques Brel, Eric Blau) arrived at nearly breathless conclusion. The evocative song, at first a lullaby, gives the feel of a carousel gradually speeding up to a frenzy.
For the finale, Ms. Callaway and Ms. McBroom held hands while singing “The Rose,” Ms. McBroom’s most famous composition. The now iconic song proved an interesting bookend to the show, as both this and the opening number are closely associated with singer Bette Midler. The harmonies for this powerful anthem were lovely.
Divalicious! is a “divalightful” show that should not be missed the next time it plays New York.
Photos by Maryann Lopinto
Here are more photos from Divalicious! by Maryann Lopinto:
