Everybody’s Girl
Everybody’s Girl
Starring Natalie Cordone
Musical Direction by Chris Leavey
Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park FL</strong>
The new and improved Winter Park Play House begins their Lobby Spotlight series with local favorite Natalie Cordone in this “New York” Style cabaret. After New York style pizza and New York style Chinese and New York style hot dogs, you’ll be interested to discover New York style Cabaret is only 45 minutes long. Thus, there’s no time for fooling around, and the elegant Ms. Cordone entered the room and got right to work. In her flowing silk skirt and pashmina, she offered the show tunes you expect: “Not For the Life of Me” and “Everybody’s Girl” are mixed with self effacing humor, banter with pianist Chris Leavy and gratitude that she’s on her way to an Off Broadway for a gig in NYC. In the middle of the expected, Ms Cordone let loose with the unexpected, a glorious aria for “Carmen.” My Italian nonexistent, all I know is it had something to do with an arrest, and it was wonderful.
After a brief intermission where the crowded room jockeyed for drinks and elbow room, Ms. Cordone returned in a blue evening gown to give us more hits – “Till There Was You,” “Someone To Watch Over Me”, and “Say It Isn’t So”. During thunderous applause, she attempted to sneak away, but an audience brandishing torches and hay rakes demanded her return, whereupon she supplied a tender “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. While the evening was short, it never felt rushed, just crowded. I suspect there will be more crowd control next time, lest the fire marshal gets upset or the bar runs dry. “Everybody’s Girl” is a great start to a very promising series. Who knows, it might even keep this joint solvent.
For more information on Winter Park Playhouse, please visit http://www.winterparkplayhouse.org
