Divas got style
by KARL SCHEITHEIR Entertainment Editor

Jamet Pittman, left, Gretha Boston, middle and DeVonna Lawrence are featured in Studio Arena's "3 Mo' Divas." Photo by Jim Bush

What a season opener! From The Met to the Great White Way and all the way to Motown these three divas have it all, and a whole lot mo'.

Broadway writer/director Marion J. Caffey's "3 Mo' Divas" takes you on a 400-year musical journey beginning with opera classics and finishing up with gospel show-stoppers.

The voices are outstanding, the music is gorgeous and the show is amazing. It is an unprecedented musical celebration of the amazing versatility of the female voice. The diva's voices blended beautifully... and each shone in her solo.

The production begins Act I with opera including "Quando M'en Vo" from "La Boheme" and "L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle" from "Carmen," both beautifully performed by the three divas of Cast A-2: Gretha Boston, DeVonna Lawrence and Jamet Pittman.

We then move onto Broadway as 10 songs are performed including "Seasons of Love" from "Rent" and "Big Spender" from "Sweet Charity."

Act II moves the audience through jazz, blues and soul, including Billie Holiday's "Lady Sings the Blues," Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and finishing up with "His Eye is on the Sparrow."

"3 Mo' Divas" has everything a music lover could want, from Bach to Porter, Gershwin to Calloway and Ellington to The Supremes. But the most enjoyable moments for me were the solos reserved for each ar tist. Boston's "Carmen" selection is simply magical.

Pittman's rendition of "Solitude" captured everyone's heart, and Lawrence's fast-paced "How High the Moon" had everyone's feet and heads moving. However, the best performance of the night was Boston's "His Eye is on the Sparrow" - it is just power ful.

"3 Mo' Divas" runs through Sunday, Oct. 1 at Studio Arena Theater in Buffalo. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 856-5650 or (800) 77STAGE. Tickets range from $26 to $54.