Singer, students take musical journey at Frank Collymore Hall

On Sunday night, Walkin’ in My Own Shoes provided a platform for patrons to follow the journey of songstress Kellie Cadogan.

The Frank Collymore Hall was the stage for the jazz and vocal showcase which highlighted her versatility as an artiste. Another segment charted the development of the students at her vocal training school.

The first act focused on those under Cadogan’s tutelage. Though the pupils are at different levels in their musical journeys the consistent denominator was the air of determination they brought to the stage. They managed to keep the nerves at bay and each participant exuded poise. It was evident that there was a clear focus on showmanship as each immaculately dressed performer launched into their song choices.

In My Garden, a duet by Kellie and her father Benjamin Cadogan, opened the production and was followed by the trio of Keelia Clarke, Jeliah Boyce and Harmoni Haynes singing Brave and Lioness on the Rise. Each of them made multiple stage appearances and all were met with the audience’s enthusiastic response. 

Boyce was especially at ease in the limelight and impressed with her finesse on Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody. She got some male members of the audience to blush as she serenaded them, with one of the brave among them heeding her request to dance.

Boyce’s duet with the equally talented and fearless Keelia Clarke on I will Survive was solid. Clarke was emotive with her rendition of Dream in the Dark, easily captivating the audience. Another strong performer was Harmoni Haynes who was not intimidated by Whitney Houston’s powerhouse track I Have Nothing, to which she even added her own touch.

Makeda Lowe’s approach to All that Jazz was lighthearted and she seems perfectly suited for musical theatre as she seamlessly merged her dancing and singing.

The two male vocalists in the production were Brian Lashley and George Thomas. The former’s smooth, deep voice resonated with the ladies on his rendition of John Legend’s Ordinary People. Thomas sang Wildflower and performed the duet Somewhere Out There with his tutor Cadogan.

The other performers were Shonae Davis singing Lord You’re Holy while Sharon Bourne did Alone, Caught up in the Rapture and Slow Hand. 

Tracy Erene sang Dream in Colour and she teamed up with Ashlee Ramsay and Nicola Mayers for The Colour Purple. Dressed in period-styled clothing, Gail Bennett did Crazy He Calls Me while Charlene Watts performed Unforgettable and was joined by dancer John Hunte. Katrina Wiltshire was confident with her rendition of Blessed Assurance. Some of the performances were accompanied by pianist Martin Boyce.

In the second act, the primary focus was on  Kellie Cadogan. Her song selection reflected the peaks and valleys of her life and with each piece she captured the emotion of the moment with her vocals and wardrobe changes to match the mood. In addition to inspirational songs drawn from her extensive catalogue, she paid tribute to rock legend Tina Turner with a dynamic rendition of Simply the Best. A special guest appearance was made by the Lester Vaughn Secondary School Choir. They accompanied Cadogan on Don’t Panic after their earlier performance of Stand Up. The production closed with the full cast performing Walkin’ in my Own Shoes. (STT)