By Michael Barbieri***I have never seen a bad show from Lennie Watts! Now, full disclosure: Lennie is a friend and cabaret colleague. Back when I was doing tech, I did lights and sound for many of his shows. I’ve worked with him; he’s been my boss and we have a great working relationship. So I suppose I should admit to a certain amount of bias. Having said all that, I will say that Lennie’s new show, Escape, at Don’t Tell Mama, was very special! He’s always been good, but this show was just… extra!
Lennie Watts is truly multi-talented. In the time I’ve known him, he’s worn many different hats—performer, director, producer, teacher and booking manager of various clubs. He’s been the President of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) and he’s the Artistic Director/CEO and co-creator of Singnasium, a non-profit organization which provides a safe, nonjudgmental space for artists and singers to explore their creative selves. He’s a MAC, Bistro and Nitelife Award winner many times over and has been called “A one-man cabaret army!” by The Village Voice!
For Watts, Escape is exactly that. An escape, a departure, if you will. Indeed, many of the songs performed spoke to change. His selections felt much more rock and pop-based and not quite as reliant on standards or show tunes. Additionally, Musical Director Michael Holland’s arrangements were quite different for Watts—no piano; it was only the phenomenal Michael Holland on guitar and vocals; Ted Stafford on guitar, mandolin and vocals; and Matt Scharfglass on bass.
Watts and “The Escapees” opened with a mashup of “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” (C. Weill, B. Mann) and “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” (Lennon/McCartney). Watts showed great vocal control from the very start, and the entire medley was infused with a spirited 1960s vibe.
I especially enjoyed the interesting and unlikely tempo pickup toward the second half of the number and the terrific three-part harmonies. This led directly into a sensitive rendition of “Dogs in the Yard” (P. McCrane) and “Come Monday” (B. Manilow). And while I wasn’t familiar with the latter song, Holland’s arrangement nailed a fun 1970s feel, which for me, brought to mind the sound of The Doobie Brothers. Manilow’s song was peppered with lyrics like “Hey Bob, I’m changin’ my job, hey man, I’m makin’ a plan, yeah Slim, I’m joinin’ a gym,” all of which also referenced change or transformation.
Many of the evening’s selections took a somewhat humorous approach to the show’s theme: songs like “Someone Else’s Clothes” (J. Robert Brown) and “Face Your Fears” (A. Schlesinger, J. Dolgen, R. Bloom, S. Patel), a rather silly song with a serious message beneath the surface. One of the standouts was a brilliant medley of The Kinks’ “Lola” (R. Davies, D. Davies) and Lou Reed’s “Take a Walk on the Wild Side.” The lyric, “…Plucked her eyebrows along the way, shaved her legs and then he was a she…” fit the show perfectly, with Watts mining the song for some very thoughtfully considered laughs. I mean, talk about change!!
Still other numbers took a quieter, more dramatic approach. From the simple, yet heartbreaking delivery of Sting’s “Fragile” and Queen’s “The Show Must Go On,” to the lovely, wistful “I’d Rather Be Sailing” (W. Finn), these numbers provided a gorgeous balance to the evening. A remarkable moment featured the song “Broadway Here I Come,” Joe Iconis’ ode to dreams deferred and overcoming the fears that come with them. With this particular selection, I realized that Watts’ voice, while always wonderful, seemed to have matured beautifully in the past few years, gaining a depth that’s rendered it better than ever.
One final song note: Watts’ joyful, energetic rendition of “Come Alive” (B. Pasek, J. Paul), from the film The Greatest Showman combined all the best elements of the show—the dynamic vocal, the tremendous, stripped down musical arrangement and the great harmonies from Holland and Stafford.
Director Kristine Zbornik is to be commended for her 
work on Escape. Her touch was light and had Watts using the entire stage, including moments sitting on the piano, which can often look too stagey. Here, it all blended seamlessly with the overall feel of the show. Also, Technical Director Rocky Noel lent a thoughtful, often delicate touch with his lighting cues.
Oh, by the way, Lennie does NOT sing the “Piña Colada” song, but Liza and Truman Capote might make a brief appearance! Don’t ask, just GO!
Lennie Watts hopes to bring Escape back sometime this fall. When he does, be sure to get yourself to Don’t Tell Mama and join him. It’s a trip worth taking!
Photos by Michael Barbieri
