Review: The Legend of Lena Horne Looms Large at Chelsea Table And Stage

The last of summer’s evenings in September had this reviewer time travelling back to the early part of the 20th Century with Leslee Warren’s new show Light Dark & Stormy - Lena Horne. Musical theater talent Warren brilliantly paid homage to the icon who was Lena Horne - from the famed Cotton Club of  Harlem to the heights of the Hollywood glamour at MGM.  

Perched upon a high staircase in an elegant raspberry strapless evening gown with sparkling accessories, Leslee Warren warbled the famed Cole Porter hit, “From This Moment On” as she descended the steps to the stage below.  Definitely an entrance to remember! Warren absolutely has those powerful yet smooth vocals that do justice to the late, great Horne!  A belting rendition of “The Lady Is A Tramp” from 1937 showcased the tremendous songstress in her element.   

Lena Horne the iconic cool, elegant singer, actress and civil rights activist was merely a 16 year old teenager when she was hired by the renowned Cotton Club as a chorus girl in the midst of the Great Depression in 1933.  Warren glided through this era with a brilliant version of “I’ll Wind” as she explained to the filled to capacity audience of how Horne was truly the family breadwinner for her stage mother, Edna and stepfather during this time as an adolescent. The Cotton Club gave a young Horne insight into the segregationist world of entertainment.  The famed club, known for showcasing many African American talents such as Cab Calloway, Ethel Waters and Billie Holliday among many many others could only be patronized by a white audience.   From a lowly chorus girl, Lena Horne quickly moved into the Big Band era as a lead singer and thus placed herself firmly on the road to Hollywood.   

In 1938 Lena Horne met Barney Josephson, the owner of NY’s Cafe Society, the only nightclub which promoted equality among his racially integrated club.  Dubbed ‘The Wrong Place for The Right People”, people were treated equally despite the racial laws of the time.  Here both White and African American patrons watch performers of all races. It was rumored that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt even frequented Cafe Society.  Leslee Warren’s “Fine & Mellow” showcased Horne’s movement into the world of Blues, with Holliday’s permission to sing one of her signature songs there.  

As World War II loomed its ugly head, Lena Horne stepped into the role of USO singer and pin up girl for the war effort.  She had become an MGM film star, who was the first African American with star promotion. Warren’s delightful interpretation  “I Feel So Smoochie” gave a glimpse into this wartime evolution of Horne.  

Always a fighter, Lena Horne divorced her husband, whom she married to escape her controlling stage mother.   Always the fierce fighter, Horne was led by love as she began relationships with famous and successful men, both black and white, even though until 1948 in California interracial marriages were illegal.  Warren’s performance of “Love” and “Can’t Help Loving That Man” aptly pointed to how films that portrayed interracial relationships were changed for the code.  As a result of this, Lena Horne was not chosen for Show Boat which would have been the perfect vehicle for her talents. By the 1950’s Lena Horne had gone back to her nightclub roots with gusto, while still keeping her hand in some films.

Leslee Warren truly amazed this reviewer with her magnificent vocal portrayal of her idol, Lena Horne.  Warren, herself a musical theater talent,  happens to also possess the same cool and effortless elegance as Lena Horne.  Renditions of well known Lena Horne hits “Stormy Weather” and “Over The Rainbow/ Believe in Yourself” brought the house down with rounds of standing ovations.  What a night!

Light Dark & Stormy - Lena Horne featured the incomparable vocal talents of Leslee Warren along with Musical Director / Piano - Gregory Toroin, Bass - Skip Ward, and Drums - David Silliman.

Learn more about Leslee at lesleewarren.com

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