A DATE WITH KATE
She looks and sounds radiant, and the audience knows it. Tonight, March 6, she was greeted with some of the most enthusiastic and sustained cheers I’ve heard in a long time. Accompanied by pianist/arranger Georgia Stitt, musical theatre actress and concert artist Kate Baldwin takes the stage at 54 Below for three nights through March 8. The show may be called Let’s Not Talk About…, but when the result is this charming, this funny, and this musically rich, let’s absolutely talk about it.
The title references the witty Cole Porter song “Let’s Not Talk About Love” from the 1942 musical Let’s Face It. But, let’s face it: lyrics packed with celebrity name-drops and once-topical references of the day doesn’t have the same bite 80 years later. Enter the sharp mind of Sean Hartley, who gifts the quick-tempo tune a musical facelift, stuffing it with a fresh avalanche of rapid-fire references so truly up-to-date that it even includes Oscar night snubs from just days ago. The result? Roaring laughter.
The lady doesn’t just poke fun at pop culture; she’s happy to roast herself, too. She laments her failed attempts to get people to stop loudly oversharing in public, complete with demonstrations of her signature weapons: the harsh stare, the heavy sigh of disapproval, and a non-confrontational shush (always preceded by a strategic pivot). She also shares the humbling reality of motherhood—courtesy of her 13-year-old son’s unfiltered commentary—and recalls relationships of yore that didn’t quite lead to happily-ever-after, including a crush from her own teen years. Yes, the woman who can produce glorious stratosphere-adjacent high soprano notes is also refreshingly down to earth—and not just because she’s performing in the nightclub famously beneath street level.
She opens the show with a pow, diving straight into “Before the Parade Passes By” from Hello, Dolly!—the carpe diem number most performers would build up to, not start with. It segues into the cheerful “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” from the same score. While Baldwin played Irene Molloy in both the Paper Mill Playhouse and Broadway revival productions of Dolly, neither of these songs belonged to her character, making their inclusion a delightful surprise.
Later, she brings up the memory of the late Gavin Creel, her friend and Broadway co-star in that production, sharing reminisces and dedicating an emotional rendition of “Days of Plenty” to him—it’s a song from the score of Little Women, one of the many musicals she’s been in. For “Always Better” from The Bridges of Madison County—another show on the Baldwin resume—her lush soprano blends beautifully with Stitt’s dramatic accompaniment. Notably, she doesn’t mention that the show’s composer-lyricist, Jason Robert Brown, happens to be married to the woman at the piano. Speaking of which, Georgia Stitt’s fine composing skills were showcased in a set of seven short songs that began as poems. Some land with emotional weight, while others with funny surprise twists bring out Baldwin’s playfulness and razor-sharp comic timing—her well-placed pauses alone could be their own masterclass.
Baldwin’s voice soars, but never overpowers the intimate space. She’s not here to belt just because she can—every note serves the material. The setlist includes a mix of pop and theatre, from Paul Simon’s “America” (suddenly, eerily relevant again) to a pair of Sondheim gems: the hilariously dry The Boy from… (music by Mary Rodgers) and the deeply poignant “With So Little to Be Sure Of.” The latter was a lovely duet with guest Santino Fontana on opening night, but each evening promises a different special guest.
Her connection with the audience is undeniable. There’s confidence, but not cockiness. Instead of tightly-scripted patter, she feels more conversational and casual—like chatting with old friends. Topics range from suburban life in Maplewood, New Jersey, to working with Bernadette Peters, to the sheer “exhaustion” of today’s political dramas. Contributing very effective arrangements and accompaniment, Georgia Stitt (yes, she was born in that southern state) adds an occasional spoken comment and the two women, who work together in concerts around the country, exchange some knowing looks and smiles.
Kate Baldwin has a busy March in Manhattan. On the 10th, she’s among the bevy of Broadway’s Leading Ladies at The Town Hall, stars opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell in the musical Love Life at City Center, Encores! (March 26-30) and on the last day of the month, she’s part of the “Amplify” concert by Maestra, the organization founded by Georgia Stitt to champion women and non-binary musical theatre folks. More info at www.kate-baldwin.com
