Burnham is certainly possessed of splendidly seasoned musical theatre chops. Among many other impressive credits, he appeared as Fiyero on Broadway in the megahit Wicked and Fabrizio in The Light in the Piazza, a role that on tour won him Washington D. And truly, Burnham knows how to work his crowd better than almost anyone I've ever seen in concert. As with so many great cabaret performers, Burnham has a wonderfully infectious personality that radiates from the stage, making his sweetly personal and welcoming banter between songs appreciated by everyone in attendance.
David Burnham, someone our much-maligned reclaimed desert climes can proudly boast as one of our own, is a major, major talentβand that sparkling future I first wrote about some 20 years ago is right here, right now. I had learned one thing from those windmill chasers determined to poke their heads above the surface in the shark-filled waters of the music business: there are a lot of talented people out there, but only a few courageous enough to try something new. Innovation had become the key to getting my attention, the ability to create something different from the standard fare that had made successes of the current crop of superstars.
Not long after, Roberta Joan Anderson came to play the Troubadour for the first time and, as they say, the rest is history. Anderson began her ninth decade on the planet. The biggest letdown was the much-anticipated possible surprise appearance by the reclusive Mizz Mitchell herself who, despite numerous emails and texts from everyone who adores her, decided to stay home and celebrate in her own inimitable style instead.
It lends itself perfectly to exaggeration and Llacer and his team certainly pulls out all the stops. Jose Luis Mosquera is hilarious as that lovable Nazi-loving pigeon fancier playwright Franz Liekind and every dang ensemble member is extremely talented, outrageously game for anything, and also are masters of the rapid quick change. Still, the most impressive turns come from Mata in his scenes with Mireia Portas as Ulla, the Swedish-born secretary Max and Leo hire despite her lack of the usual qualifications needed to take dictation.
Portas, who is the antithesis of the original amazonian Broadway star Cady Huffman, holds her own despite being as tiny as Huffman is tall, and the golden chemistry between this Leo and Ulla is downright contagious.
