Acclaimed cabaret artist Tom Andersen returned to the DC area Memorial Day Weekend to take part in Signature Theatre's Cabaret Series. Much to the delight of his fans, Mr. Andersen appeared on May 24th and 25th in the Signature's intimate cabaret setting. His previous Washington performances included a show in 2000 at The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage and acting as host for the DC Area Cabaret Network's Cabaret Celebration.

Mr. Andersen is a familiar name to New York City cabaret audiences. The five-time MAC Award winner has a varied repertoire that ranges from musical theater classics to his own original compositions. Many of these songs can be found on his two solo CDs, "Far Away Places" and "The Journey."

Mr. Andersen kicked off his show at the Signature with an energetic rendition of "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart." He continued his crowd-pleasing performance with a salute to Jule Styne that featured "It's Been A Long, Long Time" and "You'll Never Get Away From Me."

Throughout the show, Mr. Andersen related stories of his personal history, punctuating them with songs such as "Storybook" and "Far Away Places." After bemoaning the fact that his parents made him play little league baseball as a child, he performed the delightful "Right Field" —a tune that all haphazard athletes can appreciate.

Mr. Andersen also performed a number of his original songs. An especially moving piece is "Yard Sale." The song is a sensitive portrayal of Mr. Andersen's observations of difficult times in San Francisco during the 1980s.

The show was closed with the lovely Julie Gold tune, "The Journey." However, the audience received an extra treat when Mr. Andersen performed a rousing version of "Downtown" for an encore.

The metro area's expanding cabaret scene is one to watch, and it is exciting to have performers of this caliber take part. Now that he has his third Washington area performance under his belt, it is possible that Mr. Andersen could become a DC cabaret favorite. For more information about Tom Andersen, visit www.tomandersen.com.

-- Tracy Lyon

Also see the Current Theatre Season Calendar for D.C.