Christine Andreas

ShowBusinessWeekly.com
By David Hurst

From time to time, all actors and performers experience a terrifying dream wherein they are on stage and are either naked or in a play they don’t know. Christopher Durang wrote a one-act play that wonderfully illuminated this phenomenon called The Actor’s Nightmare, which is now considered a modern classic. Last week at The Café Carlyle, Durang would have been amused to see how the lovely and talented Christine Andreas handled her own version of the actor’s nightmare when her gown for the opening night performance failed to arrive at the hotel. Never let it be said that Andreas is not a resourceful girl. She grabbed her oversized trench coat, rolled up her sleeves (literally and figuratively) and swept into the room looking sexy and confident with nothing more than a sparkling necklace as an accessory. Without a doubt, a London Fog has never been so effortlessly chic.

Andreas’ new show, Here’s to the Ladies: A Songbook of Broadway’s First Ladies is an unusually ambitious collection of show tunes that were first made famous by the likes of Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Gertrude Lawrence, Julie Andrews, Barbara Cook, Angela Lansbury, Helen Morgan and Barbra Streisand. Although she tackles many signature songs, to her credit Andreas approaches her repertoire with a gentle reverence that pays tribute to the influence that these legendary Broadway performers had on her as a child. It is never indulgent and Andreas doesn’t attempt to claim ownership of the material. The arrangements by musical director Lee Musiker are fresh and interesting, and Andreas manages to bring something new to the table in almost every interpretation. The London Fog she wore acted as a blank canvas for her to prove her mettle as an actress with each song. 

Andreas’ voice is a unique instrument. It is a warm, pulsating, throbbing soprano whose bright tones have lost none of their luster since she burst onto the scene in 1976 as Eliza in the 20th anniversary revival of My Fair Lady. If anything, the years have added a burnished, caramel-colored sheen to her sound that is very attractive. The high notes are still there for "Show Me" and "I Could Have Danced All Night," both from Lady. But what is far more interesting is her middle register which she used to excellent effect in "My Ship" (Lady in the Dark), "Will He Like Me" (She Loves Me), and "They Say It’s Wonderful" (Annie Get Your Gun). Her phrasing and diction are superb, as is her pitch and sense of musical line. Additionally, it is enjoyable to see her have so much fun with her material. Her skills as a comedienne are evident in "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" (Leave It To Me) in which she plays a coy gamine, Cole Porter’s "The Physician" in which she’s a socialite and in "A Wonderful Guy" (South Pacific) where she is the all-American, girl-next-door.  

Andreas concluded the evening with "The Music That Makes Me Dance" from Funny Girl and, as an encore, Marguerite’s "Storybook" from The Scarlet Pimpernel, a role that she created on Broadway. In both selections she was fearless, provocative and exciting–everything a cabaret singer should be. Whether in a beaded gown, a trench coat or jeans and a t-shirt, Andreas is a captivating presence to be savored and enjoyed.