This show may not be more than a gussied-up Las Vegas styled lounge act, but its centerpiece Maurice Hines is a consummate song-and-dance man, an entertainer with a winning personality and an incomparable style that harks back to an era that has sadly disappeared. Famously/formerly partnered with his now deceased brother Gregory, Hines, at the age of 72, continues to deliver the goods that has made him a legend. While his dancing gets a back seat during the first half of his show - a trip down memory lane - in which he talks of his family, career, and his experiences/appearances with such stars as Judy Garland, Lena Horn, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra, he segues gracefully into the more eagerly anticipated and even thrillingly danced portion of the show.
His warmly delivered narrative (written by Hines) is well constructed and serve as a bridge from one familiar song to the next. Polishing up the show on the road before landing at the largest of the New World Stages was a good idea, as there is a slickness to Hines’s delivery and to every musical number, all standards such as “Honeysuckle Rose,” “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” etc. One is easily convinced that Hines is having as great a time performing for us as the audience is in its response.
While giving us glimpses into the racism that prevailed in all areas of show business, including nightclubs and films during the mid 20th century, he also uses the show to make peace with aspects of his past, particularly his 10 year estrangement from his brother.
The memories are enhanced with some lovely projections (by designer Darrel Maloney) mainly family photos of brother, mother and father and of the celebrities with whom Hines has worked. We can credit the show’s director Jeff Calhoun for the expert pacing and genial ambiance that is created. Bringing a youthful edge to the show are the 20-something John and Leo Manzari whose terrific routines bring an additional dynamic. An extra treat is a rotating group of very young tappers. Twelve-year-old Luke Spring stopped the show with his on-point tapping at the performance I saw.
Backing up the entire performance is Sherrie Marcle (drummer) and the The Diva Jazz Orchestra (nine female musicians) that revive for us the era of the big band in full throttle. The setting by Tobin Ost gives the show a sense that we are back at the fabled Paramount Theater on Broadway. A really good feeling for a really good show.
