Jennifer Leigh Warren Sparkles in "Diamonds"

The incomparable talent of actor-singer Jennifer Leigh Warren has graced the stages of Broadway, Off-Broadway, Los Angeles and other cities,  as well as movie screens. From her star-making roles in such shows as Big River and Little Shop of Horrors to her glowing performances in concerts and cabarets, this stellar performer never fails to radiate charisma. Warren's  spectacular singing voice and electric personality make her a natural for solo showcases.

She has just ended a brief run in a classy tribute to another major luminary--the immortal British singing star Shirley Bassey. Warren's smashing new vehicle, Diamonds are Forever, The Songs of Shirley Bassey (conceived by Warren, Upright Cabaret's dynamic showman Chris Isaacson, and ace director Richard Jay-Alexander), was presented for four evenings (June 16-19) at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center. It was a perfect amalgam of star with material.

The Welsh-born Dame Bassey is perhaps best known as the sensational vocalist who belted those terrific  title songs over the opening credits of  James Bond movies, including Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, and Moonraker, yet her repertoire  includes a wide range of pop, jazz, and show tunes. Ever the glamorous diva, Bassey is a blend of sass and class, boasting a powerful voice and a seemingly natural-born instinct for turning virtually every number into a theatrical tour-de-force.

Warren shares many of Bassey's qualities, yet she's a true original. Warmth, humor, and vulnerability are always evident beneath her flamboyant diva exterior. And her sensational voice was shown to optimal advantage in the glittering array of numbers she chose to perform.  Besides the expected Bond songs, she did a brilliantly inventive and deeply moving take on Jerry Herman's powerful "I Am What I Am" from "La Cage Aux Folles" and the sizzling  "Hey Big Spender" from "Sweet Charity."  "This is My Life" was every bit the showstopper that we expected, and her renditions of hits of the 1970s such as "What About Today" and "History Repeating" felt notalgic and wonderfully contemporary at the same time.

Warren didn't attempt to imitate Bassey--a wise decision, as each performer has her distinctive style and personality, but Warren  demonstrates a star power of equal wattage and a magnificent singing voice that's all her own.  Kenneth Crouch and his onstage band added  greatly to the pleasures of the evening,  and the show looked and sounded sensational, thanks to a crackerjack design and technical crew. The gowns by Ali Rahimi and Mon Atelier, wigs by Judi Lewin, and makeup by Drini  were stylish and flattering to the radiant star.

This vehicle will hopefully go on to further engagements, locally and perhaps elsewhere. It certainly would generate buzz and big crowds wherever it played. Per a classic Jule Styne showtune, we know that  "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend."  For Warren, at least, this particular "Diamond" seems to be not so much a good-luck charm as the right show at the right time--something that could lead this beloved performer to even greater heights of fame. Don't even think of missing it when it (inevitably) returns.

--Les Spindle

Photo by Tony DiMaio