By Marilyn Lester***Think of Lee Roy Reams, or Nathan Lane or Joel Grey. Now think of them at age 16. There you have Ethan Mathias, a star-in-the-making, who at this tender age has his eye firmly fixed on Broadway. Over several cabarets at Don’t Tell Mama, the cherubically-inclined Mathias has been impressing a raft of attendees now discovering his precocious talent. His show, O
utside the Lines, cannily crafted with director Lennie Watts, exploits both youth and sophistication.
Opener, “One by One by One” (Adam Gwon) from the sung-through musical, Ordinary Days, delivered a one-two punch of talent; it was followed by “Running,” also Gwon, from Hot Mess in Manhattan. Both story songs, they revealed Mathias’ comedic flair and interpretive ability. They’re also age appropriate, part of a set list geared to youth, with the double boon of being “not your grandparent’s cabaret.” The only OG tune in the lot was the Gershwin’s “They All Laughed,” which fit the narrative about Mathias’ long-view aspirations. This is a theater kid, one who’s been performing for a big chunk of his life, and he had his eye on the show-biz prize very early on.
Another smart choice was to keep narrative short and to the point. Without the encumbrance of a formal story, Mathias could be his charming self—and probably for a Gen Z kid (guessing here), cute and amusing, but with a soupçon of the sardonic thrown into the pot. Witness the Great Comet‘s “Dust and Ashes” (Dave Malloy), a particular favorite of his. But there was also a philosophic plus point in “Hope” (Jason Robert Brown) and a beacon of light in “The King of Rock ‘n Roll,” the enduring Elvis Presley and “The Wonder of You” (Baker Knight). With wry humor, Mathias eschewed the “fake encore,” ending the show with a clever medley of “Life on Mars/Rocket Man” (David Bowie/Elton John, Bernie Taupin), which demonstrated his vocal range. Although he’s beyond boy-man voice change, currently Mathias is a bari-tenor, probably headed toward a deepening of his baritone.
Playing a decidedly robust piano throughout, music director Tracy Stark was alleviated of the role of pianist for one song; in a surprise move, Mathias sat at the piano and accompanied himself credibly on the intense story song, “Fred Jones, Pt. 2” (Ben Folds). A few numbers before that, Mathias called his pal Hannah Jane to the stage for a sweet duet of “With a Little Help from My Friends/You’ve Got a Friend” (John Lennon, Paul McCartney/Carole King). In a show that was refreshing, creative and charming, one distraction prevailed: Mathias had a nearby water bottle from which he partook after almost every number. If he were a much older, hard-bitten sort it wouldn’t be surprising to learn the bottle’s contents to be full of Dutch courage.
Ethan Mathias performs Outside the Lines again at Don’t Tell Mama at 7 PM on Wednesday, July 9. don’ttellmamanyc.com
