By GEORGE HOOVER
From the moment Stephanie J. Block stepped onto the Greer Cabaret stage dressed black and gold, it was apparent she was in the company of certified Broadway nerds and admirers, myself included. Joining her was her accompanist, Ben Cohen, an accomplished musician in his own right. Clearly the audience had missed her, as her last concert appearance in our city was in 2015.
A three-time Tony Award nominee and six-time Drama Desk Award nominee, Block won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her lead performance in The Cher Show.
She was most recently seen in Kiss Me Kate at London’s Barbican Center in 2024, and on Broadway starring as The Baker’s Wife in the 2022/2023 production of Into the Woods.
The Greer Cabaret is Pittsburgh’s version of New York’s 54 Below, Cafe Carlyle or the Algonquin Oak Room, an intimate setting perfect for getting to know a star and sharing a few secrets. And Block shared several throughout the evening. She has the uncanny ability to make eye contact and connect with each audience member; even though she was a distance away, she looked at you as if sitting beside you.
Block spoke of her career milestones and connections to Pittsburgh, which included auditioning for Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz, for the role of Elphaba, which ultimately went to the more experienced Idina Menzel.
While most of the audience knew Block played Elphaba in the first national tour of Wicked, we were surprised to learn her 2006 performance in Pittsburgh was her last stop before heading to Broadway to replace Menzel. Naturally, there was a farewell party for her on the night of her final tour performance, which led to a missed early morning flight AND a breakup with her boyfriend at the Pittsburgh Airport.
Her concert song selection reflected her life’s journey, as she opened with Sondheim’s “Being Alive” from Company, a Wicked medley including the cut song Making Good, and Some People from Gypsy, with a shout-out to Audra McDonald.
These numbers were followed by some of her career highlights, including the Tryst Song from Into the Woods, “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl, a show she auditioned for but was not cast as Fanny Brice in the first revival attempt, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” as Judy Garland is Block’s self-proclaimed North Star.
“The Mother” by Brandi Carlile was dedicated to her and husband Sebastian Arcelus’s 10-year-old daughter, Vivienne, who is following her parents’ footsteps and appearing in Frozen Junior back home this week.
As she continued to demonstrate her exceptional talents as a performer, Block sang highlights from her career, including “I Will Always Love You“- a virtual duet with Dolly Parton, “I’m Breaking Down” (Falsettos), “Strong Enough,” and “The Way of Love” (The Cher Show).
Block’s portrayal and voicing of Cher was uncanny in its accuracy; she noted that portraying the singer while Cher was her boss was unnerving. Block shared with us, in perfect Cher speak, that Cher is still her boss, having been asked to read the audiobook version of Cher: Part 1: The Memoir.
As the concert drew to a conclusion, Block thanked everyone involved, from the theater staff to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, for having her back and hoping she would not have to wait another 10 years to return.
She closed with a heartfelt rendition of “Kindness Changes Everything, ” followed by a standing ovation.
Next up at the Greer
Patina Miller | May 5, 2025 | https://trustarts.org/production/96445/patina-miller
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