Larry Littany Litt
"Questions"
"Questions" Love and pain and theater. The classic combination of emotions that create an evening’s cabaret entertainment. Add to the diverse selection of songs a group of singers who bring them to life and you have a winner. Terry Lee King’s current offering at Theater for the New City is just a perfect combination of songs and songsters. Casting from the Lower East Side’s plethora of talent he has pulled together a crew to be reckoned with. Beginning with Domingo Diaz’s mood setting version of Smokey Robinson’s “Acapella” we are on our way to a very personalized contemporary styling. When Maria Lucena finishes her featured solo of “The First Time I Saw Your Face” my heart was in her hands. On a completely different tempo Yesenia Ortiz’s audience thriller “If I Were Your Woman” killed with both belting and a comedy style that had the audience wanting to be her man. Maria Lucena brought Terry Lee King’s ballad “Ain’t It Funny” to audience applause and smiling delight. Lots of dual meaning in this number. “Learning to Fly” is a heart wrenching pop music standard that Sophie Shulman calls to the audience to open our hearts to the second act. It sent me way back in years and the people I’ve known and loved. Sultry voiced chanteuse Lola Lukas tames the heavy metal song “Seven Nation Army” into a lovely political cabaret turn. The only thing missing was the smoke filled room. The cast’s rendition of one of this century’s most beloved love songs “Yellow” from Cold Play had the audience in tears. The cast was winning the battle for audience love. Ebonaya Smallwood read a very serious poem in a moment of artistic diversity. Proof poetry does have a place in contemporary theater. To wrap up the show’s high life was the finale song “Hell
on Earth” penned by multi talented theater artist by Terry Lee
King with music by Pilskills Chefhain. If there is a hell on earth
it wasn’t in Theater for the New City yesterday. We the audience
were treated to a sparkling display of talent. Something to look forward
to. |
| recordings | coupons | publications | classified |