THREE MO’ TENORS
( 22-Oct-07 )

What looks like an iffy premise on paper—two rotating casts of little-known tenors performing opera lite on a bill with show tunes, soul, and pop—makes for a lively and unexpectedly moving show, thanks in large part to the tenors’ evident delight in performing. Marion J. Caffey, who conceived and directed the act as a showcase for African-American talent, knows how to deliver a schmalzy good time: his set looks like an upscale telethon, and amidst a flurry of costume changes he drops sly references to everyone from Gladys Knight to Usher. But it’s the show’s palpable earnestness that makes a lingering impression, whether in a fierce version of the gospel song “No Ways Tired” or an unabashedly sweet rendition of a sentimental old ballad. (Little Shubert, 422 W. 42nd St. 212-239-6200.)
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