Amanda Reckonwith Returns – Jubilant

Tonight opera diva Amanda Reckonwith makes her triumphant return to cabaret at New York’s Pangea after a 25 year absence. “How Lovely to Be a Woman” (Lee Adams/Charles Strouse) the glamorous mezzo sings to a packed club of buzzing fans. “I started my career as a lyric soprano, then after the children came…” she wistfully tells us with continental accent. “O Mio Babbino Caro” (Giacomo Puccini- Gianni Schicchi 1918) follows, or everything but the top notes at which the artist pauses and points with ingenuous expression. (In another era, Reckonwith might’ve been a silent screen star.)

“Broadway” (Bill Bird/Henri Woode/Teddy McRae) arrives with palpably infectious pleasure, but when patter includes the word “gypsies,” the performer is admonished by collaborator Mark Hartman. (Whisper, whisper.) The term is no longer politically correct. Well, it’s been awhile. Reckonwith is bewildered but forges ahead with “Gypsy in My Soul” (Clay Boland/Moe Jaffe) replacing the offending word with whatever she can ad lib among them, “gin, Jello, Jezebel, Gentile…”

Irving Berlin’s “How Deep is The Ocean” evokes a who’s-on-first exchange about Christopher Marlowe, the song’s arranger, not a 16th century poet. Vocal exudes love and trepidation; music, a black and white film with waves on the shore, a gently blowing curtain, two martini glasses, cigarette butts. Hands clasped, Reckonwith appears swept away. An extended final note emerges with just a touch of emotional scratch.

Phraseology again corrected, the artist conscripts an audience member for “That Tempting Tango” (Percy Wenrich/Julian Eltinge – The Fascinating Widow 1910): “Don’t scold me, just hold me…” Blushing, the game young man nonetheless follows her lead in a bit of constrained-for-space dance. “One and two and…now twirl…tilt me!” It’s charming.

“He’s No Good” (Cy Coleman/Ira Gasman) is sheer torch; the ballad “Fifty Per Cent” (Billy Goldenberg/ Alan and Marilyn Bergman) immensely touching. Unlike many opera divas, Reckonwith can act. That she does so eschewing Norma Desmond exaggeration for restraint also belies her professional background. We believe. A lengthy piano excerpt from Die Fledermaus Overture (Johann Straus 1874) covers costume change but goes on too long. (The show could successfully be cut by ten minutes.)

Reckonwith reenters bedecked in a gold embroidered jacket, leather bustier, shorts, heels and cap replete with riding crop. She flirts her way back to the stage meandering through tables with an implicitly raised eyebrow. “I vant you to enjoy yourself/But dunt get in my way,” the artist sings with ersatz Cherman dominatrix inflection. A crack of the whip would add. “Chacun a son gout” (Die Fledermaus- English translation Ruth and Thomas Martin, additional lyrics David Sabella).

As guest Chita Rivera is ostensibly stuck on a plane, Reckonwith, now in a black black kimono – “I wore this in Madama Butterfly when she commits Hare Krishna”- sings both parts of tandem duet, “A Boy Like That”/”I Had a Love”(Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim). Clearly able to deliver both roles with Puerto Rican snap, she mines the back and forth for humor, sometimes effective, at others unnecessarily messy.

“It’s traditional to end shows like this (?!) with an American folk song or spiritual.” “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” (Wallace Willis) is braided with “Danny Boy” (Frederic Weatherly) as arranged by P.D.Q. Bach aka Peter Schickele. The first song shows up as music accompanied by priceless facial expression, the second as vocal with side-of-mouth kazoo. Giggles erupt.

Patter about career and celebrity associations is entertaining; repartee with her foil, Hartman, especially so-called word gaffes, handled well by the artist. This is a delightful evening, the multi-talented Amanda Reckonwith is terrific fun.

Direction by David Sabella is top notch.

Photos by Conor Weiss

Amanda Reckonwith Returns
Written Directed and Performed by David Sabella
MD/Arrangements/Piano- Maestro Marco Carouomo aka Mark Hartman
Additional patter by Ira Siff of ‘La Gran Scena Opera Company’

After a sun-screened gig in Puerto Vallarta, Reckonwith returns for residency at Pangea April 15 continuing the third Saturday of every month until December-with Amanda Reckonwith’s Got GAS (favorites from the great American songbook) alternating with Amanda Reckonwith Returns

Pangea
178 Second Avenue at 11th Street

About Alix Cohen (1706 Articles)
Alix Cohen is the recipient of ten New York Press Club Awards for work published on this venue. Her writing history began with poetry, segued into lyrics and took a commercial detour while holding executive positions in product development, merchandising, and design. A cultural sponge, she now turns her diverse personal and professional background to authoring pieces about culture/the arts with particular interest in artists/performers and entrepreneurs. Theater, music, art/design are lifelong areas of study and passion. She is a voting member of Drama Desk and Drama League. Alix’s professional experience in women’s fashion fuels writing in that area. Besides Woman Around Town, the journalist writes for Cabaret Scenes, Broadway World, TheaterLife, and Theater Pizzazz. Additional pieces have been published by The New York Post, The National Observer’s Playground Magazine, Pasadena Magazine, Times Square Chronicles, and ifashionnetwork. She lives in Manhattan. Of course.