The place to be Sunday night was the Cabaret showdown as Glass Mind Theatre presented the kick-off to its third season with a charity gala event Broadway’s Baddest Bitches. Celebrating some of the more monstrous and devious characters on Broadway the cabaret event was presented at the Baltimore Theatre Project’s stage allowing for up-close table seating as well as the more traditional theatre seats for all in attendance. It was a night of celebration, good drinks, and great fun.
Associate Artistic Director Sarah Ford Gorman headed up the event with the hopes of driving the community to contribute to the upcoming season and succeeded in her mission. With over two dozen members in attendance the show proved to be a successful fundraiser.
Featuring music from musicals such as Sweeney Todd, Into The Woods, The Rocky Horror Show, and Annie as well as a half dozen other Broadway shows; the Cabaret drew the audience into some of the biggest, baddest divas and meanies to ever walk the stage. It was a dark celebration for villains and misunderstood miscreants alike; one that kept the evening lively while not being too serious.
The performers may have been few, a total of five plus one pianist, but they managed to wow the audience with their impressive vocal ranges and dark emotions that they imported to the songs. Sarah Ford Gorman took to the stage several times, first for her solo as the witch from Into The Woods singing “Last Midnight.” Gorman gave a stellar haunting and naughty performance with song as well as her solo performance of “Bring on the Men” from Jekyll & Hyde, which left the audience with a sultry sensation of mystery and intrigue.
Gorman then teamed up with Will Carson to play as one of Sondheim’s dynamic duos – Mrs. Lovette and Sweeney Todd, performing “A Little Priest.” The pair took the dark-humored song to a deeper level of evil mingled with hilarity in this performance. Carson gave two stunning solos in the first act bringing the audience to thunderous applause with his rendition of “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha and then with a frighteningly fierce version of “Confrontation” from Jekyll & Hyde.
The audience was treated to the suave style of Laura Malkus who gave a vile and sexy edge to “When You’re Good To Mama” from Chicago. Malkus further showcased a saucy Broadway personality in “Always True To You (In My Fashion)” from Kiss Me Kate.
The duet of the evening was easily won by Britt Olsen-Ecker and Jimi Kinstle with their sweet and moving performance of “It Takes Two” from Into the Woods. This was the only piece that didn’t seem to fit the theme, but it was a nice change of pace from all the villainous songs. Kinstle brought the audience to a fit of hysterics when he appeared on the stage in a red silk cape and began to sing “I Know Things Now” from the same musical.
Olsen-Ecker rounded off the evening of evil with her drunken rendition of “Little Girls” from Annie and then gave us a stunning grounded performance from Follies with the number “Losing My Mind,” where her madness became palpable.
If you missed the fundraiser night fret not for there will be more like it in the future. The important thing to remember is that it’s not too late to check out the up-coming season, which kicks off its first showing of A Midsummer Night’s Dream starting on September 21st. This will be a wild deconstruction of Shakespeare’s comedic classic one that you won’t want to miss.
For more information about the rest of Glass Mind Theatre’s upcoming season: ‘Classics Resketched,’ be sure to visit their website.
