Review: 'ONE NIGHT ONLY' AN EVENING WITH THE LEGENDARY JENNIFER HOLLIDAY at Roxy's Cabaret Minneapolis

Jennifer Holliday spent Monday evening at Roxy’s Cabaret in Minneapolis, giving the audience an opportunity to hear stories from her career and, of course, hear that unmistakable voice live.

One Night Only: An Evening With the Legendary Jennifer Holliday was not a typical concert. Much of the evening was spent talking with Holliday and hearing her look back on some of the experiences that have shaped her career. She shared stories from her time in show business, including her experience appearing on Ally McBeal, giving the audience a side of her career that isn't always part of the conversation when discussing her Broadway work.

Music was still an important part of the night. Holliday performed a few songs from Dreamgirls, the show that made her famous for her portrayal of Effie White. Hearing her perform material from the musical was naturally one of the highlights, especially given her history with the original Broadway production.

But the evening wasn't built around Dreamgirls alone. The songs were mixed in with conversation, stories and memories from Holliday's career, making the event feel more like getting to know the performer behind some of Broadway's most memorable performances.

There was something particularly nice about experiencing this in a smaller cabaret setting. Instead of watching Holliday from a large theater, the audience was right there with her as she talked about her experiences and then stepped into the music.

Holliday's career has taken her from Broadway to television and beyond, and hearing her talk about those different experiences gave the evening plenty of variety. The Ally McBeal stories were a fun reminder that her career has reached audiences well outside of the theater world.

And when she sang, there was no mistaking why her voice has remained so memorable. The Dreamgirls songs connected the evening back to the role that became such an important part of her career, while the conversation surrounding them gave the audience a chance to hear the stories behind the performer.

It was a relaxed evening of music, memories and conversation, and a rare chance for Minneapolis audiences to spend time with a true Broadway legend in such an intimate setting.