By Marilyn Lester**** What fun! Marta Sanders and Leanne Borghesi sure know how to put on a show and leave ’em wanting more. Their Showbroads was a powerhouse of entertainment, as you’d expect from two broads expert in the business of show. But wait; what is a “broad,” anyway? The term dates from the 1930s, applied to a woman who’s independent and assertive. She’s the in-your-face, often sarcastic one—usually in show business—who sings loud, parties hard and dresses to kill. Well, these two classy broads not only brought that definition to comic life, but combined their brassy belts and comedic chops 
to spin out 75 minutes of hip, neo-vaudevillian entertainment. From their opening number, “Who’s That Woman?” (Stephen Sondheim) to their last, “Bosom Buddies/Friendship” (Jerry Herman/Cole Porter), these tunes bookended a trajectory that transformed the two from a duel to a duet, with building affection as the battle of the broads ran its course.
Showbroads was a mini-musical with an arc, crafted by the two red-hot mamas (no, Sophie Tucker was not the last—Google it, kids) with Nathan Cann. The conceit was that Sanders as a seasoned pro agrees to mentor a young-up-and-comer, Borghesi, who enters in a little girl dress and blonde wig. In the light of day, Sanders sees through the rouse and the battle of the broads begins. “Use What You Got” (Cy Coleman/Ira Gasman) sung by both, was followed by Sander’s rendition of “Before the Parade Passes By” (Jerry Herman). The number is usually a perfect broad’s song, an anthem just made for a belter. Counter-intuitively, Sanders delivered it quietly, as a story song, and the moment was magical. Sanders’ rendition pointed up a large chunk of what made the show so compelling: these two big-voiced women know how to use their god-given gift. Unlike the trend in younger singers to start a song at Mach 10 and stay there, both use modulation in their vocal dynamics to shade a song—Sanders with her glorious alto and Borghesi with a range that could reach the rafters. Where both of them sang comically and hilariously broad (pun intended), as called for, on “Besame Mucho” (Consuelo Velázquez), Borghesi’s torchy “Blues in the Night” (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) was a toned-down arc-building triumph that honored the blues-based core of the tune.
Eventually, after a lot of comedic pushing and pulling, the two show broads discover they actually like each other and gloriously sing “What a Feeling” (Giorgio Moroder). Two story song deliveries followed, demonstrating keen acting and interpretive abilities: Sanders’ “She’s a Star” (Serge Lama) and Borghesi’s “Don’t Rain on My Parade” (Jule Styne), which she began in parlando, building to a brassy finish. By the time the two had bonded and cemented their friendship in sweetly and gently singing “Both Sides Now” (Joni Mitchell), it was apparent that a key to their newly found sisterhood lay in the boa. Yes, hilariously, a big reveal was that each possessed a boa bag full of sizes and shapes of an item indispensable to a real, true show broad. The piece de resistance, though, was a gambit of absolute perfection in the show’s finale, with each of the divas carrying fans and sporting Las Vegas showgirl-style headgear. There had been many wonderful props employed throughout Showbroads, but this nod to the showrooms of Sin City was a topper (pun also intended).
The success of Showbroads was owing to a high caliber of talent in all departments. But not the least of these defining factors was an intangible—the chemistry of Sanders and Borghesi onstage. This is a quality of undefinable and mystical proportions, but the two have it, complimenting each other and clearly respecting the other’s abilities. Direction by Nicolas Minas also contributed mightily to the fun and success of the piece. Dynamic arrangements and piano perfection by music director Dana P. Rowe was aided by top-flight musicians, Jamie Mohamdien on bass, Don Kelly on drums and Jim Piela on sax, clarinet and flute.
Leave a Reply