Carpenter & Wynn a Winning Team @ Sterling's

 

Doug Carpenter and Jessica Keenan Wynn, costars of the original Life Could Be a Dream, made their cabaret debuts @ Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's Sunday May 30 in a deliriously entertaining evening of song entitled Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better.

Having performed onstage together in both Life Could Be a Dream and The Last Five Years, they have a really quirky chemistry that is perfect for tunes like "Friendship", "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and the title song "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" from Annie Get Your Gun. From the top they created a sexual tension that was fun to watch, nitpicking and joking about each other's faults in an enjoyable banter, kind of like Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally, but that ultimately proved they would never make the ideal couple romantically - pure platonic friends is what they would always remain. "Wunderbar" was another terrific choice, as they would make a great team in Kiss Me Kate; sparks would fly!

Highlights of the hour-long set included: Carpenter top-notch with "Soliloquy" from Carousel, also with a stunning turn on Kerrigan and Lowdermilk's "Run Away With Me". Carpenter's operatically trained instrument was also used to superior advantage in the duets "If I Loved You", "People Will Say We're In Love" and "Unchained Melody". He exudes the romantic charm of a young Tony Martin or Robert Goulet. Wynn's range is amazing, matching Carpenter's delivery on all the duets mentioned and soloing with a sumptuous "Never Neverland" by Scott Allan, "Song That Goes Like This" from Spamalot and "Cry Baby". She is beautiful and a sparkling performer.

Both Carpenter and Wynn are sensational actors and singers, as well as being as attractive as all get out, so the entire set wisked by in a flash. His theatre schedule is pretty full for the next several months, but hopefully there will be a CD of Life Could Be a Dream and the twosome will return to Sterling's for another round of great singing in the not too distant future. I would also like both of them to consider a solo act, for each incredible talent can more than carry a show.

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