There are few things as exciting in this town, darlings, as when a new little girl makes her fresh debut on the Broadway or cabaret circuits. It happened to a kid from Brooklyn named Streisand. And just as theater, that fabulous invalid, is not dead, neither is cabaret. Just because Julie Wilson is gone does not mean cabaret has folded; Barbara Cook, Ann Morrison, Patti Lu Pone, (whose post-"Evita" engagement at Les Mouces made history!!!!!!!!!) Audra McDonald, even TOVAH (Feldshuh, girls!!!!!!) have and continue to ply their craft there.
Now, Amy Schwegel joins their ranks.
Yesterday afternoon, to a packed theater crowd hungry for a young person's success, Amy wowed her audience, and this writer in particular, in ways I could not have imagined. The fresh faced ingenue, whose signature rendition of "On The Other Side Of The Tracks," which I will never forget, has morphed into a singer of womanly maturity, gong from Hayley Mills to Rita Hayworrth in the blink of an eye!!!!!!!!!
Her make-up, hair and dress were fabulous. But the material--oh, my God, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!! Like the song says, where do I start?????????
The material--it was all first rate. There was one song I should know, but am embarrassed to say I don't, and it blew me away; something along the lines of "This Is Where I Belong." Amy demonstrated a range and control even I could not have anticipated. I had a feeling, knowing her, and her name, she would do something with "Getting Married Today," and the rewrite was brilliant, but so was Amy's delivery! Believe me, darlings, it takes practice! I know, because I still have not mastered it, yet, though I do work on it as part of my vocal exercises! The aching poignancy of "With So Little To Be Sure Of" had a gentleness I had never heard; it was as if the entire audience was being caressed by Amy. And, to a point, they were.
But when she launched into "Will He Like Me?" I was floored. "She's gonna sing THAT I thought?" Well, darlings, I cried real tears--it was all there; the yearning, the symphonic underscoring on "There's no hiding behind my paper and pen" that just reduces me to tears--and did. Amy breezed through the song as if she had done it three hundred times.
Were there things I would have liked to have heard? Well, when Amy appeared for an encore, I DID yell out "Ice Cream!" I would also love to hear what she would do with "Another Hundred People."
But that is for Amy's next show, and you can be sure, after such a debut, there will be one! Not like that Susan Alexander, in "Citizen Kane!" I would love to see her at The Duplex! And then work her way uptown to 54 Below!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kudos to Barbara Grecki, Victoria Clark, and Musical Director Don Rebic for guiding Amy to such a stunning showcase.
A chrysanthemum has blossomed, and will never wilt! Amy Schwagel has finally arrived on this town's performing circuit, and those who know her were privileged to witness her revelatory entry!
Now, not just her peers, but the entire Theater Community will fall in love with Amy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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