I can't think of a better finalé to Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2010-2011 Cabaret Series season than the impressive Opera baritone hunk Nathan Gunn, whose 4-night O.C. debut set continues in Costa Mesa through this Sunday, March 27. A quick Google-search will tell you that this Opera star was hand-picked as one of People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive in 2008 and that a YouTube video of him singing a duet with Kristin Chenoweth prompted the Tony Award winner to go "he's soooo hot!"
But make no mistake-the man is more than just a handsome face. With a brilliant talent and an affable charm that far outstretched the intimacy of the Center's Samueli Theater (the candlelit venue for these cabarets), Gunn provided a wonderful last shot of testosterone to a terrific Broadway Diva-heavy season that included
Megan Mullally,
Sutton Foster and
Idina Menzel.
Blessed with classic Hollywood star looks (my friend and I both noticed a startling resemblance to a less-scruffy
Russell Crowe) and a moving, buttery-smooth baritone voice that transcends well beyond his roots in Opera, Gunn approached his cabaret set with a knowing wink of his love of musical theater. Accompanied by his wife and comic sparring partner Julie behind the piano, Gunn filled his set with an interesting mix of standards, showtunes and obscure gems, and performed them all with an acting style that was both effortless and sweetly natural. His thunderous Operatic talent was certainly hinted at during the show... but here, he chose instead to highlight his charming stage presence, his undeniable acting skills, and a Broadway lead-caliber voice that's incredibly controlled-a perfect fit for his superb, well-orchestrated cabaret set.
And, man, what a voice! Bellowing when necessary, but quietly confident during softer moments, Gunn enraptured his audience with beautiful renditions of "All The Things You Are," "Just Before Sunrise" (the title track of his debut solo album), a cute-sy "Polka Dots and Moonbeams,"
Harold Arlen's "I've Got The World On A String," and a super-seductive "I've Got A Crush On You." In between selections, the married Gunns banter in the most adorable, beguiling way that only the most talented husband-and-wife show-folks can, even jibbing each other on their ages and their recollections of certain shared stories. Their give-and-take barb-trading became a cute addition to an already entertaining evening. Also joining them on stage are two of his brothers-in-law, forming an admirable back-up band for his multi-genre concert.
A guy born and raised in the Midwest, Gunn sprinkled his set with multiple homages to the heart and spirit of the great American Songbook. Starting with his gorgeous re-imagining of
Tom Waits' "Brian and the Rose," he shuffled through a medley of earnestly-performed ditties that pay tribute to our nation's wide open landscapes-not only for the beautiful imagery they evoked, but also to fulfill a life-long dream of being a cowboy. With "Whistling Down The Wind,"
Cole Porter's fun "Don't Fence Me In," and a pretty "Home On The Range," Gunn certainly made a very strong case for himself to be the next Curly McLain, if ever they do another big Broadway revival of
Oklahoma! He's certainly got the build, the swagger, and the voice for it!
Next, he dove right into a section of music he deemed to be his most Cabaret-like selections (he admitted to doing some extensive research on Cabarets themselves to prepare for these concerts) which included two
William Bolcom tunes: the naughty "Black Max" and the bawdy "George." The songs sandwiched a beguiling love song he seemingly sang directly to his wife called "Over The Piano." Along with Ben Moore's achingly beautiful "In The Dark Pine Wood" and these well-done story-songs, Gunn once again turned on his bewitching charm and showcased an appealing acting ability so entrenched in the best leading men on Broadway. Seriously, folks, get this guy a regular Broadway starring gig already!
Further proof of his Broadway-ready talent was even more evident during his last few songs of the night-a great capper to a fantastic concert set. After tackling a mood-perfect "My Funny Valentine" (the married couple finds the Rodgers and Hart tune to be "the best song ever written"), Gunn performed a few signature compositions from Lerner and Loewe's CAMELOT, a musical that Gunn recently performed in concert with the
New York Philharmonic that was broadcast live on PBS's
Great Performances. Displaying both playful and romantic sides, he crowed confidently through "C'est Moi" before turning on his old-school matinee idol crooning for an excellent, searing rendition of "If Ever I Would Leave You."
As an apparent newbie to the Cabaret, one can't help but think (and hear) that Gunn's efforts here are not only well-executed but also, quite well-suited for this Opera star. Not to suggest that this "bari-hunk" quits his day job post haste, but here's hoping Gunn's powerful, seductive, and gorgeously deep baritone voice and his impressive acting chops continue moonlighting with these type of intimate shows-and, perhaps, even, expand to the lights of the Great White Way.
Photo by Bill Phelps.-----
Nathan Gunn performs at the Samueli Theater at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts as part of the 2010-2011 Cabaret Series through Sunday, March 27, 2011, with shows Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a final show on Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $72 and can be purchased online at
SCFTA.org, by calling 714.556.2787, or by visiting the Box Office in person at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.
The Samueli Theater is located at 615 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.
For more information, visit
SCFTA.org.
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