Michael Feinstein & Cheyenne Jackson: The Power Of Two

It is, frankly, a cliché in the cabaret trenches of clubs like Don’t Tell Mama and The Duplex for a couple of male singers to perform “We Kiss in a Shadow” from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I as a homosexual anthem. It is, however, a revolution, when stars of the magnitude of American songbook interpreter Michael Feinstein and Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson join together to sing it in their stunning new duo act, Michael Feinstein & Cheyenne Jackson: The Power Of Two.

While Feinstein and Jackson are purposefully, progressively, and passionately making a statement in support of Gay Rights in front of the rich and powerful — which is not the same as singing about being gay in the back room of theater district club — the pair also make sure that their show cannot be dismissed as a mere political statement. They back up the social significance of their act with so much entertainment pizzazz that the most uptight homophobe just might be dumbstruck by the sheer combined talent of these two exceptional stars.

After all, the show may culminate in “We Kiss in a Shadow” — but along the way the two stars serenade their audience both individually and in duet with some exceptional vocal performances. Feinstein brings a driving force to Cole Porter’s “So in Love” from Kiss Me Kate, while Jackson captures the pain and suffering in “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” by turning the song into a showstopper.

Their duets are something special, not so much because of the material, but because these two singers blend into gorgeous harmonies. Nowhere is this more telling than in the exquisite duet of their title song by Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls.

Finally, let’s talk about the patter. Much of it is clearly improvised, but these two confident and funny men bat the verbal ball back and forth with hilarious results. Their spontaneity and joy in performing is a tonic. Indeed, while it’s not surprising that getting both Feinstein and Jackson together on the same bill is nothing short of a booking coup, it has also turned into a great opportunity to see what may someday be referred to as an historic nightclub act.