Broadway Diva

On a hot summer’s night, the Barbara Hardy Sunken Garden at Holden Street Theatres is the perfect spot (you must forgive the dratted airplane noise) for 60 minutes of those ‘earworm songs’, the songs that stay with you even if you only know a smattering of the music or lyrics, and it is 20 of these both very well-known and lesser loved Broadway, West End and some Opera classics that soprano Olivia Ruggiero uses to create her World Premiere show, Broadway Diva.

A self-professed diva and dedicated musical theatre performer, Ruggiero developed a love of performing at an early age, undertaking drama and multiple musical studies including piano, trumpet and singing.  Winner of the Broadway World Best Solo Performer award in Sydney, and a regular in Edinburgh and Melbourne, she holds Trinity world theatre and drama qualifications and a Bachelor of Musical Theatre. This body of study and musical experience means that Ruggiero does not simply sing, she lives and performs every musical number as if it is part of a show.

The performance setting is simple; large lit B and D letters, fairy lights overhead, a small table and a stool where she occasionally props herself to sing songs including the world’s shortest aria, ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’ by Giacomo Puccini (and boy, can she sing opera), ‘Maybe This Time’ from Cabaret, the classic ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from Les Misérables and ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again’, the much loved tear-jerker from The Phantom of the Opera. I must confess that the power and authenticity of these songs had a number of audience members welling up. OK, I confess that I was one of them.

Cleverly, Ruggiero segues selected sections from a number of songs so that many favourites can be enjoyed and this included ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ from The Wizard of Oz, ‘If I Loved You’ from Carousel (with more audience nose blowing sound effects), a very non-Julie Andrews rendition of ‘The Hills are Alive’ from everyone’s favourite, The Sound of Music, ‘I Feel Pretty’ from West Side Story and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly’ from My Fair Lady. One of the standouts for me was the very aptly chosen song for relentlessly auditioning musical performers ‘What’s Gonna Happen?’ from Tootsie. The tension, disappointment and frustration of the life of a disappointed performer was palpable.

Ruggiero is a lilting soprano whose vocal control is impressive and finely honed. Her singing is a masterclass in breathing for power, and maximum impact and the purity of her top notes is literally breathtaking. She describes the show as a ‘thank you’ to all who create the love for music and her sung tribute to her Nanna, whose afternoon couch sessions with Debbie Reynolds, Barbra Streisand and other musical film greats was a lovely warm and sincere inclusion. Her interpretation creates songs and notes that I found to be ‘goose-bump moments’.

The Fringe allows us to showcase many skilled local performers, and accompanist Thomas Saunders is an example of the many fine musicians who step in with little rehearsal time and work with performers with style, panache and accuracy. Saunders, on keyboard for this show, is a busy teacher, performer and accompanist and does excellent, almost intuitive work in this show.

Perhaps the final song says it all. ‘Let Me Be Your Star’ sums up this heart-warming performance. If you love musical theatre, do not miss this potted version of memorable songs delivered by a passionate and talented performer.

Jude Hines