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Concert Preview: LILLIAS WHITE (Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa)

Lillias_White_at_Segerstrom

by Frank Arthur | January 16, 2020
in , ,

MY WHITE NIGHT

I first saw Lillias White when she made her Broadway debut in Barnum in 1981; I’ve been watching her work for almost four decades since, and I promise you she never fails to blow the roof off the joint (happy are those who saw her “Effie” in the 1987 revival of Dreamgirls). OK, she’s done dozens of shows in New York and on tour, including non-musicals (her soul-stirring work in August Wilson plays is legendary), but her one-woman shows — which have toured internationally — are my favorites.

Next week, the Brooklyn, New York native is headed to Segerstrom Center’s intimate Samueli Theater to offer us songs and stories that have been heard in larger venues such as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center. Along with surprising choices completely rethought in her inimitable style, expect standards from the world of Broadway, film, and jazz. So popular is this captivating chanteuse, that there are three performances Jan. 23-25 at 7:30.

With that particular sort of expressiveness and virtuosity which is native to soul and jazz, White has one of those thunderclap voices that electrifies and illuminates everything it touches (think Izora Rhodes and Martha Wash of The Weather Girls). It was that voice plus her terrific comedic acting that won her the Tony for The Life — plus that great Cy Coleman/Ira Gasman tune “(Getting Too Old for) The Oldest Profession.”

A genuine fusion of Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, and Ella Fitzgerald, Ms. White brings vibrancy and life to every melodic note she sings. She always captures the essence of a dynamic songstress who revels in her love of song. Her heart and soul ooze through every powerhouse ballad. She is able to easily go from one type of song to another with ease and takes her audience hostage with her brilliance.

Always a great artist, always a warm presence. Highly recommended.

photos courtesy of SCFTA

Lillias White
Samueli Theater
Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa
January 23-25, 2020, at 7:30
for tickets ($89), call 714.556.2787 or visit SCFTA

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