On Monday, December 8th, Cheyenne Jackson, Emmy-nominated actor, singer, and Broadway performer, headlined Carnegie Hall in Manhattan for a great turnout.
He was joined by Jessica Vosk and Jane Krakowski as his special musical guests.
Act I
Jackson started his show promptly and kicked off Act I with “Don’t Stop Me Now” and immediately broke into the upbeat “Americano.”
“Hello! Wow, so this is Carnegie Hall,” Jackson said in amazement. “Wow. I need to take this moment in. This is my dream coming true in real time. This is incredible! I’ve been working on this show for a year.”
“This is a culmination of how a super tall, super queer Christian kid from Idaho made it to Carnegie Hall,” Jackson acknowledged.
He noted that he hails from Oldtown, Idaho, where the population — at the time — was 268. “The town I grew up in was so gorgeous,” he said, and shared that he had two goats named Harmony and Melody.
He also declared “Little House on the Prairie” as the “best show ever made,” and stated that “Melissa Gilbert is in the audience.”
Jackson recalled that it was after a performance of “Les Misérables” in Spokane, Washington, that he was inspired to go into the arts and musical theatre.
He continued with “Something’s Coming” from “West Side Story,” which was well-received. “Thank you so much,” he said, effusively. He also noted the impact that Sandra Bernhardt’s “Without You I’m Nothing” had on his formative years.
It was followed by a stirring rendition of Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” where he told the story of how he met his first love, Matt, at the age of 19.
To everyone’s surprise, Jackson revealed that his first love was present in the Carnegie Hall audience tonight.
Then, Jackson told the story of how he met his “Jewish prince” and “forever love” Jason. They have been together for 14 years and Jackson described Jason as “the best of the best.”
“Jason is the best father, he runs his company, takes care of our kids, and he is my best friend,” Jackson attested.
They have been through it all together (the deaths of both of their fathers), as well as the birth of their two kids, twins Willow and Ethan.
“If you haven’t found your Jewish prince or princess maybe this could be your night,” he told the Carnegie Hall audience.
Jackson continued with an expressive version of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down,” where he maintained solid control over his rich, rumbling voice. He introduced his first special guest of the evening, Jessica Vosk, whom he has known as long as his husband.
“We are a great match as friends but also musically,” Jackson said. They both have a mutual love for the Indigo Girls, and they sang a duet version of “Ghost” in their honor, which featured Vosk’s crystalline vocals.
Jackson recalled some of his proudest professional moments in his career. “I was nominated for a Grammy, and then I was nominated for an Emmy,” he said. “It was a Daytime Emmy nomination, but it still counts,” he jokingly laughed.
“Perhaps my proudest moment was being the 2nd runner-up in ‘The Masked Singer’ on Fox,” he said. Jackson finished in third place behind winner “Firefly” Teyana Taylor and runner-up “Ringmaster” Hayley Orrantia.
The emotional high-point of the evening was when he did a duet with his late friend Gavin Creel (whose voice appeared in an audio format) as they serenaded the Big Apple crowd to Adele’s “When We Were Young.”
Jackson described Gavin Creel as “one of the great lights in our world,” and rightfully so. There was not a dry eye in the hallowed venue during this performance, and it garnered him a standing ovation.
He closed the first half of his show with a medley of Broadway hits, and was joined with Vy Higginsen’s Sing Harlem Choir at the end, which was a real treat. At one point, he even came out in roller skates during this medley in a true “Xanadu” fashion.
Act II
After an outfit change, Jackson returned to the Carnegie Hall stage and he was dressed to impress in his suit and tie as he opened his set with a holiday song, which was upbeat and fun. “I miss you guys,” he said, prior to noting that he just celebrated a landmark birthday, the big 50.
It was followed by a hilarious segment where he was reading less favorable reviews that he got back in his young all while he was performing Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life.”
He invited his second guest on stage, Jane Krakowski, whom he has known for over 20 years. He is sharing the stage with her nightly on Broadway these days in “Oh, Mary!” where she is playing First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.
They did an enthralling duet of “Get Happy” and “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Aside for her talent, Jackson praised Krakowski for being an “incredible person and friend.”
Jackson thanked his mother, Sherri, for teaching him how to sing harmony at an early age. They grew up listening to such folk music queens as Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and Joan Baez.
A surprise moment, that wasn’t in the original program, was that he invited his mother, Sherri, and his sister (a primary school teacher) on stage with him to perform a duet of “The Pain of Loving You,” which was sheer bliss. He gave them the floor as he sang the harmony parts, while his mother and sister showcased their angelic voices.
His mom, Sherri, said it best: “We are not in Kansas anymore!”
“Ok” was a highlight moment from the second half of the show, where in this autobiographical tune, he sings about his father’s acceptance of him. It was filled with raw emotions.
“If I Can Dream” served as the theme song of the night. “Tonight, it has become clear to me that I am loved,” he expressed. “Thank you for supporting this dream. You all have been a part of my dream coming a reality tonight.”
Jackson closed with “I Am What I Am” and on a fitting note with “Rainbow,” which he sang to his family and loved ones.
Once again, he reiterated his gratitude and thanked everyone for making his dream come true tonight and expressed his love for all.
The only downside was that he didn’t perform “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy,” the duet he did with the late Leslie Jordan, but hopefully, that will be sung at a future live Cheyenne Jackson show.
Everything else at this concert, more than make up for not hearing “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy.”
The Verdict
Overall, Cheyenne Jackson’s concert at Carnegie Hall was captivating, uplifting, and thoroughly entertaining. There was a feeling of nostalgia and joy in the theater.
Jackson was able to take his audience on a journey of his life and upbringing through music.
The show was an eclectic mix of Broadway standards, pop anthems, and classics from the American Songbook, coupled with a few seasonal tunes and a few surprise guests.
Jessica Vosk and Jane Krakowski were delightful, and they helped elevate this experience to a higher level.
Paul Staroba and Warren Carlyle deserve to be commended for their musical direction and direction respectively. The arrangement for all of these songs was neat and noteworthy.
Jackson proved to be the “Greatest Showman” tonight at Carnie Hall, and he sang with the same amount of conviction that Hugh Jackman invested in the musical film. Jackson’s late father would have been proud of this bravura performance.
His career, journey and accomplishments are an inspiration to us all. It is highly recommended that one sees Cheyenne Jackson whenever he comes to perform in town. They will not be disappointed.
Vocally, Jackson possessed the mellowness of Michael Bublé, the range of Josh Groban, and the power of Mario Frangoulis.
Cheyenne Jackson’s Carnegie Hall debut garnered an A rating. Well done.
To learn more about Cheyenne Jackson, follow him on Instagram and visit his Linktree page.
