Imagine if by some unorthodox studio choice, the cherubic Mickey Rooney had been assigned to perform the songs made famous by Judy Garland, and you can begin to get an idea of what a Seth Sikes’ show feels like. The night of September 18, the baby-faced crooner performed Mostly Judy Garland a delightful recital which saw him perform some of Miss Garland’s most beloved melodies accompanied by a full orchestra. After sharing an anecdote about Judy performing shows at 2:30 AM while in Vegas, Sikes asked “shall we do some Arlen?”, before performing a touching rendition of “When the Sun Comes Out”.

When trying to explain the raison d’etre behind his show, Sikes cleverly recurred to Judy’s “Born in a Trunk” from A Star is Born. By turning it into a joyful medley featuring “Get Happy”, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart”, Sikes explained how as a child he became obsessed with Summer Stock, which led him to a career in entertainment and the rediscovery of singing after attempting other creative endeavors. Sikes, who also works as an assistant director and has achieved success in that field, explained how the more he worked in theatre, the less he sang and realized he was losing a big part of who he was. He also commented on his fascination with Judy’s songs, not as camp or drag commodities, but as great pieces of composing and songwriting; therefore when he sang “The Man That Got Away” he changed the word “woman” as in “one-man-woman” for “fella” to make for an even more touching version. Sikes’ voice is phenomenal of course, but what sticks with you and makes his performance more effective is the intensity of the emotions behind the interpretations.

Doing “Do It Again” and “But Not for Me” he revealed a jazzy, sensual persona that seemed to completely vanish when he did more playful numbers like “Happy Harvest”, Mr. Sikes contained as many multitudes as Judy. Mostly Judy Garland was the kind of cabaret show in which the performer is able to come across as clearly as the subject he’s paying homage to. Mr. Sikes established himself as a unique talent all his own, without taking away from Judy’s influence in his work and life. It was a love song to a true icon, and the arrival of a promising new talent. Perhaps next time he’ll attempt Judy at Carnegie Hall?