There is buzz and then there is buzz. After reading Michael Reidel's column in yesterday's New York Post, I immediately bought a tix -a cheapie, admittedlly (nearly 80 bucks for a nose bleed) to catch Hugh Jackman's concert series.
Jackman came to the world's attention singing "Oh, What A beautiful Morning" in London's West end, and continued with a legendary performance as Peter Allen on Broadway's "The Boy From Oz".
I saw neither but I am gonna catch this one. Here's the money quote: "Philip J. Smith, the chairman of the Shubert Organization, began his career as the assistant house manager at the Palace. He saw all the great performers — Jerry Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Lauritz Melchior. But the greatest , he says, were Judy Garland and Danny Kaye. "I thought about them while I was watching Hugh," he says. "He’s in their league."
When the charirman of the Schubert theaters compares a singer to two giants, incomparable stars, there are no options but to check it out for yourself.
What songs can you assume. This is what he played in Toronto:
1. Oh what A Beautiful Morning
2. I Won't Dance Medley
3. One Night Only
4. Soliloquy (From Carousel)
5.Just The Way You Look Tonight
6. Fever
7. Theme From Arthur
8. Don't Cry Out Loud
9. I Go To Rio
10. Tenderfielf Saddler
11. 20th Century Fox Medley
12. Somewhere Over The Ranbow
13. One Before I Go.