On September 23, Hallmark actor and singer George Krissa performed at Chelsea Table & Stage in New York City.
He is known for his starring role in “The Holiday Sitter” on the Hallmark Channel, where he starred opposite Jonathan Bennett (“Mean Girls”).
Krissa played for an intimate Big Apple audience, where he was joined by Christopher Denny on the piano, and by such musical guests as Jackie Cox, Danielle Wade, and Grammy-nominated artist Tyley Ross.
He kicked off his Chelsea Table & Stage set with “Almost Like Being in Love,” which he revealed was from the musical Brigadoon, and it was followed by “The Way You Look Tonight,” which he described as one of his personal favorite songs ever.
Krissa noted that this marked his first official New York City debut, and that he hails from the small town of Lashburn in Saskatchewan, Canada.
He acknowledged that he went through a “West Side Story” phase in his teens but he “rapidly aged out of it.” He did treat the audience to “Something’s Coming,” which was the tenor part sung by the lead character Tony in the timeless musical.
Krissa expressed that “Country music was a big part of his life,” and he sang the hilarious “Country Love Song,” which was penned by Stephen Lynch. On a more serious note, he delivered the tender ballad “To Make You Feel My Love” (originally written by Bob Dylan) but performed in the style of Garth Brooks.
Jackie Cox joined him on stage for an upbeat duet of “Love Is an Open Door” from Frozen, and then Krissa immediately broke into “Ya Got Trouble” from The Music Man, which was quite a mouthful.
“This was my political statement, it appears that I’m a political person,” he joked.
He invited his second musical guest, Danielle Wade, on stage with him for yet another memorable duet, this time it was “Crazier Than You.” For safety, Wade had the lyrics printed out with her. “Just pretend I’m not looking at the lyrics,” she told the audience with a sweet laugh. Fortunately, Wade did not need them, and she nailed them.
Krissa took his audience on a trip to “Moulin Rouge” with Elton John’s “Your Song,” and once again, Danielle Wade joined him midway through the end, and their velvet voices blended well together.
He acknowledged that “being an artist is hard” and he sang Don McLean’s “Vincent” on a stool in an expressive fashion. “I like that song,” he admitted, the audience was equally pleased with his execution and delivery.
His cousin, Tyley Ross, whom he described as “impossibly talented,” joined him for a rousing rendition of Queen and Davie Bowie’s rocking “Under Pressure.” He revealed that this was their first time performing live together.
Krissa closed his set with “I Wanna Get Better by Bleachers, where the listener could recall Ben Platt.
For his encore (which he had prepared), Krissa returned to the stage to serenade the fans to the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “If I Loved You” from Carousel.
The Verdict
Overall, it was a pleasant evening of music and storytelling by Hallmark actor, musician, and performer George Krissa. The Big Apple fans got to experience his dynamic and versatile vocal range in such modern setting as the Chelsea Table & Stage.
It is recommended that one sees Krissa live whenever he comes to town. His live set garnered two thumbs up.
For more information on actor, singer, and performer George Krissa, follow him on Instagram.
