BWW Reviews: Versatile Peter Mac Shines Once More @ the Gardenia

Tribute artist Peter Mac, nominated for 4 BWW Awards 2011, left his dresses in the closet November 25 and 26 to present an intimate evening of song at the Gardenia in honor of his favorite composers.Potpourri was almost the title of the show, Mac explained, because the composers as diverse as Harold Arlen and Bobby Darin, who composed the opener and title song "As Long As I'm Singing", created tunes with a mix of styles. Very few impressionists can strip away the makeup and perform as themselves. Jim Bailey did it on occasion, and Peter Mac is following gloriously in his footsteps. Mac has a terrific vocal range, and much, much more... he's sexy and has an aura, a charismatic spirit that never lets down. Anecdote follows anecdote, and he keeps his audience on their toes as they are asked to take commemorative journeys with him. Such TV programs as Dark Shadows and everyone's fav vampire Barnabas Collins played into a couple of his songs. Remember? Those who did not live through the 60s had either collected those delightful Shadows videos like Mac himself or had found themselves entertained by the gothic soap's actors, such as David Selby or Lara Parker, at yearly conventions/festivals. If none of the preceding, you can look forward to the new film starring Johnny Depp as Collins. Mac essayed "If I Can't Love Her" from Beauty and the Beast and really delved into this in depth love that he compared to that of Barnabas and his beloved Josette Dupres.

 

Other highlights of the set included: Al Hoffman's rousing "I'm Gonna Live 'Til I Die", made so popular by Mr. Sinatra; Arlen's ultra-dramatic "Any Place I Hand My Hat Is Home", "When The Sun Comes Out" and one of Garland's favorites, a piece-de-resistance "Come Rain or Come Shine"; Alan Brandt's and Bob Haymes' lovely "That's All"; from Judy's Carnegie Hall concert, this year celebrating 50 years: Lerner and Lowe's "Almost Like Being in Love" and Rodgers' and Hart's "This Can't Be Love", and another stunning Alan Menken tune with Howard Ashman "Proud of Your Boy" from Disney's film Aladdin. Stephen Schwartz's "Beautiful City" from the movie Godspell paid hommage to the slow rebuilding of the Twin Towers in New York. There was a gorgeous lesser known "After the Holidays" by John Meyer, which Garland sang for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show before she passed in 1968, and the dynamic "Birth of the Blues" by Henderson, Desylva and Brown closed the classy 65-minute set, accompanied throughout by fab Brian Miller at the piano.

 

Peter Mac is incredible as Judy Garland and his bevy of other ladies. All by himself ...  he is every bit as engaging and magnetic ...  so handsome, so charming, so knowledgeable, so gifted ... Peter Mac.

 

Don't miss The Judy Garland Christmas Special December 14-17 at the Gardenia with special guests Bea Arthur...among others...shhhhhhh. Can't tell you the rest, just be there!