Reviewing Karen Mason’s wonderful new show, More SPF! The Summer Continues! at Don’t Tell Mama was a full-circle moment for me; I first reviewed her as half of the opening night of the venerable cabaret back in 1982; the other half of that evening was Nancy Lamott. Mason was incredible in ’82 and, if possible, she is even more incredible in ’25. The show is ostensibly a celebration of (as she sings at one point) “those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…” but it is so much more—a delightful blend of good will, memory, silliness, drama, romance, youth, hilarity, and (with the help of her immensely talented cohorts Tom Hubbard on bass, and music director Christopher Denny on piano) flawless music. The “SPF” of the title refers not to “sun protection factor” but to “songs, patter, and fun” out of which Karen Mason fashioned a miracle.
Karen Mason (Photo: Christopher Boudewyns)
The silliness showed up early in “Summertime, Summertime” (Tom Jameson), a 1958 tribute to the season by The Jamies. Mason clowned around with infectious exuberance and inspired smiles and a bit of sing-along everywhere. “I Know a Place” with a dollop of “Downtown” (Tony Hatch) then moved us on to the ’60s which proved a fertile source for many of the night’s highlights. Her dramatic, deeply felt reimagining of “Up on the Roof” (Gerry Goffin, Carole King), “Happy Just to Dance” (John Lennon, Paul McCartney), “You’ve Got a Friend” (Goffin, King) and “Help” (Lennon, McCartney) were astonishingly effective, packing more emotional wallop than one would have thought possible after all this time. The last song was brilliantly paired with Sondheim’s “Being Alive” in a medley that revealed surprising depth and passion. It showed off what Karen Mason does best, and her mastery of the stage remains a thing of beauty.
Director Barry Kleinbort’s sure, subtle, and steady directorial hand was evident everywhere and always in service to the singer. He also contributed a beautiful original song called “The Kindest Man” that Mason brought to lovely, emotional life. Hubbard and Denny are never less than sensational but they particularly came to the fore in the numbers skirting the edges of jazz; “Taking a Chance on Love” (Vernon Duke, John La Touche, Ted Fetter) and “When in Rome” (Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh) took flight in delightful ways. They applied a similar abandon to great effect on “The 59th Street Bridge Song” (Paul Simon).
More SPF! The Summer Continues! was akin to visiting an old friend and coming away with a precious gift courtesy of one the wonders of New York cabaret. When she encored, extolling “Look for the Silver Lining” (Jerome Kern, B.G. DeSylva), the audience realized that there was no need to search—Karen Mason had provided it to us for the past hour.
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Presented at Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W. 46th St., NYC, August 3, 6, and 8, 2025.
Gerry Geddes, critic for BistroAwards.com, is an award-winning director, writer, teacher, performer, lyricist, and a contributor to the podcast Troubadours and Raconteurs. He conceived and directed the acclaimed musical revues Monday in the Dark with George (Bistro and MAC Award winner), Put on Your Saturday Suit—Words & Music by Jimmy Webb, and Gerry Geddes & Company (in its five-year residency at Pangea). He has directed singers André De Shields, Darius de Haas, Helen Baldassare, and Lisa Viggiano. He has been active in the cabaret world for over five decades and has produced numerous CDs; his lyrics have been performed and recorded here and in Europe. Gerry’s workshop, The Art of Vocal Performance, is regularly offered to singers of all levels. His memoir of life in NYC, Didn’t I Ever Tell You This?, was recently published and is available at barnesandnoble.com. He is currently at work on his first novel.
