By Eyal Solomon, Publisher & Editor, Theater Pizzazz…

A dazzling celebration of Burt Bacharach’s musical genius, featuring inventive arrangements, powerhouse vocals, and timeless songs that sound as fresh and irresistible as ever.

Burt Bacharach had a remarkable gift for making complicated music sound effortless. His melodies were sophisticated, often built around unusual chord progressions, unexpected rhythmic shifts, and time signatures that would challenge even accomplished musicians. Yet somehow, the results were among the most accessible and memorable pop songs ever written. You didn’t need to understand the musical architecture to fall in love with the finished product.

Going Bacharach: The Songs of an Icon, playing at the intimate Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater, celebrates that extraordinary talent with a lively musical revue featuring three vocalists and a five-piece band, whose members each get a respectable moment in the spotlight, most notably bassist Marco Panascia. The result is an entertaining trip through one of the richest catalogs in American popular music.

Bacharach, who died in 2023 at 94, created much of his best-known work with lyricist Hal David. Together, they gave us an astonishing collection of hits, including “Walk On By,” “Alfie,” “The Look of Love,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” The songs were recorded by everyone from Dionne Warwick to Dusty Springfield, and their appeal has proved remarkably durable.

The show’s three singers bring distinctly different yet complementary musical personalities: brooding intensity from John Pagano, who performed with Bacharach for 26 years, soaring soulfulness from Meecah, and bell-like clarity from Ava Locknar.

The show’s musical mastermind is Adrian Galante, its Australian musical director, pianist, clarinetist, and arranger. A formidable musician on both instruments, Galante brings imaginative orchestrations that breathe new life into familiar material without sacrificing its essential character.

The show’s greatest strength is its willingness to explore the material rather than simply reproduce familiar recordings. Fresh arrangements reveal musical details that can easily go unnoticed in the original hits. The combination of jazz influences, instrumental interplay, and strong vocal interpretations reminds us just how adventurous Bacharach’s writing could be beneath its deceptively easygoing surface.

As befits a tribute to an artist of Bacharach’s stature, the evening offers more than extraordinary musical performances. It also traces the composer’s life and career, from his upbringing and rise to fame to his many collaborations and career highlights. A personal favorite was “God Give Me Strength,” his remarkable collaboration with Elvis Costello. The singers also have opportunities to share their personal connections to Bacharach, including memories of working with him. While these stories are often endearing, I found some of the scripted narration a bit didactic, especially in contrast to the heartfelt musical performances. Ironically, it was the occasional unscripted banter and spontaneous ad-libbing that created the strongest connection with the audience. Still, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Going Bacharach succeeds because the songs themselves remain irresistible. Whether you’re revisiting the soundtrack of your youth or discovering Bacharach’s genius for the first time, there’s plenty here to enjoy. And chances are, you’ll leave humming something you haven’t heard in years.

Bottom line: See it. You don’t even know how much you’ll enjoy it.

Going Bacharach is playing at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre, 10 W. 64th Street, New York, NY 10023, through November 29, 2026. More information: https://goingbacharach.com/

Photos by Russ Rowland.