Review: David Burtka brings his ‘Wearily We Roll Along’ show to 54 Below in New York City

David Burtka. Photo Courtesy of David Burtka.

On November 23rd, David Burtka performed his “Burtka, David: Wearily We Roll Along” show at 54 Below in New York City.

This marked Burtka’s fourth and final consecutive show at this venue (during this run).

Burtka was joined by Nicholas Ward and Kate Reinders of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” Seth Rudetsky served as his musical director with Nicolas Perez as his music coordinator; moreover, Burtka’s husband Neil Patrick Harris directed this show.

The band was comprised of Tina Lama on bass, Matt Wong on guitar, and Perry Cavari on the drums.

As soon as he took the stage, Burtka displayed his witty banter and introduced his band members.

Burtka kicked off his set with with the upbeat “I’ll Be Seeing You.” “I hope you had fun and learned a little about me and yourselves,” he said. “Thank you everybody, good night,” he joked as the show just started.

He immediately broke into the vivacious Queen classic “Don’t Stop Me Now,” which was written by the late but great Freddie Mercury. “Give it up for the audience. Thank you and good night,” he reiterated.

Burtka went on to perform “Flight,” which he described as an escape to get away from the voices in his head. It was followed by “All I Need is the Girl” from “Gypsy,” and midway through “Till There Was You” (from “The Music Man”) he noted that he needed a moment and went off stage while Nicholas Ward and Kate Reinders finished the song with a rousing rendition.

When he returned to the stage, Burtka stated that he “loves Broadway” and that he “loves theatre.” He immersed the audience in his medley of cooking songs such as “I Can Cook Too,” “Come On-A My House,” and “Growing Boy,” most of which were a mouthful.

Burtka went on to dedicate “Out of this World” to his family, which was quite touching. He invited his daughter, Harper, on stage with him and they sang “Something Stupid” as a duet. “I am so proud of her,” he expressed, and he was able to get his son Gideon to reluctantly say a quick “hi” to the audience from the stage.

“I’ve always wanted to be a dad, especially since I’m a big kid myself,” he noted, prior to reflecting on some of his highest highs and lowest lows (hitting rock bottom)

He segued into “Carousel” and the stirring piano-laden ballad “Waiting for the End,” which was incorporated as a medley with Pink’s “Sober.”

Burtka closed with “I’m Gonna Live Till I Die,” where he re-introduced his band members, as well as on a fitting note with the jubilant “I Feel a Song Coming On,” which was well-received.

While at times his show was slightly confusing, it all made sense at the end, and that is compliments to Neil Patrick Harris’ clever direction… It was a pleasant treat and surprise.

“David Burtka has a great voice, and he still belongs on Broadway,” said Veronica White, fan and attendee.

The Verdict

Overall, David Burtka was able to put on an entertaining and fun show at 54 Below in Manhattan… with a little help from Nicholas Ward, Kate Reinders and musical director Seth Rudetsky. 54 Below served as an intimate venue for a show of this nature, and it worked.

There was an honesty and authenticity to “Burtka, David: Wearily We Roll Along,” as he was able to immerse the audience in his life story. The inclusion of his two kids in his show was an added bonus.