Review: Caissie Levy Makes Lovely Cabaret Series Debut at OC's Segerstrom Center

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Right before Broadway---and, well, the rest of the world---shuttered its doors thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak, Broadway's Caissie Levy had just celebrated her two-year anniversary playing Elsa in the magical stage adaptation of Disney's animated musical hit FROZEN, in a fangirled-over princess role that she originated during its out-of-town tryouts in Denver. Yes, that's her you're hearing belt "Let It Go" on the Broadway cast album.

Fast forward to February 2022, and she has just completed her run as Rose in the recent Broadway revival of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE at Studio 54 and, this past weekend, completed a three-night engagement at Segerstrom Center for the Arts' intimate Samueli Theater in Costa Mesa where she made her OC debut in their Cabaret Series.

And, man, she sounded amazing.

Of course, this should not be a surprise to anyone who has followed her busy career. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Levy graduated from New York's American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in 2002 and immediately booked the role of Maureen in the National Tour of RENT. She made her Broadway debut as Penny Pingleton in HAIRSPRAY in 2006. Two years later, she played Elphaba in the L.A. production of WICKED after spending some time being the Broadway understudy. She then followed this gig with the role of Shiela in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of HAIR which she recreated again for the show's direct transfer to London's West End. She stayed in London to originate the role of Molly in the stage musical adaptation of GHOST, which---surprise!---she recreated again for its Broadway run. Right before she became a Disney Princess, she donned Fantine's rags in the Broadway revival of LES MISERABLES.

Up to this point, I have mostly heard (and, admittedly, fangirled) her second-hand, through cast recordings, televised performances, and the occasional YouTube video (both of the legit and, uh, bootleg kind). I was, however, lucky enough to actually witness her be Elphaba in the extended sit-down production of WICKED at the Pantages Theatre many years ago.

I knew then that to hear her live was something extra special---a fact proven wholeheartedly during my experience at her Friday evening show.

Accompanied by her music director Matt Hinkley---who jumped from acoustic guitar to a grand piano then back again throughout her set---Levy's lovely, powerful, stunning vocals were live and on display for her rapt audience, who were treated to an acoustic, no frills, intimate, candlelit show that was essentially a musical résumé of her past work.

She began the evening with a sassy, acoustic guitar-backed "Take Me Or Leave Me," a reverent nod to her first big role as Maureen in RENT, followed by the song she was asked to sing for her audition to become Elsa in FROZEN, the written-for-Broadway song "Dangerous to Dream," a melancholy "I want" song in the show's first act. Suffice it to say, she proved why she was hired to originate the role on Broadway.

Her vocal prowess was showcased further with a touching mashup of "I Dreamed A Dream" from LES MIS and "I'm Not That Girl" from WICKED. She found it amusing that the current touring production of WICKED was, coincidentally, being performed on stage across the plaza, considering she spent quite a bit of time being that green girl. Her one regret, she joked, about being in WICKED was playing an essentially "downer" character, and not being the bubbly one that got to sing G(a)linda's "Popular"---so she saw this solo concert as an opportunity for he to do so (and it was super cute). She followed it up with a beautiful cover of "Over the Rainbow" from WICKED's inspiration, The Wizard of Oz.

She veered a bit from her résumé to sing a personal favorite, a touching cover of Rufus Wainwright's "The Art Teacher," which was, for me, the evening's most stunning WOW moment. Filled with longing and vulnerability, Levy was transfixing.

Levy then went back into the Broadway pool, this time revisiting her time as Shiela in HAIR with a medley combining "Good Morning, Starshine" and "Aquarius." Man, I can remember having that revival cast album on constant repeat the year it came out, and hearing the original revival Shiela sing these songs in my turf was a real treat.

A pair of charming, original songs from her debut EP were also performed: "Out of the Blue," penned by her husband David Reiser, and "Little Ocean" by composer Eric Hutchinson, which bookended a beautiful "Bring Him Home" from LES MIS---a song that has taken on a deeper, very different meaning for her personally since becoming a mother (and the difficult journey that she took to get there). Also in the repertoire: a soft-jazz "Nearness of You" followed by an excellent cover of Aretha Franklin's/Carole King's "Natural Woman."

The evening climaxes with a pair of belt-tastic songs from GHOST - THE MUSICAL, the show that was a massive hit in the UK but didn't generate the same buzz when it finally made its way across the pond. Be that as it may, there's no denying the caliber of Levy's talent, and there's no better showcase for her vocal chops than what she did with her acoustic recreations of the heartbreaking "With You" and the hopeful "Nothing Stops Another Day."

Naturally, Levy ends the show with the infamous song from FROZEN, "Let It Go" which she beautifully renders to close out her concert. Funny enough, unlike her Cabaret peers, she ended the show without the usual fake leave-then-return for the "encore" ceremony.

"We're not doing that here," she happily declared to giggles in the audience. "I'm sparing you that whole awkward thing and we'll just end it with this and then send you on your way home... and hoping you enjoyed the show."

Oh, we did, Ms. Levy. We did. Thanks for blessing our not-so-little hamlet with your lovely singing voice.

How To Get Tickets

Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2021-2022 Broadway-centric Cabaret Series continues with Tony Yazbeck on March 24-26, 2022. Tickets can be purchased online at www.SCFTA.org, by phone at 714-556-2787 or in person at the SCFTA box office (open daily at 10 am) located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. For tickets or more information, visit SCFTA.org.

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