Review: Tom Kitt Puts THE TRUNK SONGS Center Stage at 54 Below

54 Below is a haven for group shows and a heaven for the audiences who love them.  Any given night of the week, a cabaret-goer can find a group show in The Basement, whether it is one of the 54 Below Sings… shows, a benefit for a worthy cause, an emerging artists showcase, or an evening of songs with established stars of the nightclub and theatrical stages.  It is a form of show that the club has mastered, supported, and promoted in its long history of excellence, and on September 8th the room was packed to capacity as Tom Kitt presented THE TRUNK SONGS - the cabaret theater was genuinely SRO (that’s Standing Room Only, to the acronym blind, like this writer).  

For those who do not work in musical theater, watch MGM musicals, or have friends in the musical theater industry, a trunk song is a song written for a musical that was cut from said musical, a song written for a musical that ended its journey earlier than the creatives might have wished, or a song written for any project or occasion that did not push the song up into the wide acquaintance of the general population.  Those songs, in days of old, found their final resting place in songwriters' trunks… or a drawer… or a box… These days they are probably saved on an external hard drive, but, even so, these lost and relatively unloved compositions are still called Trunk Songs, and Tom has tons in his trunk.  That is because Tom Kitt is one of the most prolifically engaged creatives working in the industry today.  Tom Kitt has created musicals based on pre-existing works (like High Fidelity and Almost Famous), Tom Kitt has created musicals born out of the imagination (like the prize-winning Next To Normal and the lamentably misunderstood Flying Over Sunset).  Tom Kitt has written the music, Tom Kitt has written the lyrics, Tom Kitt has written the arrangements.  Tom Kitt has worked with collaborators and Tom Kitt has worked alone.  Tom Kitt is in a constant state of creation, so Tom Kitt’s trunk is overflowing with a wealth of material, material the like of which musical storytellers seek to add to their repertoire.  Tom Kitt also has a wealth of talented friends who joined him in The Basement on September 8th for his generous program of sixteen songs and eighty minutes and, as an observation, one of the nicest parts of the evening was the love shared and felt every time Mr. Kitt said something like, “I would like to introduce my DEAR friend…” or “I’d like to bring to the stage my friend of over twenty years…” Or “This is my son…” - the human connection on Sunday night was prominent and it was powerful.  It made for a rather special, rather intimate evening.

Now, about the musical portion of the production, itself.  There was much to admire, by way of talent on the stage, from a kickass band (can I say kickass on BroadwayWorld?) to an astonishing array of vocal proficiency from the cast.  It was difficult to not get swept up in the quality of the performances, including the quality of Mr. Kitt’s storytelling abilities.  A natural orator, Tom Kitt sat at the keys telling the reasons why certain songs were removed from shows, what songs from upcoming shows were designed to do, and how songs came to be, and came to be trunk songs.  A most affable and engaging gentleman, Tom Kitt has proven that his ability at narration lends itself well to both solo shows and group shows - he is easily one of the most likable people to grace the stage of a nightclub.  In this evening of songs from Next To Normal, High Fidelity, Flying Over Sunset, Dave, a Magic Mike musical, and a couple of new projects titled Bye Bye Bunny and Williamsburg, Kitt kept the atmosphere light, frank, funny, and down-to-earth.  As is the nature with trunk songs, some were better than others, some, it was apparent why they were expurgated, some, it was sad that they had no life (or recording) to which one could look, but whatever the case, song by song, the night was not a disappointment. 

Particular highlights were Elizabeth Gillies’ back-to-back performances of “Washington Boys' Club” (Flying Over Sunset) and “More… and More… and More” (Next To Normal), the preview of WILLIAMSBURG that featured Abby Quinn (put her on your ‘one to watch’ list) and Michael Kitt, who was a quiet delight, and the gentleman himself, Tom Kitt, singing “Why Do I Gotta Be Bugs Bunny” as the legendary Wascally Wabbit himself.   The sheer pleasure of hearing the voices of Brandon Victor Dixon and Derek Klena was worth coming out for, the impeccable prowess of Solea Pfeiffer and Maia Reficco was eye-opening, and watching Kitt and OG Next To Normal star Jenn Damiano was emotionally charged.  And then there is the matter of the continually inspirational Kate Baldwin and Our Lord and Savior Jenn Colella performing, respectively, “Dear Lord” (Flying Over Sunset) and “Getting My Shit Together” (High Fidelity) - this is acting in song at its very best.  Mere words on paper cannot capture the experience of observing these musical monologuists in their natural habitat - it must be seen to be believed.  This was one lucky audience, to be certain.

There are many reasons why 54 Below exists and must continue to thrive but it is nights like this that top the list.  People like Tom Kitt and his troupe of trunk song performers belong on this stage, they belong in this room where magic happens.  Audiences who want to hear the unrecorded, unpublished compositions and their backstories long to commune and revel in the artistry and in the room.  Given the throng of people who flooded the basement for THE TRUNK SONGS and their enthusiastic response, there is reason for all to hope that more 54B, more Tom Kitt, and more of this type of material will come our collective ways, sooner rather than later, but whenever will do just fine - just as long as it does.

The Trunk Songs band was Michael Olatuja on Bass, Michael Aarons on Guitar, Tom Kitt on Piano, Damien Bassman on Percussion, Melissa Westgate on Cello, and Melinda Whitney on Violin.

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

Visit the Tom Kitt website HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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