By Michael Barbieri***If indeed there is a pantheon of legendary song and dance men, you will most certainly find the name Lee Roy Reams enshrined there! In his knockout show at Feinstein’s/54 Below, he proved exactly why he deserves to be there!
Reams’ show, entitled Goodbye, Kentucky! Hello, Broadway! was, for me, a quintessential cabaret act. In fact, what made it work so well was that it was the model of simplicity. There was no band—just the always wonderful piano arrangements from Musical Director Alex Rybeck. Additionally, Reams didn’t rely on vocal histrionics—no riffing or unnecessary modulations—just good, straightforward singing and entrancing stories of his life. And what a life it has been!
Musically, Reams’ song choices were exactly what one would expect from a performer of his caliber. In other words, we were regaled with many wonderful Broadway standards, yet there were a few surprising selections along the way! His delightful opening medley included “Gotta Dance/Broadway Rhythm” (A. Freed, N. Herb Brown), “Change Partners” and “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” (both by Irving Berlin), “I Could’ve Danced All Night” (A. Jay Lerner, F. Loewe) and Dietz & Schwartz’s “Dancing in the Dark,” which featured a terrifically silly sight gag, which I won’t give away… although you can probably guess! We also heard a medley from Finian’s Rainbow (E.Y. Harburg, B. Lane), consisting of “Look To the Rainbow,” sung charmingly with a slight brogue, “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?,” “If This Isn’t Love” and “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love,” in which he punched up the lyrics for a gorgeously comedic effect.
Some of the more unforeseen numbers included the swinging “Johnson Rag” (G. Hall, H. Kleinkauf) and a hilarious rendition of “Y’all Come” (A. Duff), a kicky country piece Reams had performed at the world famous Grand Ole Opry! And yes, Lee Roy did, in fact, yodel for us! Is there anything the man CAN’T do?!
As for Reams’ stories, well, there’s no way I can do them justice. You’d really need to hear him tell them. We heard about his boyhood in Covington, Kentucky and his early dance recitals—accompanied by adorable photographs of him in various costumes. We learned how he was bullied in high school, until he was put in charge of the school variety show, when he found that his bullies were suddenly nice to him! He told of his dance scholarship, partnered with Susie Ficker, who eventually became Suzanne Farrell of the New York City Ballet! He spoke endearingly, and very humorously of his mother, who was known to say, “I had three boys, three girls… and Lee Roy!”
We also heard about his days in summer stock and a stint as a substitute teacher. One of the most appealing aspects of his anecdotes was how open and honest they were. They never came across as 
scripted or rehearsed—almost as if he was remembering them on the spot. We learned, for instance, that the illustrious Mr. Reams has worked with equally celebrated legends, from Juliet Prowse— in an act written by Kander and Ebb, no less—to Lauren Bacall in Applause, playing the first openly gay character in a Broadway show. He starred opposite Carol Channing in Lorelei and the revival of Hello ,Dolly! and danced on many of the biggest TV variety shows, including the Carol Burnett Show!
Some of the finest moments in the show were also the most emotional. After telling us he had played Dolly Levi, in drag, Reams gave us a stirring “Love, Look in My Window” (J. Herman), along with Dolly’s soliloquy—beautifully acted, by the way, and finally a rousing “Before the Parade Passes By.” At one point, he brought up to the stage Rita Gardner, his co-star from The Fantastiks and together they gave us a sweet duet of “They Were You” (H. Schmidt, T. Jones). The most moving moment, however, was Reams’ remembrance of his partner of fifty years, the late Bob Donahue. In his heartfelt tribute, the poignant ballad “If” (D. Gates), Reams’ delivery was so sincere, genuine and loving, there couldn’t have been a dry eye in the house.
The tears didn’t last for long, however. As Reams wrapped up the show with “42nd Street” (H. Warren, A. Dubin), a number from one of his biggest Broadway triumphs, he had the crowd,which included such cabaret notables as Karen Acres, Richard Holbrook, Jeff Harnar and Tree Sequoia, on their feet, cheering him on with a well-deserved standing ovation!
All in all, Goodbye Kentucky! Hello Broadway! was a treat! And Lee Roy Reams is a gem! I was lucky enough to see him in 42nd Street, back in the day, and though it may sound cliche, I remember him vividly! This show gave me a look behind the Broadway glitz and magic, however, and I left the club feeling as though I knew him better. And that, in itself, is magic!
Photos by Michael Barbieri
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