Any way you look at it, this was a great night for entertainment—terrific talent doing major songs from major shows, all under the expert direction of Scott Coulter, with musical direction by John Fischer and some snappy choreography by Vibecke Dahle. Siegel engagingly supplied the biographical introductions.

Let’s take the performers one by one.

JACOB SMITH provided an immediate lift opening the show with the very appropriate “This is the Moment” from “Jekyll and Hyde.” With a vigorous, exciting voice and solid, likeable stage presence Smith set an instant professional tone and showed he was ready for the big time.

JAMES ERICKSON, good looking and with leading-man appeal, brought sensitivity and passion to the lyrics of “Something’s Coming” from “West Side Story.”

JENNIE McGUINESS quickly established herself as an audience pleaser with “I've Got Rhythm” from”Girl Crazy,” abetted with backup by Matt Steele, Frank Francisco, Brad Giovanine and Paris Nix. When she began to dance, too, the place went wild.

BROOKE SCHLOSSER ripped into the song “Gimme Gimme” from “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” connoting a sense of great urgency in her search for love and grasping the air for “gimme” punctuation. She is unquestionably a dynamo.

BRAD GIOVANINE showed that he could deftly handle the complications of a Sondheim number as he smoothly and impressively navigated the challenging notes and lyrics of “Everybody Says Don’t” from “Anyone Can Whistle.”

EMILY IAQUINTA put an entirely new spin on “Mr. Monotony” from “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.” I never envisioned the song as sexy, but Iaquinta poured sex appeal into her individual approach, with a purring voice that matched her good looks and interpretation. She’s quite a knockout.

JEFF RAAB flashed show biz razzmatazz as he became the fast-singing huckster putting over the rapid-fire “There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute” from “Barnum.” He clearly has a great sense of comedy.

CAROLYN AMARADIO, with beauty a plus in addition to a voice that is spine-tingling was absolutely smashing in her rendition of “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” from “Phantom of the Opera.” And she sang without a microphone--“unplugged” as is Siegel’s favorite way of putting performing without amplification. With a voice of such strength and purity, Amaradio doesn’t need a mike.

STEPHEN LUKAS shone dramatically singing “‘Till I Hear You Sing” from “Love Never Dies,” the sequel to “Phantom of the Opera,” now playing in London. I’m not wild about the song itself, but it served Lukas very well, enabling him to reveal his powerful voice and ability to pour emotion into lyrics.

EMMY RAVER-LAMPMAN has had quite a bit of experience already and it showed as she delivered a rousing rendition of “Tomorrow,” the iconic song from “Annie.” She also has a stunning stage presence.

FRANK FRANCISCO brought plenty of personality as well as a good voice to his appealing “My Luck Is Changing” from “The Tap Dance Kid.”

ELLISHA MARIE THOMAS energized the hall singing “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King.” It was almost as if one had never heard the song before. What a talent! With Paris Nix and the company joining in, the first act ended explosively and the appetite was whet for the second.

JESSICA WAGNER, starting Act II with “Good Morning Baltimore,” was so appealing and convincing that she could have sailed right into a full-scale production of “Hairspray,” and the company joined in to make the number a sure-fire winner.

ERIN GOREY excelled in an especially difficult Sondheim number, “Another Hundred People” from “Company.” She managed to convey excitement inherent in the vision of the constant army of people for whom New York is a magnet.

PARIS NIX revived memories of the show “Golden Boy” with his soaring interpretation of the demanding “Night Song,” firmly demonstrating his vocal and stage force.

PJ VERICA had a most interesting choice, singing “Millwork” from the musical “Working,” With an assist from Jeff Raab, she movingly captured the essence of the number and the show based on the writings of Studs Terkel extolling the America’s workers.

LAURA DARRELL tenderly injected romance and longing into the demanding “Time Heals Everything” from “Mack and Mabel.” One could envision her doing an array of numbers of that nature.

DANIELLE COLUMBO also reached into “Mack and Mabel” for “Wherever He Ain’t” and succeeded in bringing out the number’s cleverness and meaning.

MATT STEELE demonstrated his skill with “Mr. Cellophane” from “Chicago,” convincingly delineating the sad character everyone habitually overlooks. But there was no overlooking of the talented Steele.

REBECCA LaCHANCE was wistfully entertaining in the way she sang “Nothing Really Happened” from “Is there Life After High School?”

JENNIE HARNEY seized the moment and elevated “I Am Changing” from “Dreamgirls” to the show-stopper it can be. She was priceless in her command of the music, lyrics nd the audience. If I were pressed into bestowing a prize for the evening, and this is no reflection on all of the other talent, I would bestow it upon Ms. HARNEY.

MEREDITH LUSTIG went unplugged to sing “Climb Every Mountain” from “The Sound Of Music.” She made the song thoroughly her own as she exhibited the voice that is needed to successfully deliver the number that has been a challenge to all who attempt to scale the mountain of the originally. Great work!