A REMARKABLY RESPLENDENT
& RADIANT REVUE

If you’re wandering around Manhattan, just “Wishin’ and Hopin’” for a magnificent musical revue with some “Magic Moments,” don’t “Walk On By” the building at 10 West 64th Street. The show there is the “Best That You Can Do,” so “Make It Easy on Yourself” and see the super-satisfying stage attraction that has it all: the sound of great songs, “The Look of Love,” and the smell of a smash hit. Stage and Cinema is happy to recommend it because, after all, “That’s What Friends Are For.”

Well, if you recognize some (or all) of the words in quotation marks so far as being the titles of terrific pop songs, you’ll be glad to know they’re all presented here with polish in Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon. And the memorable melodies of composer Burt Bacharach (1928–2023) are in more than good hands with three strong singers and a first-rate band.

Between the extremes of dutiful cloning the old hits ingrained in the brains of many music fans and a risky radical reinvention, a happy medium is the modus operandi here. Some songwriter salutes cling to the original blueprints so faithfully—perhaps out of fear that changes will alienate purists—that the evening can start to feel like karaoke, prompting listeners to hum along mindlessly (or, God forbid, sing along and annoy the people around them). On the other extreme, a cavalier approach that twists tunes out of shape can feel gimmicky and disrespectful.

Going Bacharach retains enough of the familiar signatures to nail the nostalgia, but it’s also chock-full of fresh ideas and surprising textures. It finds new depths in many pieces while staying true to the heart of the matter.

Adrian Galante, Ta-Tynisa Wilson, Hilary Kole, John Pagano

Right at the top, there’s a whirlwind of excitement: a grand overture that commands attention. At the piano—and leading the band with the first example of his own extravagantly excellent arrangements and orchestrations—is the masterful music-maker Adrian Galante, who also co-conceived the project. Indefatigable and charismatic, he dazzlingly doubles on clarinet (with gorgeous tones) and provides narration throughout the song-stuffed event (about 100 minutes, including intermission). A real live wire of a showman still in his 20s, he’s also gentlemanly to the max. It would be understandable if people started misspelling his surname as “Gallant” (which, conveniently, rhymes with “talent”).

Adrian Galante, Hilary Kole, John Pagano

This pizzazzy parade of pop material concentrates on high-profile hits, mostly anchored in the 1960s. The lyrics to almost every included number were written by Hal David, who—over the years—has seldom seemed to get enough mention in discussions of these songs. That may be because while the lyrics are admirable, apt, and artful, Bacharach’s melodies are especially distinctive: unusual rhythms, changing time signatures, and bars of uneven length, all wrapped in arrangements that are precise and tight.

Hilary Kole, John Pagano, Ta-Tynisa Wilson

David is, thankfully, acknowledged during the performance. And it makes sense that his name isn’t in the title, since a few selections involve other lyricists. Two items from the 1980s pair Bacharach’s melodies with lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager (his wife at the time). Reaching back to 1955, the program also includes the chipper “Keep Me in Mind,” with lyrics by Jack Wolf.

Ta-Tynisa Wilson, John Pagano, Hilary Kole

Another Jack—Jack Lewin—conceived the whole shebang, doing a bang-up job, as he did with the successful revue Our Sinatra. One of that song cavalcade’s original participants, Hilary Kole, is one of the singers here. The always impressive, silky-voiced chanteuse delivers striking solos such as “Alfie” and “April Fools,” and she also gives a concise illustration of how Bacharach raised the bar with uneven measures and frequent time-signature changes.

Adrian Galante

Ta-Tynisa Wilson shines, too, making “Don’t Make Me Over” a bold and fervent plea; no less dramatic is her “One Less Bell to Answer.” And invaluably, John Pagano brings the authenticity of lived history: he toured as the male vocalist with Burt Bacharach and his orchestra for 26 years. His sensationally soulful renditions provide even more variety. “A House Is Not a Home” and “God Give Me Strength” (a Bacharach/Elvis Costello collaboration) are simultaneously powerful and vulnerable.

Adrian Galante

The three singers also work beautifully as a team, harmonizing and serving as each other’s backup vocalists. At times, the sound recalls the familiar feel of the original recordings—right down to the way you do “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”—with super-smiley swaying and sashaying that never tips into camp (“woah-woah-woah-woah-woah-woah…”).

Ta-Tynisa Wilson

Sprinkled throughout the evening (or afternoon—there are matinees galore) are spoken facts and observations that never feel like dry history lectures. The narration steers clear of anything gloomy or gossipy. Those who want a deeper dive into the oeuvre of Mr. B. can get a fix from the Substack newsletter “Slouching Toward Birdland,” written by one of the show’s creators, the knowledgeable Will Friedwald.

Ta-Tynisa Wilson, Adrian Galante, John Pagano, Hilary Kole

The fine onstage band also includes Derek Duleba (guitar), Nate Francis (bass), Jakubu Griffin (drums), and Pat Firth (additional keyboards), though there isn’t much true solo spotlighting. The stage at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater is compact, but the performers make smart use of space: the singers glide in and out, giving full focus to whoever is in the center.

Hilary Kole

In a medley that begins with “The World Is a Circle” (from the Bacharach/David score to Lost Horizon), they literally stroll in a circle around the piano. This comes after the post-intermission instrumental—another highlight. Is it coincidence or an intentional touch that its last piece, “Knowing When to Leave,” is followed by Mr. Pagano singing the prominent plea “Don’t ever go” (from “The Look of Love”)? Either way, it lands.

Adrian Galante, Hilary Kole, Ta-Tynisa Wilson, John Pagano

The proscenium stage is framed with a vintage bandstand look by Christopher & Justin Swader in shades of blue and magenta, while the shiny costumes by Frank Cazares favor black and gold. Going to Going Bacharach means you’re going to have a grand time at a show that’s going for the gold in more ways than one.

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photos by Russ Rowland

Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon
Amas Musical Theatre
Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater, 10 West 64th St.
100 minutes, including intermission
ends on February 22, 2026
Mon, Thurs-Sat at 7:30; Wed, Thurs, Sat & Sun at 2:30
for tickets ($59–$149) visit Going Bacharach

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