The Show: “Bill Bugg and Friends: Songs from the Great American Songbook, Part 7,” a musical revue featuring Birmingham theater actors taking to the stage to sing, at Homewood Theatre Aug. 1-4.
The Singers: Bill Bugg, Kristi Tingle Higginbotham, Jan Hunter, Dana Porter, Stan Nelson, Clint Pridgen, Caitlin Caulk.
The Band: Adam King (music director, piano), Tim Carroll (bass), Chris Byars (drums),
The Highlights: Many of them, from start to finish. Higginbotham is at her best – which is saying a lot – with “That Old Black Magic” and a superb jazz version of “You’ll Never Get Away from Me” from “Gypsy.” Hunter shines with the comic “Bacon” and the poignant “We Can be Kind,” a song she sang more than two decades ago at City Stages that takes on a deeper meaning today. Porter is top-notch with Mr. Rogers’ “Sometimes People Are Good” and the fun “It’s Me.” Nelson, too, shows off his range with the beautiful “Anthem” from “Chess” and the hysterical “I Am Adolpho” from “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Pridgen’s “Hallelujah” is beautiful, and he and Nelson join for a riveting “Found/Tonight.” Caulk handles the difficult task of singing off-key well with “A Word On My Ear” and proves that was just an act with the beautiful “Summertime.” And Bugg’s “What You’d Call a Dream” and “Once Upon a Time” show off his acting, singing and storytelling skills. The band, too, was strong, playing a variety of styles of music throughout the evening.
Bottom Line: Let’s hope there’s a Part 8 and more for this annual get-together of talented friends.
“Bill Bugg and Friends: Song from the Great American Songbook, Part 7,” at Homewood Theatre Aug. 1-4.
