Last night was a hot Summer Sunday evening made even more steamier (romantically) by hearing love songs sung by T. Oliver Reid in his show That Sunday, That Summer at 54 Below.
Watching and listening to T, especially when he sang “The Nearness of You” I couldn’t help conjuring up thoughts of another legendary singer referred to by another letter in the alphabet, B…. Billy Eckstine. The elegance, breathtaking phrasing and operatic quality of their bass baritones (albeit T Oliver’s triple range) had me connecting these two graceful, handsome mustached men.
T. Oliver Reid is currently staring in Hadestown as Hermes following Tony Award Winner Andre de Shields who originated the role and has performed it for the last three years.
T. Oliver Reid is a legendary performer with a 20-year career on Broadway. He has appeared in 10+ Broadway productions, including Hadestown, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Kiss Me Kate, Once On This Island, and The Wedding Singer. He is an accomplished artist-winning cabaret for his solo show “Drop Me Off In Harlem.” Reid is the co-founder of Black Theater Coalition, and is an adjunct professor at NYU-Tisch’s Grad Acting Program, along with Columbia University School of the Arts Grad Acting.
Last night’s show featured the love songs of Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Cole Porter, Rogers & Hart, Gabriel Faure and John Legend with music direction by Lawrence Yurman. A portion of the proceeds benefited Black Theater Coalition’s Fellowship Program.
T. OLIVER REID
T. OLIVER REID & LAWRENCE YURMAN
T. OLIVER REID
T. OLIVER REID
54/BELOW
T. OLIVER REID
54/BELOW
T. OLIVER REID & EDA SOROKOFF
54/BELOW
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