Review: THE SONGS OF HOWARD ASHMAN Brings Fun to the 9:45 Slot at Feinstein's/54 Below

Rainbow Sun Productions presented an evening of THE SONGS OF Howard Ashman at 54 Below last night and, since everyone loves Howard Ashman songs, Sam Gravitte and Jesse JP Johnson, Broadway World Cabaret just had to be there. Johnson and Gravitte were planed for one song each but the possibility of hearing them sing "One Jump Ahead" and "Dentist!" was lure enough to get us into the club, while the performers previously unknown were absolutely welcome to win over our hearts enough to get us to the next Rainbow Sun cabaret show. And once those butts are in the seats, anything is possible.

The 9:45 slot at 54 Below is such an individual experience, show by show, because there really is no telling what you're going to get. Sometimes the headliner is the likes of Anthony Rapp, and others it's a singing contest, but whatever the show in the 9:45 slot, it's always a casual, relaxed atmosphere designed for having fun. Seventy minutes of songs from Disney musicals and theatrical legend, presented by a production company the focus of which is inclusivity is right in line with the 9:45 slot.

The mission statement of Rainbow Sun Productions is based on the philosophy that all stories shine bright, so creators Eric Scherer and Katie Nail gathered together twenty-one different actors (theirselves included) to perform nineteen different musical numbers from the Menken/Ashman Disney Musicals, Little Shop of Horrors, Smile, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, and a few songs written without score. Each and every one of the actors booked on the bill were talented, beautiful, diverse performers who have earned their spot on the 54 Below stage, in spite of varying degrees of experience and skill set - a group of actors curated with loving care by Nail and Scherer, who shared hosting duties and a script that was easy-going, light on history lessons, heavy on praise of Ashman's legend, and sometimes mercifully brief because, with such a music-heavy program, the clock could probably not have handled much more chatter. The twosome are both delightful in their eagerness as producers and hosts, and though Ms. Nail only performed briefly in two different group numbers, her performance abilities are apparent. As a performer, Mr. Scherer is energetic and enthusiastic, though there is some question as to why he scheduled himself to sing "Be Our Guest" and "Friend Like Me" when, as charming as he is, both songs are beyond his skillset. Still, it's the 9:45 slot, and if Eric was trying a little hard to get on top of these epic numbers, the audience's appreciation for his efforts was heartfelt.

It was difficult to not appreciate such a lovely collection of sweet actors so excited about their job for the evening, from Jed Resnick's adorable puppet-play to Liz Felmming's appropriately emotional paean to Disneyland. Allison Posner's comedy chops were showing and just watching Michael I. Haber in action was smile-inducing. Notably, Carrie St. Louis stepped way out of Ellen Greene's shadow, while Joomin Hwang would have done Angela Lansbury proud - both actors gave memorable performances that make one hope for their own upcoming solo shows.

In an interesting twist, both Blake Zolfo and Noah Zachary gave such tender, introspective performances that, lost in a haze of dreaminess, this writer stopped taking pictures, snapping out of it just in time to capture their final moments, while Danny Feldman and Sean Stephens were sufficiently appealing to capture hearts around the room.

While Salisha Thomas and Dillon Klena did a nice job with "Suddenly Seymour" (especially Thomas), the actors could be offered a piece of advice that many performers should hear and note as well: just because you are singing a duet with someone doesn't mean you have to look at them the entire time. There is an audience that would like to see your faces, and when you remain in profile the entire time (especially in a three-quarter arena), you cut them off from seeing your pretty money-maker. Mr. Klena also took a musical risk in the second verse by going up an octave, a risk that did not pay off, especially in a song so well known and loved.

Klena's was not the only misstep of the evening. Every single performer was blissfully off-book... but people forget lines sometimes. It's ok. It's preferable to watch an actor lose their place, need some help, show their humanity - much better that than read the words in performance. Mistakes happen and are always to be forgiven. So when the delightful Teresa Hui needed Musical Director Drew Wutke to prompt her during her marvelous "Aria For a Cow," it only made her all the more enjoyable. When Mr. Stephens flubbed his lines during "The Straw Boater Rag" and pulled out his iPhone for some help, it was understandable, particularly when he put the phone away after finding his place. When flamboyant Darius-Anthony Robinson mixed up verses of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and cried out "At least I committed to it!" the audience roared with loving laughter. These are all moments of humanity that make the audience love a performer.

Less of a human moment and more of a flat-out mistake is choosing to have a Whiskey after your solo and returning to the stage for the finale, having to practically get down on your knees and read your lyrics off of your phone, which is what Mr. Robinson confessed was happening just before launching into the complicated "Under The Sea." This was the final moment of the evening, the impression with which the audience will leave the theater - an impression that reflects on the actor, their colleagues, the producers, the production, and the club. Those three fingers of bourbon could have, should have, and would have waited until the show was completely over, but Robinson's choice to imbibe came up onto the stage with him, effectively diminishing the favorable impression he had left after his first number.

Top highlights from the evening included Mr. Johnson's "Proud of Your Boy" and a touching moment during which Mr. Gravitte waxed nostalgic about his mother, Debbie Gravitte, having recorded her own version of "Part of Your World" on her first album before hitting it out of the park with his own version ("One Jump Ahead" and "Dentist" will have to wait for another day). The pinnacle of the evening, though, was Arielle Crosby's performance of "Daughter of God," a performance that every singer appearing in a group show should see because every moment of it showed the level of quality that can be given your audience when you come to work prepared - even if your job is just to sing one song in a group show.

This group show, by the way, was the 54 Below debut of four performers, Misses Crosby and Thomas, Mr. Robinson, and charming Ben Tracy, and since Rainbow Sun Productions now has a three-show track record with the club, hopefully, all the splendid actors who appeared in THE SONGS OF Howard Ashman will join them again in future shows, especially Tatiana Lofton, whose brief moments in the Beauty and the Beast song "Something There" were enough to tease the audience with the promise of something more. The next time that Rainbow Sun Productions books into the 9:45 slot, it should be worth checking out to see what Lofton and the rest of the Scherer/Nail troupe have to offer - it will most definitely fit the 54 Below late show, where fun is the order of the day.

Find great shows to see at the 54 Below website HERE.

Visit the Rainbow Sun Productions Facebook page HERE and YouTube channel HERE.

Rainbow Sun Productions was founded by Eric Scherer and Katie Nail in August of 2018 after they had been working together for several years at Actors Reaching Out, a 501c3 nonprofit that Scherer started when he was in high school. The duo had a lot of ideas for projects that didn't necessarily fit with the mission statement of the nonprofit, which is using theater to promote literacy and community outreach. Rather than limiting themselves, Nail and Scherer started Rainbow Sun Productions to be able to explore all of their ideas fully. The company focus is "All stories shine bright", and their goal is to not only bringing ideas to light but working with a diverse range of artists to bring their stories forward as well. Eric and Katie moved to NYC less than 2 months ago, excited to work with artists who are based here.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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