Were You There?
Over the Top: Songs by Jim Steinman
Mohegan Sun Cabaret
June 9 - 12, 2005

Well if you were NOT there, you certainly should have been!

ROB was the central performer (spell that STAR, please) in the "Over the Top," songs of Jim Steinman show at the Cabaret (one performance left at this venue).

The first two performances on Thursday and Friday paled in comparison to the energy, heat, and passion of last night.

The music is familiar to many people, even if the names of the tunes themselves are not, and the staging, the lighting, the intimacy of this setting all combined to generate a very happy audience response. The Cabaret was just about FULL, and that was great. The audience was 'with it,'  totally.

ROB rocked, bounced, danced, and boy did he SING!!! (oh, yeah) He put so much into 'For Crying Out Loud' and 'What Part of My Body' that the audience was sometimes moved to singing along, and gasping!

He had some pretty doggoned good backup singers in Jeremy Kushnier, Elaine Caswell, and Nicki Richards. This group really grooved together (and I hope that is the correct word).

Many of you folks saw the prequel to THIS show at Joe's Pub in January. Well, then again, maybe you did not. The show has been enlarged, expanded, and made BETTER. The band really enhances the big time feeling, and yet in this setting, the intimacy is not lost.

What I am trying to say is that ROB, Broadway STAR, seems to have re-invented himself into ROB, rock STAR, and there has been no loss of Power, Presence, or Passion. He sings these songs, this Steinman music as if he were made for it, and it for him.

Look, as you all know, 'reviews' are personal observations, and what I say is what I see, hear and feel. I think that most of you would agree that this is a great show; but, until you can see it, you will not share these feelings.

SO, get moving, and see OVER THE TOP the next time it is on.

Stay tuned, and YOU will not be sorry.

Linda Russak