By Michael Barbieri***“Welcome back to Pangea and welcome back to the world!” That was how director Gerry Geddes introduced the new show by Wells Hanley, Brian Childers and Matt DiPasquale. Presented not so much as a true cabaret show, but more as a free-form concert, these three talented artists gave their appreciative audience an evening of wonderful songs, badly needed in this (almost) post-pandemic city.
First up was Wells Hanley, a singer, pianist and composer who’s worked with an incredible lineup of artists, including Dave Matthews, Wynton Marsalis, Betty Carter and Tom Wopat. Telling us that Pangea was the last place he had performed before the lockdown of 2020, he gave us a quiet, lilting rendition of “The Sound of Music” (Rodgers & Hammerstein). He followed that up with an original tune, written for his friend Moira Danis, called “I See You With My Heart.” Both songs showcased his gorgeous, delicate vocals, and the second one, in particular, had an honest, loving quality that had clearly been inspired by his friendship with Danis.
Hanley then brought up Brian Childers, a recipient of the 2002 Helen Hayes Award for his portrayal of Danny Kaye in Danny and Sylvia: A Musical Love Story. Childers impressed with his clear bari-tenor belt on “New York is Where I Live” (Clyde Lawrence). This song was a travelogue of sorts, which he said had taken on new meaning since the pandemic; while many people had left the city, there were many more who hung tough and stayed! As he proudly exclaimed, “We’re still here!” We also heard his lovely, perfectly unadorned version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s classic “Alfie” and Kander and Ebb’s “Life Is.”
Matt DiPasquale then took the stage, opening with the wistful “Indian Summer,” another original by Wells Hanley. Ironically, this was the last song Matt and Wells had performed just before the lockdown, as part of one of Pangea’s Fabulous First Fridays shows. After expressing his gratitude for venues like Pangea that had weathered the pandemic, he launched into George Winters’ hilarious “Eggs in the Rain,” a sort of patter song about a date gone horribly wrong! George and I were actually sharing a table that night, and unsurprisingly, George got quite the ovation when introduced from the stage! After letting us know that he has no true paternal instincts, DiPasquale gave us a gorgeous rendition of Fred Small’s “Everything Possible,” a kind of lullaby with a message of self acceptance and unconditional love. Finally, grabbing a cane and donning a straw hat, he showed off his verbal dexterity with “Sister Susie Sewing Shirts for Soldiers” (Billy Murray), a campy vaudevillian style tongue-twister that had the crowd in…stitches! (Sorry about that!)
One thing that was different about this particular evening was that, unlike traditional cabarets, this show was done in two sets, so after a short break, the performance resumed.
Some of the highlights of the second set were Hanley’s beautiful “Horizon,” an original piece written for his wife. Childers’ did an impossibly speedy version of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin’s “Tchaikovsky,” a patter song comprised of the names of various composers, originally made famous by Danny Kaye. He also gave us a sweet, wistful medley of “Carolina In My Mind” (James Taylor) and “I Am a Town,” by Mary Chapin Carpenter. DiPasquale showed us his love for New York with a simple, heartfelt rendition of Stephen Trask’s “Wicked Little Town,” from Hedwig and the Angry Inch—the first Off-Broadway show he saw after moving to NYC. He then closed out his selections with Stephen Schwartz’s “Dreamscape,” a number to which he was clearly emotionally connected. To wrap up the evening, Hanley performed a quiet, beautiful version of “Moon River” (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer), which he used to do as a duet with the late, sorely missed Parker Scott.
As directed by Gerry Geddes. the show was loosely structured, yet completely cohesive. And Geddes knows talent—individually, Wells Hanley, Brian Childers and Matt DiPasquale would most certainly perform terrific solo shows. Together, however, they presented nearly two hours of irresistible entertainment. The singers each played to their strengths, and because neither one was on for too long, the show moved swiftly and the pace never lagged!
I feel it’s worth mentioning that this show did not take place in Pangea’s cabaret room; it was actually held in the front lounge. But from the fabulous reaction of the sizable audience, no one minded. I feel there was a simplicity to the show that everyone appreciated—no special lighting tricks, no fancy staging; it was wonderfully casual.
One last note: the response from the crowd, which included notable cabaret figures such as Bistro Awards producer Sherry Eaker, cabaret and theatre critic Roy Sander, drag and theater performer Kevin Joseph (aka Flotilla DeBarge) and the aforementioned George Winters, was so overwhelmingly positive, I’ve heard that these front lounge performances will become a regular event starting in the fall.
So rejoin the world and come to Pangea for some phenomenal live entertainment! We all need it!
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