BWW BLOG: CABARET JAZZ SPRING 2017 - Good Things Always Come in Three's

Jess here. Over the past month, I've had the opportunity to see three shows in the Cabaret Jazz room at the Smith Center in Las Vegas. Entertainers including Betsy Wolfe, Adam Kantor, Chris Mann, and Morgan James graced the stage for packed audiences and brought the crowd members to their feet.

Betsy Wolfe and Adam Kantor, stars of the Off-Broadway production THE LAST FIVE YEARS, performed a variety of music ranging from musical theatre hits to jazz standard classics. The show began with Wolfe's rendition of "Please Like Me," followed by a Kantor favorite, "Shiksa Goddess" from THE LAST FIVE YEARS. The two shared the duet "I Found a New Baby," and then Kantor sang a beautiful cover of "To Make You Feel my Love." Wolfe and Kantor did a variety of other spectacular tunes, including "Miracle of Miracles" from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, "Taylor the Latte Boy," "Anything You Can Do," and "We Can Do Better Than That." Wolfe brought down the house with her incredible version of "Maybe This Time" from the cult classic CABARET. The duo ended the show with the iconic duet from RENT, "Take Me or Leave Me." Wolfe and Kantor are an incomparable team, and their presence at the Smith Center is always astonishing.

Chris Mann is best known for his work as the Phantom in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway. He presented a selection of contemporary music, with a few Broadway classics sprinkled in. Some crowd favorites included "I Got Rhythm," "Pure Imagination," "Bring Him Home" and of course, "The Music of the Night." My personal favorite was his mash-up of "All of Me" by Frank Sinatra and "All of Me" by John Legend. He also shared some of his original works; "Roads" and "City on Fire," both of which were fantastic. Mann's unique sense of humor kept the night lively with jokes and high spirits, which meshed perfectly with his wonderful music. His closing number, an a cappella version of "Over the Rainbow" left the audience in total awe of his many talents.

The most recent show brought to Cabaret Jazz was Morgan James, a singer-songwriter with an incredible range. She presented her new music and along with a few classics. She performed a number of originals including "We Used to be a Good Thing," "Unworthy," "Makin' Up for Lost Love," "Ransom," and "Reckless Abandon." She also threw in some legendary pop rock creations like "Call My Name" from Prince and "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel. Her original pieces reflected the style of the 1960s-70s, which she revealed as her primary inspiration for joining the world of performance. The audience adored her rock-n-roll attitude, and she brought the house to their feet with her finale.

Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center continues to bring unbeatable entertainment to the Las Vegas community. The audiences are always blown away by the skill of the performers, and the variety of acts that grace the stage. I can't wait to see what's coming up next!

"It's the little things you do together, do together, do together, that make perfect relationships" -Stephen Sondheim