“Glover is a fireball… prowls the stage like a gymnast… shines brightly”
Glover is a fireball. She prowls the stage like a gymnast, and in her own show-stopper, "I'm Hard to Satisfy," Glover shines brightly.
“The real treasure on this pirate ship… supple dancing, expressive voice and saucy smile make her a delectable modern Mabel”
The real treasure on this pirate ship is Montego Glover, a young unknown whose supple dancing, expressive voice and saucy smile make her a delectable modern Mabel. Somebody grab this child quick!
“Character growth is clearly focused on Montego… Glover takes advantage of those complexities as her character grapples”
Character growth is clearly focused on Montego Glover as Preacher Eshie. The terrific Glover takes advantage of those complexities as her character grapples with her faith, health, and loyalty.
“The evening's reigning champ was Glover… hard to forget”
The evening's reigning champ was Glover. In the show's most jaw-dropping vocal stunt, she transforms from a willowy young woman who often sounds like a soprano into a credible Louis Armstrong, with his patented growl. Her Armstrong lasts only a minute or two, but it's hard to forget.
Yet for most of the show, Glover is a lithe, girlish presence who looks more strikingly like a model than the young Hunter ever did in photographs.
“Glover is, quite simply, a star… magnetic stage presence and a glorious voice”
As Felicia Farrell, an aspiring singer and Huey's love interest, Montego Glover is, quite simply, a star. Glover has a magnetic stage presence and a glorious voice. When she sings “Colored Woman” you will feel every ounce of her frustration and fear. Glover is so talented, you'll just want to hear her sing. Every time she opens her mouth you'll feel the hair at the back of your neck stand up, so pure is her voice and so direct are her emotions. Glover's resemblance to Diana Ross is striking, but when she goes into the Supremes/ “Dreamgirls” number, she is truly stunning.
“Small and lithe enough to suggest a warrior princess… yet with reserves of old-soul gravitas”
…That would be Montego Glover in the title role, an extraordinary performer who inspires proprietary urges: With her, you want maximum face time. She's a fascinating amalgam, small and lithe enough to suggest a warrior princess itching for action (Glover employs every inch of her expressive body), yet with reserves of old-soul gravitas, essential in delivering a stirring anthem like "The Gods Love Nubia." Her voice sounds as if she has an entire gospel choir packed within her small, buff frame.
“Glover can be grotesquely comic one minute, ethereally beautiful the next… sings and dances with panache”
The prodigiously talented Montego Glover tackles the younger Alberta, as well as a galaxy of other characters—most outrageously and memorably Louis Armstrong. Glover can be grotesquely comic one minute, ethereally beautiful the next. And throughout it all, she sings and dances with panache.
“It’s the talents of Montego Glover that maneuver the story in places it couldn’t otherwise go”
It’s the talents of Montego Glover that maneuver the story in places it couldn’t otherwise go…from a high pitched girl to a raspy voice and physically twitchy nightclub owner, and when she impersonates Louis Armstrong you can see to what extremes she can take her gift of performance art.
“A powerful and compelling performance… elevates this production to a higher status than the material alone deserves”
A powerful and compelling performance by Montego Glover as “Aida” is helping the North Shore Music end its 2004 season on a high note. As adept at handling the fierce determination of a willful Nubian princess as she is at expressing the uncertainties of a young woman in love, Glover captivates her audience as quickly as her Aida charms the Egyptian army captain Radames.
The scintillating performance by Glover elevates this production to a higher status than the material alone deserves. With tremendous sincerity and intensity, this stunning actress and singer transforms unremarkable songs like “The Past Is Another Land” and “Easy as Life” into bittersweet anthems.
As the tormented heroine, the diminutive Glover delivers an impassioned portrayal that makes her tower far above any of the other actors on stage. Her singing is pure and forceful without being forced, and her acting is utterly riveting.
As the North Shore Music Theatre Playbill suggests, the love between Aida and Radames will last forever. But the stellar performance by Montego Glover won’t. Go see this rising star while you have the chance. Glover’s performance may not be eternal, but it is timeless.