Something More to Dance About, the new show from New York City cabaret favorite Jacqueline “Jackie” Draper directed by Kimberly Vaughn, enjoyed an encore performance at New York City’s Laurie Beechman Theatre on Thursday, September 7th.  The magnetic Ms. Draper kicked off with It’s A Good, Good Night, the upbeat 1959 hit from Peggy Lee.  With lyrics like, “Here ye, here ye, ring the bell, ’cause all is well! It’s a good, good night; I can feel it in the air, feel that love is everywhere! On this good, good night; Everything’s just right!”, the song perfectly set the mood of the evening.  Draper’s love of performing was obvious from the start, and that feeling of joy, as evidenced by lyrics about “dancing on rooftops” and “swingin’ things”, lasted throughout the show’s entire running time.   

As audiences may have figured out from the title of Ms. Draper’s show, the singer’s love of “la danse” played a big part in this piece. The audience learned that Jackie’s affinity for dancing started when she and her husband took up ballroom dance as a unique form of “therapy”, Not only is there actual dancing (More about that later…!) in this show, but Draper’s selection of songs– which included such titles as Dance a Little Closer, Choreography, and the inspiration for the show’s name, Irving Berlin’s Something to Dance About— also unmistakably drove home a certain message: The world may be a better place if you just, well, move your feet!… 
Draper’s selection of songs included such classics from well-known names as Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields, and Cy Coleman/Alan and Marilyn Bergman. However, the singer also uncovered a few true musical baubles just waiting to be heard again, my favorite being the campy Jerome Kern/P.G. Wodehouse romp Cleopatterer.   As an homage to one of her childhood influences, Charles Aznavor, Draper even sang in French, which was a real audience-pleaser.  If Draper is engaging when she sings about romance (Love and Passion/Amor e Paixao) and delightful when she shows her playful side (Imaginary Guy), she is downright “parfait” when she gives us such lush tunes as the haunting Je Danse Avec L’amour.  

Of course, a show named Something More to Dance About wouldn’t be complete without some bona fide dancing.  Draper’s special guest and dancing partner was Milo Saidl, who joined Jackie for tap dance to Charlie Parker’s Billie’s Bounce.  It was another moment appreciated very much by the audience. Jacqueline Draper is an extremely charismatic entertainer who knows the ageless importance of stage presence, including the art of keeping eye contact with her audience. Just as she never missed a note or flubbed a single lyric, she never wavered in her confidence on stage. Seemingly matching her gracious and sophisticated persona, her voice is more delicate than overpowering.  Draper is definitely not what you’d call a “belter”, but she’s truly most comfortable, and at her best, within her patented range. The singer also enjoyed seemingly flawless synergy with her quartet of musicians: Tom Hubbard on bass, Robbyn Tongue on woodwinds, Ron Tierno on drums, and Gregory Toroian on piano. (Toroian was also Musical Director.) A priceless moment came when the musicians offered some background vocals, with deadpan deliciousness, for Let Yourself Go.    

To borrow from another line from one of Jackie Draper’s songs that evening, “Who needs a reason to celebrate?” Certainly not this performer, whose sole goal seems to be to share her talents and her pleasure in entertaining. Many people know Jackie Draper as a huge supporter of her fellow artists’ creative endeavors in the tight-knit New York City cabaret scene. I won’t give away Draper’s encore that evening, but I will say that her selection was perhaps the perfect musical example of that aforementioned community spirit. Here’s to even more reasons to dance (and sing) in the future…