From the back of the darkened theater, a man begins to sing.
Just his voice. No accompanying piano. Just him and his instrument.
“Birds flying high, You know how I feel…” he crooned.
The Samueli Theater crowd immediately turned from their tables and craned their necks to spot the man inhabiting this haunting, crystalline, clear voice singing one of the most beloved songs of all time.
And there he was.
Cheyenne Jackson.
Standing in the back of the theater, the spotlight illuminated him, accentuating his tall frame, which made him look like a big, handsome giant.
Jackson flashed his glowing pearly whites, and mesmerized with his dazzling blue eyes, greeting the audience before continuing with “Feelin’ Good” from the musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd. (Also, one of Nina Simone’s best-loved numbers.)
After finishing his opening number, the genial Jackson introduced his accompanist for the evening, the adorable and spectacularly talented Willy Beaman, a man who clearly knows his way around a piano.
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Jackson’s show – a mixture of personal tales, humorous stories, and exquisitely sung tunes from Broadway and beyond – is called Signs of Life and has been staged at both 54 Below and in San Francisco.
At a swift 90 minutes, Jackson gifted the enrapt audience with 12 musical numbers and regaled them with stories on various topics, including his two children, his five hair transplants, and his journey to Broadway. He also offered some more intimate life moments, including the deaths of his father and the passing of his good friend (and fellow Broadway superstar) Gavin Creel.
Funny with a sharp and naughty edge, Jackson charmed the Orange County crowd with his energy.
Running through some familiar tunes like “Bésame Mucho,” “A Little Less Conversation,” and “Wink and Smile,” he also mixed in some favorite pop songs such as Chappel Roan’s “Good Luck Babe” and Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory.”
As a special treat, he brought friend and co-star Nicole Parker (“Titanique”) to do a lovely rendition of “Falling Slowly” from the film/show Once.
Of course, he couldn’t resist doing an encore of the epitomic gay anthem “I Am What I Am” from the musical “La Cage Aux Folles,” which he recently starred in at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Aside from his dashing looks and amiable presence, the standout, of course, is his voice. Able to tackle any song thrown at him, Jackson has perfect pitch and a rich, soaring voice that is astounding in its clarity and precision. It’s truly stunning to hear.
Put all of those qualities together in a one-man show, and you have a stellar night out at the cabaret. Jackson is the real deal and an entertainer not to be missed.
Cheyenne Jackson played the Samueli Theater at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from Thursday, April 10, through Saturday, April 12.
For information on upcoming shows at the Segerstrom, visit https://www.scfta.org/.
