Drawing from a rich musical catalog that rivals only Broadway itself, Home for the Holidays features three of the greatest voices of their generation performing contemporary takes on more than 25 perennial favorites. Backed by a kinetic eight-piece rhythm and brass band, traditional favorites like "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "O Holy Night" provide heart as they come to life side-by-side with radio favorites such as "All I Want for Christmas is You" and "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)." Kaitlyn Bristowe provides seasonally themed narration while acclaimed actor and singer Danny Aeillo offers stories and songs that share a glimpse into Christmas in Manhattan through the decades of his childhood.
'Please be advised that Home for the Holidays contains haze effects,' warns a sign at the August Wilson Theatre, and boy, does it ever. First there is the hazy concept. This tacky pop-up Broadway concert, the yuletide equivalent of a Halloween costume store, features a comically motley cast: Candice Glover, Josh Kaufman and Bianca Ryan, three winners of televised vocal contests; Kaitlyn Bristowe, one of two bachelorettes on season 11 of The Bachelorette; Peter and Evynne Hollens, a married a cappella duo; and, somehow, veteran character actor Danny Aiello. Then there is the hazy singing: breathy, baroquely melismatic ornamentations, as though the vocalists were skating on thin ice and afraid to stay on a single note for more than a quarter of a second.
Touted on show's website as 'some of the greatest voices of our generation' (Is Audra McDonald of our generation? How about Marilyn Maye?), Candice Glover ('American Idol' Season 12), Josh Kaufman ('The Voice' Season 6) and Bianca Ryan ('America's Got Talent' Season 1, when she was 11) are, in all seriousness, at least reasonably talented. And again, in all seriousness, this New York theatre critic probably has no business critiquing their vocal capabilities, since they're of a style he rarely pays attention to. But their show is on Broadway, so it's the responsibility of a Broadway theatre critic to see and review it.
2017 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
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