By Michael Barbieri****I caught Ira Lee Collings’ show Naked From the Neck Up recently at Don’t Tell Mama. What can I say? There really aren’t superlatives superlative enough to describe this wonderful show and the lovely, self-proclaimed Gay Geezer who graced us with his terrific performance!
Ira Lee Collings is a talented, adorable, inspiring 83-year-old performer who’s been singing nearly his entire life. Born in a small town in Indiana, he eventually moved to Chicago, where he studied at the Goodman Theatre. After three years, however, he moved east to NYC, where he worked in a variety of theatrical jobs, including dinner theatre productions of Pajama Tops and Woody Allen’s Play It Again Sam. He also sang at open mics in piano bars all over the city. In 2013, after a 25 year hiatus from show business, Collings returned to performing, this time in cabaret. Since then, he’s been nominated for a MAC Award and was the 2017 winner of the prestigious MAC Hanson Award.
Dressed in a tuxedo and waving a rainbow flag, Collings sprinted up to the stage at Don’t Tell Mama to a huge round of applause from his nearly sold out house. After pumping his fists in the air, he shouted “Gay Geezer Power!” a fabulous battle cry of sorts and launched into his first number, “Just in Time,” by Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. He struck me instantly as a beautiful throwback to a more elegant time, like a great lounge singer, but without the cheesiness. He was charming, with a wonderfully relaxed vocal style and won the audience over immediately!
Songs like “Comes Once in a Lifetime” (Styne/Comden & Green) and “On th
e Other Side of the Tracks” (Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh) showed his ease with breezy standards, especially in the latter song. As he sang about finding a better, happier life, his delivery of lyrics like “On the other side of that line, where the life is fancy and free, gonna sit and fan on my fat divan while the butler buttles the tea,” were completely believable, especially when sung with a cute touch of camp in his voice!
Collings’ rendition of the introspective “Who Am I?” by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent, demonstrated his vocal power and his ability to get to the emotional center of a song, while “Hold My Hand,” by Jack Lawrence and Richard Myers, was simple and romantic, yet still a bit playful.
He told us that at the age of 83, he’s been saying “yes” more and more, in an effort to experience life to its fullest. This led into Kander & Ebb’s “Say Yes,” sung in a wonderfully offhanded manner, demonstrating his casual positivity. His irrepressible nature came to the fore with the fantastical “An Occasional Man,” in which he painted a picture of his perfect island paradise where he’s got “papayas, peaches, sandy beaches and…an occasional man!”
Throughout the evening, the show had been divided into “chapters,” in what amounted to “The Book of Ira Lee.” Of all the chapters, I’d have to say my favorite was “When Ira Lee Met Owen.” He had placed a personals ad in a local publication, and when first saw his gentleman caller, one song rang out in his head: “Strangers in the Night” (Charles Singleton/Eddie Snyder/Bert Kaempfert). His delivery of this classic was so truthful and romantic, you could feel the love he must’ve felt in that moment. That segued into Robert Freeman’s “Do You Want to Dance,” sung as an invitation to his partner-to-be. The tear-jerking surprise came when he approached the front of the stage and called his partner, Owen, onstage to slow dance with him during a musical interlude. There can’t have been a dry eye in the house. In all my years in cabaret, it may well have been the most romantic moment I’ve witnessed!
“Too Old to Die Young” (Murray Grand), “Mr. Wonderful” (Jerry Bock/Larry Holofcener/George David Weiss) and “Class,” from Kander & Ebb’s Chicago, showcased just how naturally funny Collings is. On the dramatic side, the stunningly emotional “In a World We Never Made” (Lescsack/Watts) and “This is My Life” (Canfora/Amurri) delivered more of Collings’ message of positivity and showed us all the face of a true survivor!
Naked From the Neck Up was a truly remarkable show. Musical Director John M. Cook provided solid, sensitive, clever accompaniment—his musical nod to Singin’ in the Rain, during “Class” was a prime example. Sally Darling’s direction was clean and unobtrusive, allowing Ira Lee to be exactly who he is. And then there was Ira Lee himself! We got to see his playfulness, his romantic side, his more serious side—as when discussing the gay bashings he experienced—and once in a while, his campiness. But regardless of which side of himself he presented, there was never a trace of pretense. His performance was always open, honest and vulnerable. He struck me as a wonderful gay sprite who was there to glow brightly and make us all happy!
In his biographical material, I read that Ira Lee Collings is already hard at work on his next show. I’m sure I’ll be back to see this fabulous Gay Geezer as he strikes again!
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