Review: Familiar faces singing well-known songs in Academy's 'Let's Duet'

ORLEANS ― The Academy of Performing Arts in Orleans is offering “Let’s Duet,” a casual night of music that is a pleasant little antidote to the stress that seems to be lurking in every corner of life these days. The company’s intimate, arena-style theater is the perfect venue for this close-up and personal tour of some of the musical numbers that have graced stages and screens through the years. In total, there are 27 numbers, ranging from sweet and melodic to touching and dramatic. This is a follow-up to the company’s cabaret-style “Somewhere Beyond the Sea,” a foray into the world of Sinatra-and-Company’s old standards. These casual, cabaret-style productions seem to now be part of the Academy’s playbook.

The show: "Let’s Duet,” an original production, directed by Terry Brady and Jennifer Almeida with musical direction by Chris Morris, presented by Academy of Performing Arts.

What it's about: This is a casual little smorgasbord of all those duets (and some that aren’t, strictly speaking, duets) that have spiced up Broadway and movie screens through the years. Some of the predictable ones are there — like “Edelweiss” and “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” from “The Sound of Music” and “They Were You” from “The Fantasticks.”

But then there are a few surprises, like “Lily’s Eyes” from “Secret Garden” and “Confrontation” from “Jekyll and Hyde.” (I have to admit I never knew there was a musical about the great change artist. More on this later.)

Back in March, when director Brady was commenting on the similarly sweet and simple “Somewhere Beyond the Sea” he said, “We wanted to help people escape back to a simpler time; that’s something we all need these days.” Clearly, we need escapes more than ever.

The set is the ultimate in simplicity, with a black staircase center-stage, and really that’s it. When you think about it, it would be impossible — without a massive stage crew — to change sets to back up every number, so a minimalist approach seems wise. And there’s the added benefit of focusing attention on the performers and the range of offerings. There are a number of cast members who are Academy regulars, including co-directors Almeida and Brady, Ryan Van Buskirk, Randy Doyle, Denise Page and DJ Kostka. It’s one of the great joys of the Cape theater world to see familiar faces grace stages again and again. It offers a unique feeling of home that is, once again, comforting.

Highlight of the show: Perhaps the best thing about the show is the diversity. There are the sweet and romantic numbers, including the touching “The Prayer” with Jen and Dan Rabold, “Last Night of the World” from “Miss Saigon” with Missy Potash and DJ Kostka and “Come to Me” from “Les Miserables” with Brady and Almeida. Then there’s comic relief with “Together Again” from “Young Frankenstein,” the show opener with Brady and Van Buskirk, “Suddenly Seymour” from “Little Shop of Horrors” with Page and Van Buskirk and “Agony” from “Into the Woods” with Fred Carpenter and Doug Sivco. (The Burger King crowns in the two “Woods” numbers were a fun touch.)

Two numbers that were not, strictly speaking, duets, offered a bit of drama. There’s the rousing number, “One Day More” from “Les Miserables,” with Brady leading the cast as an ensemble. And the most riveting number was “Confrontation” from “Jekyll and Hyde,” with Randy Doyle playing the famously tortured soul. (In a way, this qualifies as a duet, with Doyle ably taking both sides of a musical dialogue between Jekyll and Hyde.)

Go or no go: Go for a chance to just sit back and say, “Ah.”

Worth noting: The Academy is one of the Cape theaters that keeps its door open through the off-season. Look for “Cinderella” opening on Dec. 7 and “A Christmas Carol” on Dec. 20.

If you go: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17 and 18, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20. Academy of Performing Arts, Academy Theater, 120 Main St., Orleans, 508-255-1963, tickets $25-$35, www.academyplayhouse.org.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Review: Singing in the off-season with Academy regulars