Review: Come to the Cabaret | Dallas Symphony Orchestra ... Pops... · Review: Come to the Cabaret...
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10/25/15, 7:26 AM Review: Come to the Cabaret | Dallas Symphony Orchestra | Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center Page 1 of 4 http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20151015071527/2015-10-24/Dallas-Symphony-Orchestra/Come-to-the-Cabaret NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS NEWS REVIEWS advanced search Type here to search articles Home Sections Calendar Insider Social Review: Come to the Cabaret | Dallas Symphony Orchestra | Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center All You Need Is the Girl Ashley Brown charms in her debut performance with a sexy-sounding Dallas Symphony Orchestra by Martha Heimberg published Saturday, October 24, 2015 Dallas — Broadway music lovers were treated to a melodiously arranged cornucopia of tunes, from Cole Porter’s "So in Love" to Stephen Schwartz’s "Defying Gravity," in Ashley Brown's Come to the Cabaret, featuring the New York star and the superb Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of upbeat guest conductor Stuart Chafetz.
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10/25/15, 7:26 AMReview: Come to the Cabaret | Dallas Symphony Orchestra | Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
Page 1 of 4http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20151015071527/2015-10-24/Dallas-Symphony-Orchestra/Come-to-the-Cabaret
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Review: Come to the Cabaret | Dallas SymphonyOrchestra | Morton H. Meyerson SymphonyCenter
All You Need Is theGirlAshley Brown charms in her debutperformance with a sexy-soundingDallas Symphony Orchestra
by Martha Heimbergpublished Saturday, October 24, 2015
Dallas — Broadway music lovers weretreated to a melodiously arranged cornucopiaof tunes, from Cole Porter’s "So in Love" toStephen Schwartz’s "Defying Gravity," inAshley Brown's Come to the Cabaret,featuring the New York star and the superbDallas Symphony Orchestra, under thedirection of upbeat guest conductor StuartChafetz.
10/25/15, 7:26 AMReview: Come to the Cabaret | Dallas Symphony Orchestra | Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
Page 2 of 4http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20151015071527/2015-10-24/Dallas-Symphony-Orchestra/Come-to-the-Cabaret
Engaging with theaudience, and clearlyenjoying the skills ofthe orchestra in frontof him, Chafetzopened with a swirlingarrangement ofBroadway music,weaving motifs from"The Luckiest Peoplein the World," "Mame,""Hello, Dolly!" andother memory-evokinggrand-dame showtunes.
Brown swept onto the stage to Chafetz'sintroduction wearing a flatteringly drapedpurple gown with a cape. She sang a terrificarrangement of "Just in Time" and "With aSong in My Heart," melded into a singlethrobbing desire for the beloved, and fillingthe Meyerson's loving acoustical environswith her wide-ranging soprano voice.
In the same way, she blended "Smile" and"Make Someone Happy" into a freshdiscovery of the power of joy and love in ourlives.
Chavetz elicited a super-sexy sound from thesymphony orchestra in the trombone-sliding,hot trumpet-wailing arrangement of songsfrom Chicago. Could we have been in asymphony hall? What a jammin' bunch ofmusicians. Brown joined in the heat with herrendition of "Le Jazz Hot," now outfitted insequins and fringe, and accompanied bythree men in top hats and tales, singing alongand accompanying her every flirty move.
Vocalists Jim Hogan, Joseph Perkins Jr. andDanny Kingston joined Brown on severalnumbers, providing chorus voices anddramatic partners for duets.
Brown originated the title role in MaryPoppins on Broadway, and also starred in the
Photo: Courtesy AshleyBrown
Ashley Brown
10/25/15, 7:26 AMReview: Come to the Cabaret | Dallas Symphony Orchestra | Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
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national tour. Her dramatic skills were evidentin her gently imploring delivery of "Feed theBirds" from that show. She'll be back inDallas at the Fair Park Music Hall nextmonth, playing the Mother Abbess in TheSound of Music.
Chafetz then led the orchestra in arelentlessly cheerful arrangement ofBroadway hits that concludes with the strainsof "All I Need Is the Girl," at which pointBrown stepped back onstage, this time in apink prom dress with her hair swept up.
In "The Disney Medley," she paid tribute toher favorite songs from her favorite Disneymovies, most of which are pretty vapid stuffcompared to the earlier songs, but endingwith a heartfelt delivery of Randy Newman's"You Got a Friend in Me" along with thestrong-voiced accompanying vocalists.
The second act included a nicely staged"Entr’acte" from Ring Them Bells, culminatingin a wedding duet with one of the vocalists.The high point of the evening was Brown'swonderfully soaring "So in Love" from ColePorter's Kiss Me Kate, a practically perfectmatch of song and singer.
In "Love Duets," Brown hit the crescendomoments in "Falling in Love is Wonderful,""People Will Say We're in Love," "Tonight,""Someone to Watch over Me" and severalother songs, moving from one man toanother. Everybody sang the medley withgusto and feeling, but the unfortunate effectwas to dampen the ardor of any single song.
Brown closed the evening with "DefyingGravity," the first-act finale song from Wicked,again accompanied by the male vocalists,and looking smashing in her ultra-glamorousblack gown, as her Dallas audience gave hera standing O. Almost like Broadway.
