By Marilyn Lester***Tradition! So sings Tevye and company at the opening of Fiddler on the Roof—and Norm Lewis has certainly established one of his own at 54 Below. In Norm Lewis: Christmas Lives Here, this extraordinary
, charismatic entertainer has fulfilled the promise of tradition: provided a source of inspiration and a safe harbor for a time in a world gone off kilter. How fortunate to experience him in his 11th holiday residency at the club,
Lewis is a Tony® and Emmy-nominated Broadway, film, and television star. What his resumé doesn’t list is a gold star-award for personality, positivity and kindness of spirit. When he sings, “Why Couldn’t It Be Christmas Everday?’ (Walter Afanasieff, Jay Landers), the agreement is mutual. His set list affirms the notion that Christmas and the Holiday season is a time of hope, peace, joy and love: “This Christmas,” (Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor), “The Most Wonderful Time of th
e Year,” (Edward Pola, George Wyle), “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) and a fun, parody of “Everything’s Coming Up… Christmas!” (Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim) attests to these ideals.
With heart, Lewis makes it clear at the outset that we are all gathered together to have a relaxed, good time in fellowship. His familial, well-crafted and sincerely-delivered narrative supports that ethos throughout the evening. He dedicated “Who Would Imagine” (Mervyn Warren, Hallerin Hinton Hall) to Mary and Joseph, and another set of parents, his own. There were Lewis traditions in the show: the dispensing of the gift bag, the celebration of love in a couple from the audience who were serenaded onstage with “Song in the Sand” (Jerry Herman).
And the costume change into holiday glitz came with guest performer Abel, and a
duet of “The Confrontation” (Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer) from Les Miserables. Married Broadway couple Matt DeAngelis and Christine Dwyer also took the stage for a number, allowing Lewis to leave and change into sparkling holiday glitz.
Amid the levity, there was a pause for a reality check, acknowledging we live in times of a world and country topsy-turvy. “What’s Going On?” (Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye), followed by “Where Is Love?” (Lionel Bart), served as a prayer for change. Re-entering the mood of good cheer, Lewis demonstrated his enormous vocal talent and
gorgeous baritone with a breathtaking “Music of the Night” (Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart), a nod to his star turn as the first Black Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Encore, a deeply-felt “Silent Night” (Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr) offered a mood of wonder, peace and hope for all.
Once again, Richard Jay-Alexander directed, and the great musical director Joseph Joubert played a masterful piano and great arrangements; the synergy between Joubert and Lewis is pure magic. Bassist Marco Panascia and drummer/percussionist Perry Cavari were rhythmically indispensable.
As poet Thomas Tusser observed in 1580: “At Christmas play and make good cheere, / For Christmas comes but once a yeere.” Kudos to Norm Lewis for following such good advice.
Photos by Maryann Lopinto
