August 19-25, 2004

artpicks

Two Times A Lady

by Natalie Hope McDonald

cabaret Consider it a twofer. Back for the second time with new material, audiences who see Harriett Levy: Jews Gone Wild not only get the chance to witness Todd Waddington channel the fictitious, semi-retired lounge singer, but also Waddington's own vocal prowess as a well-known cabaret regular who's performed in dozens of ensemble and solo productions. The character of Harriett Levy was actually conceived during an 1812 Productions show, Box Office of the Damned, in which Waddington played a bevy of characters, including ladies at an afternoon matinee.

"Harriett started out as a character who loved the theater, but was short on eyesight and long in the tooth," says Waddington. "People responded to it."

After years of playing hostess to cabaret shows at Tavern on Camac and Holiday Follies at the Arden Theatre, Harriett Levy has since bankrolled a much longer, more perverse personal history. Waddington explains, "She was the girl who moved to New York for a career as an understudy."

Levy may have since burned out on the casino circuit, gravelly voice and all, but Waddington's farcical show invites audiences to suspend disbelief, while paying tribute to Kiki & Herb-like ditties about lost love, karaoke and chutzpah. According to Waddington, "Harriett is in the same spirit as Tracey Ullman and John Leguizamo." He also borrows from personal experiences. "Harriett is like your aunt at the bar mitzvah or the wedding who gets up to sing a couple of songs," Waddington explains. "You may say, 'Aw, we love you, Aunt Harriett, have a seat.' But she's the life of the party."

Under the direction of Greg Wilder, Waddington, as over-the-hill Levy, tackles classic schmaltz, including well-known songs "Knock Three Times" and "That's Life." New to Jews Gone Wild is a multimedia production featuring short films about Levy's life. "One is a movie in the background, a nightmare dream sequence about her deceased husband put to "MacArthur Park," explains Waddington. There's also a video for "White Rabbit" that features a more psychedelic Harriett.

Backed by "the Levites" — Vivian Fineman, who toured with John Travolta in Grease; Lois Sach-Binder, who was recently featured in Walnut Street Theatre's Hello Dolly; and Sharon Geller, an improv comedian who's appeared on Saturday Night Live — Harriett Levy is, adds Waddington, "the American Dame Edna." But instead of possessing an Oscar Wilde-like rapier wit, Levy's the good egg who's more apt to tell you about the sale at Marshall's.

Harriett Levy and the Levites, Thu.-Sat., Aug. 19-21 and 26-28, 8 p.m., and Sun., Aug. 22 and 29, 2 p.m., $20, Society Hill Playhouse, 507 S. Eighth St., 215-923-0210, www.harriettlevy.com.