Review: CLAYBOURNE ELDER at CVRep

CVRep is on fire this summer with a terrific line up of Broadway stars gracing their stage in the form of entertainment our valley is becoming known for: cabaret. 

Part story telling, part stripped-down musical, cabaret is the perfect relaxing evening. While a great play or musical is always welcome, there is often some thinking involved, a deep message wrapped up in dialogue and music. In cabaret there’s no plot to suss out, and more often than not, no message to ponder later. Cabaret is an artiste telling stories about their own lives, or the life stories of other musical artists, punctuated with relevant songs and a sense of humor, and Thursday night, Claybourne Elder showed up and showed out.

Introduced by Artistic Director Adam Karsten as 'one of the nicest guys he’s ever met', Elder opens with Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel before shedding his Mormon nice-guy image to show us a bit of the devil in him. With hilarious tales of growing up Mormon and gay; story times of working with Patti LuPone and Stephen Sondheim; as well as his recounting of his very own “The Play That Goes Wrong” story during a production of Bonnie & Clyde, the packed house hung on every word and every note.

Elder’s storytelling is very close to the new long form standup that tells humorous, real stories, not jokes, with powerful and sometimes hilarious callbacks, as he takes us on a walk not through the park with George, although he does find some frustration with a hat,  but through his life so far - from being raised in Utah, to becoming a full-fledged Broadway star, a husband and a father. 

The stories alone are worth the price of admission—add in his still boy-ish charm, and that marvelous voice of his, and we had a very happy and a very sold out audience that gave him two standing ovations. 

With a tenor that is strong and clear, Elder can tenderly wrap you up in the arms of a lullaby (Hey Kid, Paving the Runway), or command Sondheim’s complicated vocals (Moments in the Woods, Finishing the Hat) with ease. Two other favorites were If the Stars Were Mine and How Glory Goes – honestly it would be easier to tell you the numbers that were just a little less successful. But honestly, I’d just be looking for something.

This show had a moment that was so shockingly funny that half the audience didn’t know what to do with it at first, which delighted Elder to no end as he plowed ahead with a comically sinister version of The Street Where You Live.  

Supporting Elder on keys is the equally talented Michael Sobie who makes a piano sound like an entire orchestra. The two worked seamlessly together creating a very joyful evening. 

Between the two performers, there were a heck of a lot of credits on the stage last night – Broadway, film and television – and this cabaret solidifies why.

Many thumbs up.

CVRep Summer Cabaret Series