Craig Rubano in Change Partners: Life's a Dance

The Grand Center Cabaret Series

Although he's the classic example of a local boy who has made it big on Broadway, cabaret artist Craig Rubano has never forgotten his St. Louis roots, making frequent visits to his family and even composing some local color lyrics for the Lerner and Lane classic “You're All the World to Me”. Coming from someone with a more mannered stage persona, that list bit might come across as pandering, but Rubano is so ebullient and unashamedly genuine in his communication with the audience that it makes perfect sense. He's having a hell of a good time up there and wants us to know he appreciates our response.

Guileless enthusiasm is not, of course, the only thing Rubano has to offer. He also boasts a supple light baritone, a remarkable ability to communicate the emotional core of every song, and wonderfully eclectic musical taste. In the course of his two-hour dance-themed program, Rubano ranges from 1930s chestnuts like “I'm Confessin' That I Love You” and “The Thrill is Gone” to the lovely “Unexpected Song”, adapted from a Paganini violin Caprice by Andrew Lloyd-Webber for his 1985 musical Song and Dance. He runs the emotional gamut from an unusually tender rendition of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” to Noel Coward's witty “Nina”, and supplements the more well-known tunes with obscure gems like the exuberant “Everything is Possible” from the 1977 flop Nefertiti - a staged reading of which launched Rubano on his musical career.

Almost as fascinating as the songs themselves are the amusing personal anecdotes and fascinating bits of musical theatre history that dot the program. Until now, for example, I was unaware that the melody for that the aforementioned “I'm Confessin' That I Love You” had been blatantly plagiarized by a trio of white guys from an earlier hit by two African-American songwriters, or that the Irish composer Jimmy Kennedy was responsible for such a wide range of hits, from “My Prayer” (with which Rubano brings the evening to a stunning close) to “The Hokey-Pokey”. For me, at least, these little insights are part of what make cabaret such an irresistible art form.

Rubano is backed up by the impressive piano of composer and arranger Alex Rybeck. The art of the accompanist is not always appreciated by audiences who are, understandably, focused on the star, and it would be nice to hear a few more solo breaks from a musician as accomplished as Rybeck. This is a minor quibble, though. Rybeck and Rubano work well as a team and I doubt that anyone left the Sheldon feeling less than pleased by the results.

Craig Rubano will be charming his fellow Gateway City residents with Change Partners: Life's a Dance through Sunday [November 14th, 2004] at the Sheldon Concert Hall; call 314-534-1111 for ticket information. The show will play New York in February of 2005, so this is a rare chance for local audiences to get the jump on their Gotham counterparts. As an added bonus, advance copies of the companion CD are for sale in the lobby, well before its general release next year. All of which demonstrates, once again, that the Grand Center Cabaret is a local treasure. Support it by seeing the show and buying the CD; you'll be glad you did.

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