REVIEW: Power, Personality, and Play at Stefanie Richardson’s “I Made You A Playlist”
WRITTEN BY NALIJAH DANIELS
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Stefanie Richardson is a Bay Area native who moved to New York and learned the art of cabaret on the job at Laurie Beechman Theatre, where she performed her first solo cabaret, “I Made You A Playlist,” on August 24.
When I arrived at West Bank Cafe, people were hanging around the restaurant’s mostly empty, late-evening tables. A friend and I squeezed through until we found stairs in the back corner that led us down to our venue. I watched as the rest of the audience was seated. It was a diverse crowd, each small group with a unique style, a sign that I’m in for a treat. Kitschy parents, subtly alternative young adults, and anyone who loves a statement piece all agreed that Stefanie Richardson is worth seeing on a Monday night. Richardson confirmed this herself when she stepped on stage wearing a fitted, halter-neck dress in the perfect shade of brown to complement her lush red curls.
Her alluring energy led the crowd straight into two songs, “Open Your Eyes” from On A Clear Day You Can See Forever and “Lover Come Back to Me” from The New Moon, in which Richardson showcased her vocal range with ease. This may have been her first solo cabaret, but her comfort on stage and confidence in her talent are clear. Audience members couldn’t help but cheer, “You better sing!” the highest compliment any performer could receive, as she belted and caressed our ears.
Richardson let me know that the playlist theme wrapped the set list into a neat bow once it was complete. The throughline was already there; these are songs that represent who Richardson is and has always been. A playlist being Gen Z’s mixtape was reflected in Richardson’s ability to take “Rhiannon” by Stevie Nicks and “Beautiful” by Carole King and make them feel at home next to Chappell Roan’s “Kaleidoscope” and the highly entertaining “Duetto Buffo Di Due Gatti.” Yes. Meowing, but opera. The perfect sprinkle of camp to prove that this California girl knows how to grasp your attention.
In between songs, Richardson let us in on her journey to that moment. She works at Laurie Beechman Theatre, where you may catch her performing during a shift, and described the renovations the location had undergone in recent years. The lower-level theatre sports dramatic close-ups of its namesake and moody navy-and-purple lighting. Richardson’s energy was supported by the backdrop of the fabulous reimagining of the ‘80s Broadway star’s legacy.
On stage, she was supported by Claudio Raino with music direction and on guitar, Dave Klowdowski on piano, Sean Murphy on bass, and Arieh Saed on drums. Their sound complemented Richardson’s growls and high notes with full, warm, and soulful tones.
Richardson surrounded herself with even more beautiful voices, inviting Liam Smith, “with the voice of a cello,” to perform “Baby I’m-a Want You” by Bread, and her talented roommate, Anna Giametta of Chasing Cherries, as her feline duet counterpart.
Richardson easily proved that she knows how to write a great show. When she breezed by, as if she hadn’t just dominated the stage, her fans patiently waited their turn to say how blown away they were, bouquets at the ready. I thanked her for reminding me that I moved to New York City for this––to experience art in an intimate setting where everyone is invested in the brilliant performance.
Then, we were the group enjoying West Bank Cafe’s bar service until more and more people remembered they had work in the morning. It gave guests a chance to connect and praise the band and guest performers with intense handshakes and huge grins when they realized who they were passing by.
Stefanie Richardson will enjoy the remaining weeks of warm weather, but in the fall and winter you can catch her taking on the audition circuit or at a gig somewhere around New York City. I’m keeping my eye out for the next solo show she’s planning!
