I mean, how can you not SWOON over someone like Sam Gravitte, especially when his looks are as charming as his personality! Am I crushing on him? Yes, I am. But honestly, who hasn't? #noshameinmygame 😍
Sam is currently on Broadway rocking the #tightwhitepants as Fiyero in WICKED and having a blast and looking damn good while doing it!
Not sure if you knew this, but he comes from a family of performers! His mother, the incredibly talented Debbie Gravitte, is a Tony Award-winning actress (Jerome Robbins Broadway was the musical she won the Tony for) who has starred on Broadway and performed worldwide. His father is also a performer. So yeah, Sam knows his stuff when it comes to performing, theater, and music.
Ok, so last night, I was in attendance for Sam Gravitte's debut solo show (this was his first solo show ever!) "The Songs That Raised Me" at the fabulous Birdland Jazz Club, and oh, what a night it certainly was! Sam had a sold-out, packed house, and you could feel the love and energy in the room from the moment he entered the stage.
Of course, his parents were there, and in fact, Debbie Gravitte will be doing some shows at Birdland in the future. Fun! Debbie, if you are reading this, you are an icon, and we adore you!!
Where to begin? Sam had a lovely group of musicians joins him both in the band and on stage. Onstage was led by pianist and composer Jake Landau, guitarist Ravi Campbell, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, and drummer Zach Mullings. Sam took us on a journey with standards like Cy Coleman's "Why Try to Change Me Now," Stephen Sondheim's "Finishing the Hat," and more. He opened with "Come Fly Away," which was a great way to open the show. And of course his FABULOUS special guest Solea Pfeiffer who sang a beautiful duet from Light in the Piazza!
He started the show in a classic suit and tie and then did a brief quick change to a more relaxed look with a black button-down with the collar open.
He mixed a little bit of the classics with some new stuff, including this beautiful short song cycle called "The Coin Toss," composed by Jake Landau. It was a beautifully touching and heartfelt number talking about love and trying to express how you feel to the guy you like, which I know we all can relate to.
It was the first time anyone had heard this song, which you could tell was deep and heartfelt for him. He also did this incredible rendition of "I Could Have Danced All Night," which he had arranged for his bestie Mary Kate Morrisey's wedding and sang it again last night. He ended the show with an impromptu encore of a song he had written during the height of the pandemic while out in Los Angeles--truly stunning!
Being the child of legendary performers, there was, of course, stories of being raised with music and in the theater. Sam reminisced about going into the city with his Mom and visiting backstage of CHICAGO in 2004 when Debbie was doing a four-month run as Mama Morton.
He was exposed to all kinds of music throughout his childhood, and he fondly recalled the moment he knew his heart was set on performing full time when he heard the opening chords of "Giants in the Sky" from Into the Woods. From that moment on, his heart was set on musical theater, and he was "feeling things he never felt, and was so happy he could melt." (see what I did there). 😉
There is no doubt Sam will be doing another show in the future; in fact, Jim Caruso was heard saying he would have him back anytime he wanted.
It's always wonderful to see things like this, and I love it when good things happen to good people. Sam is one of the kindest and most humble human beings I've ever met, and I am honored to know him and to have been at this debut show that will go down in the books.
I say "Bravo!" to you, Sam, and I am so happy for you! Take this moment, savor it, bask in it, and enjoy it! Congratulations on the terrfic debut show!
Have you seen Sam in WICKED, or were you there last night? Leave a comment and let me know!
Below are some videos I took!