New Standards at the Fitz Only So So (Fri)
by NewStandardsFan on 12/6/10Fitzgerald Theater - St PaulRating: 2 out of 5I am a huge fan of the New Standards, so it's sad to write that their annual holiday show at the Fitzgerald Theater was only so-so, at least on Friday, Dec 3, when I attended. This is the first year that the event was expanded from 1 night (as it has been in years past) to 2 nights plus a Sunday family matinee. I think the effect of this programming change was to dilute the impact of any one show (or at least the Friday show). There was less variety in terms of guest performers, although all guest performers were wonderful. It just seemed that less was less.
I must add that I am not a fan of Katherine Lampher's contributions to the show. The tone of her readings were maudlin which deflated their potential humor. And they really didn't ring true.
If you have not attended a previous New Standards Holiday show, you might be delighted with the experience. Since I have the memory of two previous stellar shows, I found this most recent one lacking by comparison.