Review: Seth Rudetsky and Ramin Karimloo Perform as Part of Their Broadway Concert Series

I have said it before and I will say it again. Ramin Karimloo could be singing a grocery list, and I’d still want to listen. Presented by producer Mark Cortale, Seth Rudetsky brought his Broadway Concert Series to The Parker in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this time featuring Ramin Karimloo. 

As audience members piled into the theater, Broadway’s biggest hits filled the room. People began singing along to music from beloved classics, as well as some lesser known gems, including Rent, Mamma Mia!, Be More Chill, and Catch Me If You Can, filling the room with a jovial, excited energy as they waited for Rudetsky and Karimloo to take the stage. Can you think of anything more theater-esque than participating in a Broadway singalong before watching Broadway performers sing Broadway music? Me neither. 

The production combines a little bit of everything, with snarky bits of stand-up, podcast style interview questions, and of course, the silver–tongued renditions we have come to expect from Karimloo as Rudetsky accompanied him on the piano. 

“I really wanted to be Javert in Les Mis. Every single time he’s on stage, it’s just him singing center stage and then he effs off. And have you seen his coat? But I eventually agreed to be Jean Valjean after Cameron Mackintosh said ‘Do me this favor.’” - Karimloo

While Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera may have helped make Karimloo a household name among theater lovers, I was surprised to see he opened the show with a softer, sweeter rendition of “Til I Hear You Sing” from Love Never Dies, Webber’s sequel to Phantom. This gentler approach continued when Karimloo picked up his guitar and began a blue-grassy ode to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s “Hushabye Mountain.” Watching Karimloo sing this tender lullaby from Hollywood days gone by felt like he’d let us in on a secret, giving this forgotten gem a new life with his acoustic twist. 

In addition to playing the Phantom in both The Phantom of the Opera and its sequel, Karimloo has taken on some of the most well-known roles in modern theater history, including the ever-passionate Jean Valjean from Les Misérables. As he launched into a gut wrenching, heartbreaking rendition of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from Les Mis, his impeccable power and passion filled the room in a moment of theatrical perfection. 

Of course, this sweet, delicate rotation of songs didn’t last long. To quote Karimloo, he and Rudetsky have a “passive aggressive friendship.” Between each song, they bantered back and forth, throwing hilariously snarky jabs at each other and telling behind-the-scenes stories from their expansive careers. The production played on the idea of Rudetsky serving as this “Godfather of Theater” as he recounted anecdotes from his time working on Broadway and in the West End. 

“When I was doing Love Never Dies in London, my dressing room had a view of this street full of bars. Between shows, I used to walk down the street in my Phantom makeup and freak people out.” -Karimloo

Karimloo started at the beginning, telling stories of his childhood and introduction to theater and The Phantom of the Opera. He recalled listening to and studying the story when he was in seventh grade, clarifying he listened to “Andy’s version” (playing on the audience gasps at hearing Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber referred to as “Andy,” he quipped “I’ve earned the right to call him Andy!”). He discussed seeing the production on a school trip in Toronto and being so moved by Colm Wilkinson’s performance, he bet his friend he would grow up and play the Phantom one day (and gleefully shared that he called said friend from the makeup chair before making his Phantom debut to tell him “I told you so”). He was so interested in the character and the production, he called the theater in Toronto and was allowed to follow the then-Phantom actor around for a day.

While Sunset Boulevard is often overlooked when discussing Webber’s repertoire (check out my review of the Kennedy Center production here), Karimloo made sure it would not be overlooked in this production. Briefly reprising his role as Joe, his rendition of the Act II number “Sunset Boulevard” finally gave Karimloo a chance to show off his enviable range and talent as he effortlessly played between frantic energy and those sexy musical theater notes. 

“While I was in Miss Saigon, I told Cameron Mackintosh I wanted to be the Phantom. A few days later, a brown envelope slid under my dressing room door with Phantom sheet music and a note that said ‘Let’s see what you can do.’” -Karimloo

This effortless energy translated into his conversations with Rudetsky. Their comedic timing is impeccable, combining stand-up style storytelling, interviews, and improv (thanks to calls from the audience) with the concert experience, creating something wonderfully unique and unforgettable (although not surprising for anyone familiar with Rudestky’s SiriusXM radio show and Stars in the House web series). Their playful back and forth is the epitome of showmanship and entertainment as their fast and furious banter had their audience listening with rapt attention. 

But perhaps the most important, impressive, waited-for-with-baited-breath moment of the night was Karimloo’s rendition of “Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera. I firmly believe this may be one of the best songs in musical theater history, as Webber, along with lyricists Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, have created a piece you don’t just hear, but can see and feel with vivid and expressive passion. Karimloo has mastered this impossible number, spinning tales of music you feel in your soul. As he sings about opening your mind and silencing your senses, the music swells and ebbs in a way that takes you with it until you find yourself stuck in the Phantom’s web, doing exactly as he says and abandoning all defenses. 

“They asked me before the show if I had a setlist, and I said ‘Yeah right!’ It’s so much more fun when we can ad lib this way.” -Karimloo

As they discussed Karimloo’s expansive career, he often sang a few bars a cappella, giving audience a glimpse into his other projects and roles, including Anastasia and Funny Girl. Together, Karimloo and Rudetsky have created something magical. Full of joy and humor, they shared their memories with such fondness and fun that you couldn’t help but smile as we got to be a part of it, even if only for just one evening.

Feature photo courtesy of The Parker