Melissa Errico’s new show, The Life and Loves of a Broadway Baby at Crazy Coqs includes many of her covers of classic Broadway hits. She performs them in new, jazzed-up, arrangements, giving them a fresh yet familiar sound. Joined on stage by James Pearson and his band and Isabelle Georges straight from Paris, Melissa delivers a very entertaining and personal show.
Between songs, Melissa shares some stories from the past, reliving some scenes from her childhood and family history, recollecting moments of her personal life, and her roles on Broadway.
Her characters from big hits like My Fair Lady and Les Misérables along with iconic parts in Sunday In The Park With George, Passion, and Legrand’s Amour come to life on stage once again. She briefly mentions her Tony nomination and tremendous recording work she’s done, but her main focus is her work with musical theatre legends, Stephen Sondheim and Michel Legrand. She presents them as opposing influences that formed her as an artist.
The mood on the stage keeps changing throughout the show. From cheeky and playful (Broadway Baby, I Can’t Speak French or Lady Tramp) it goes to lyrical and sentimental (The Windmills of Your Mind or You Must Believe in Spring), and back. As Melissa says jokingly, her show is like an Italian stew: she puts in it the best she’s got. And the audience agrees with her, fully charmed with her voice and eager to hear more.
Isabelle joins Melissa on stage for a few duets. She also treats the audience to a solo performance that combines the best of musical theatre and comedy and demonstrates her impressive vocal range. The final song of the show, ‘You and Me’, also performed by Melissa and Isabelle together, features them tap dancing.
A perfect night out, The Life and Loves of a Broadway Baby with Melissa Errico and James Pearson’s band at Crazy Coqs combines all the best from musical theatre and underground jazz. Don’t miss the next show when this Broadway star is back in town.
