BWW Reviews: Tracie Thoms is Terrific in Concert at Baltimore's Center Stage

What a way to end the Center Stage Cabaret Series. Baltimore native and Baltimore School for the Arts graduate, Tracie Thoms, rocked the Head Theatre before a sell-out crowd filled with family and friends Thursday evening. Thoms made a name for herself playing the role of Joanne in the film version of Rent (and even performed with the Broadway cast) and now has a recurring role on the CBS television show , "Cold Case."

She attributed her appearance to  Artistic Director Irene Lewis ( it was just reported  that next season will be her last at Center Stage) who "kind of asked me to do this and then told me to do this...I could hear her voice via her email" stated Thoms.

Performing with a strong trio of musicians - Steve Count on bass, Jakubu Griffin on drums, and James Sampliner on keyboards, Thoms' non-stop 90 minutes of entertainment was warmly received by an appreciate audience.

It was a delight to watch Sampliner again. I've seen his work at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and in the orchestra pit conducting Broadway shows like The Wedding Singer and Legally Blonde.

He revealed that Thoms saw his work and his writing partner Billy Porter in Los Angeles when they put together the show "The Soul of Rodgers" for the Reprise concert in September of 2009. He stated,  "Thoms came to Billy about her upcoming cabaret performance in Baltimore and requested some ideas. Billy and I worked on the show while he was in LA and I was in NY using iChat."

What a team they have become. Not only is Sampliner a consummate performer on the keyboard, Thoms gave him credit for the choice of songs and the arrangements. Porter directed the event.

And what an unusual list of music that was presented so artfully by Thoms.  Performing beneath a large amount of stars hanging from the Head Theater rafters, she began with Nina Simone's "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair". Next was Al Green's huge hit song "Let's Stay Together", Stevie Wonder's "All I Do" with a funky beat, and then slowed it down with John Legend's "Ordinary People".

This was Thoms' first true cabaret performance in a theater (she credited Baltimore's Cabaret at Germano's as a test run) but did not demonstrate any sort of nervousness.

Donny Hathaway's "I love You More Than You Will Ever Know"  was met with yells and shouts from her fans.  A song written for Thoms by up and coming composer Jeremy Schoenfeld "Falling Apart" was gorgeous. Sampliner and the Schoenfeld went to school together at the University of Indiana.

The audience showed appreciation for Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me". Leiber and Stoller's gigantic hit song made famous by Michael MacDonald and Smokey Joe's Cafe "Keep Forgettin" was followed by another Donny Hathaway number "For All We Know".

Finally, Thoms went to the Broadway canon doing a wonderful interpretation of Kander and Ebb's wonderful anthem from Cabaret "Maybe This Time".

She then introduced her guest star, Ryan Duncan, who performed on Broadway in Shrek and I was fortunate to see his great performance in the original cast of the huge Off-Broadway hit Alter Boys. Duncan, a long time friend, will only perform one more time, Friday night. Taking his place will be Rodney Hicks performing Saturday and Sunday. Hicks was an original cast member of The Scottsboro Boys and Rent. He was also in the Center Stage production of Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Thoms and Duncan met at Toby's Dinner Theater and performed together in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Duncan did two solos singing the John Legend number "Refuge" and a gorgeous ballad "Going It Alone".

Thoms then returned to the stage in a skin tight green mini-skirt and they did a beautiful duet, Alicia Keyes' "If I Ain't Got You".

 John Legend's "So High" was next.  Then Thoms mentioned her first professional acting gig after graduate school was at Center Stage in Raisin in the Sun.  Then Thoms gave her signature feel to Chaka Khan's wonderful "Ain't Nobody".

For her encore, ushers passed out the lyrics to the hit number from Rent "Seasons  of Love". She commented that since women sing the harmony,  she required the audience to sing along. Duncan returned on stage for a rousing performance. What a great way to end the evening.

If you can snag a ticket, you will be delighted by this wonderful musical evening.

You can even make it a double-header since August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is still playing at Center Stage in Pearlstone Theater.

For tickets, call 410-332-0033 or visit www.centerstage.org.

For comments write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

In the photo: Donald, Tracie, and Mariana Thoms. Photo by Charles Shubow

 

 

 

 

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