BWW Reviews: Faith Prince Charms Kennedy Center Audience in Solo Cabaret

Put succinctly, the Kennedy Center started off the 2014-2015 edition of Barbara Cook's Spotlight series right. Those that trekked to the venerable venue on Halloween night were treated to the truly sublime and diverse vocal stylings of Tony Award-winner Faith Prince, making her Kennedy Center cabaret debut.

From the song that she's perhaps best known for - Frank Loesser's "Adelaide's Lament" (nicely arranged with Stephen Sondheim's "Broadway Baby") - to the comical "The Boy From" (Stephen Sondheim/Mary Rodgers), and two selections from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's Little Shop of Horrors, she proved she's a master at lyric-driven musical comedy. Particularly impressive to me was her rendition of "Somewhere That's Green." Ms. Prince is no stranger to the role of Audrey - she replaced Ellen Greene after narrowly missing the opportunity to originate it - and her rendition of this song is one of the best I've heard. The varied dynamics she employed and solid interpretation comedic yet meaningful lyrics resulted in a performance that was not only vocally stellar, but one that demonstrated an appreciation for the intent behind the song. Young performers who like to belt the entire song without intent, please take note. A jazzy rendition of "Suddenly Seymour" (together with Musical Director Alex Rybeck on piano) also proved to be a highlight due to her unique vocal spin and carefree stage presence.

While Ms. Prince excelled on the musical theatre numbers (Loesser's "If I Were A Bell," Kander and Ebb's "But The World Goes 'Round," Sondheim's "The Ladies Who Lunch," and Lane/Lerner's "What Did I Have That I Don't Have" were among the other selections), she also showcased her ability to sing pretty much anything else and do it well at that. Whether sharing her Southern roots with "Sweet Kentucky Ham" or how she met her husband with the torch song "The Man With The Horn" (accompanied by her husband and accomplished trumpeter, Larry Lunetta), her vocal control proved enviable as well as her ability to keep the audience entranced.

Whether singing or charming the audience with well-honed but still very natural in-between song banter, she showed the audience why she's had a long career and is one of Broadway's best talents.

Running Time: 75 minutes with no intermission.

Faith Prince gave a one-night-only cabaret performance at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theatre on October 31, 2014. For tickets to upcoming cabarets in Barbara Cook's Spotlight Series, call 202-467-4600 or purchase them online.

Photo: Courtesy of Kennedy Center website.