Broadway won’t reopen for a few months, but on May 31, after a season’s hiatus, Ben Cameron’s “Broadway Sessions Beach Party” returned triumphantly to a Monday night slot, now 8 p.m., at the Ice Palace, and what a terrific show Ben and his illustrious guests put on! The singers were Ben, Kelvin Moon Loh and Anthony Fett, and Carly Sakolove; the Maestro was Drew Wutke; and DJ Chuck McTague was responsible for lights and sound.
As in earlier seasons, the dynamite opening number was “Circle of Life,” from “The Lion King,” with Ben and Drew—and Anthony and, from our seats, all of us. For his solo, Drew played and sang a swinging “Over the Rainbow.”
Kelvin started with an upbeat “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” from “Mulan,” with Anthony and Carly as back-up dancers. Versatile Carly gave us “Send in the Clowns,” from “A Little Night Music,” as, in succession and with accuracy, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dame Judy Dench, Patti Lupone, Idina Menzel, Carol Channing, Liza Minnelli, Heather Headley, Adele, Julie Andrews, and Judy Garland. Kelvin and Carly moved us as they collaborated on “All the Wasted Time,” from “Parade.”
Anthony gave us an even-gayer-than-Cher “If I Could Turn Back Time,” with vocal contributions from Drew, and continued, in honor of Memorial Day, with a George M. Cohan medley of a seductive “Yankee Doodle Boy,” clap-along “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” and timely sing-along of “Give My Regards to Broadway.” Show biz couple Kelvin and Anthony shared two love duets, a dulcet “We Kiss in a Shadow,” from “The King and I,” and exuberant “I’ll Cover You,” from “Rent.”
The community got to show off, in the open mic section, with this writer’s “Losing My Mind,” from “Follies,” also the first song I sang at “Mostly Sondheim,” predecessor to “Broadway at the Beach,” itself predecessor to “Broadway Sessions Beach Party;” Rosemary Palladino’s hot “Lot of Livin’,” from “Bye Bye Birdie;” Saline Dijon/John Daminato’s “Someone Like You,” from “Jekyll and Hyde,” and Celine Dion song “All By Myself,” in expert head voice; and Austin’s title song from “Beauty and the Beast,” as Angela Lansbury.
Carly and Ben duetted on “Suddenly Seymour,” from “Little Shop of Horrors;” Carly, Kelvin, and Anthony offered a breathtaking “At the Ballet,” from “A Chorus Line;” and Carly morphed into “Sunset Boulevard”s Norma Desmond, with “As If We Never Said Goodbye.” To close, performers and audience members joined voices for “Seasons of Love,” from “Rent,” as in earlier seasons, with Anthony taking the highest note.
Ben and company: it’s so nice to have you back where you belong!