Will's New York Nite Life

On stage at Don’t Tell Mama, Karen Mason spends a lot of time paying homage to Broadway. This seems especially generous on her part, especially when, viewed from an objective distance, the musical theater has not totally done right by her. She’s never been cast as the original lead in a classic show, but has always been hired as a replacement or an understudy for a name about the title headliner (like Glenn Close in “Sunset Boulevard”). With this solo offering, however, she shows that she can put together a one-woman show to compete with any superstar diva. In the Mama’s set - which one hopes will be extended beyond Mondays in May - she brings considerable freshness to the overdone likes of “Over the Rainbow” and “Somewhere,” but the real standout moments are more contemporary works like “Finding Wonderland” and “It’s a Whole New World,” that no one has ever sung so intimately and movingly - the latter, in particular, made me want to cast my vote in favor of Ms. Mason doing an all Alan Menken show - there’s more depth in these songs than other singers have been able to find. Even though the subject matter of her climactic number, and the title of her excellent new CD, “It’s About Time” (no spoiler alert here, although it is by her husband, Paul Rolnick) led me to fear an overblown anthem, the song is an impassioned and effective closer. Based on her rapport with the crowd at Mama’s, Ms. Mason would appeal to have all the talent of a brand name, Tony-winning diva but none of the ego.

Frankie Manning Birthday Bash 2017

Longacre Theater

The York Theatre Company at St. Peter’s

The Apollo Theater

Lynn Redgrave Theater at Culture Project