| Colm Wilkinson is perhaps best known as the | | | | At times they sang backup for Wilkinson, but |
| voice behind the mask in The Phantom of the | | | | they also performed duets and solos. Their |
| Opera and as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. | | | | voices, while different from each other, were |
| But in his Broadway & Beyond tour, he reveals a | | | | nevertheless complimentary and added a nice |
| range that will surprise and delight you. | | | | touch to the evening, in addition to giving |
| Beginning his career in his native Ireland in the | | | | Wilkinson's voice a rest between songs. |
| 1970's, Wilkinson has become an internationally | | | | Leading the backup band was pianist and musical |
| recognized vocalist. Today, his eclectic selection of | | | | director Steve Hunter. The rest of the band |
| music is as wide as his vocal range. He performs | | | | included a base, electric base, electric guitar, cello, |
| everything from folk to pop to country to rock, | | | | drums, organ, and a fellow playing multiple wind |
| and samples just about all of it for this tour. He's | | | | instruments. All of them were superb, and each |
| also a fair guitar player, as he demonstrates in | | | | had an opportunity to show off their talents. |
| this show. | | | | Despite the excellence of the musical |
| For his Broadway & Beyond tour, Wilkinson starts | | | | performance, the highlight of the show was really |
| with Music of the Night from Phantom, goes on to | | | | Wilkinson's playful banter with the audience and |
| perform a variety of his better--and | | | | the stories he told between songs. Like his |
| lesser--known hits; some Irish drinking songs; a | | | | account of the time he was invited to perform at |
| few numbers from other artists including Ray | | | | the Kennedy Center Honors and had to ask, |
| Charles, Leonard Cohen, Muddy Waters, and John | | | | "What's that?" Or his explanation for the variations |
| Lennon; some of his own original compositions; | | | | on the song Danny Boy. |
| and finishes up with Bring Him Home from Les Mis. | | | | The only real weakness of this performance |
| The show ran about two hours, not including a | | | | seems to be the choice of numbers. One |
| twenty minute intermission. It seemed shorter, | | | | member of the group we were with commented |
| such is Wilkinson's talent for keeping an audience | | | | beforehand that she hoped he did his older work, |
| enthralled. More than once Wilkinson remarked | | | | since she preferred it to the songs on his latest |
| that the night was young, but he wasn't. | | | | album. While he did perform some of his older, |
| Considering the strain his dynamic style must put | | | | better known hits from Phantom and Les Mis, |
| on his voice, and his age--63, although he wears it | | | | there wasn't enough. |
| well--the length was just about right. | | | | Our seats, mid-way from the front on the |
| There was no opening act. Quite frankly, there | | | | orchestra level, ran about $85 CDN. The range at |
| didn't need to be. Everyone was there to see | | | | other venues seems to be from $60 to $90. |
| Colm Wilkinson and there was no reason to keep | | | | Whether you feel this is worth it or not depends, |
| them waiting. | | | | naturally, on your taste. The audience we were a |
| Performing with Wilkinson were two well-known | | | | part of certainly seemed satisfied. They gave |
| singers in their own right: Tony Award winning | | | | Wilkinson a warm standing ovation at the end and |
| Gretha Boston, and Susan Gilmour who also | | | | after each of his three encores. |
| performed with Wilkinson in Les Misérables. | | | | |