Making her debut at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), Melissa Errico kicked off her cabaret wearing a long red gown and singing Barbra Streisand’s arrangement of “Jingle Bells.” Her music director/pianist was none other than Randy Waldman. Having served as Streisand’s pianist/conductor since 1984, he knows her arrangement. He has also worked with other major artists; when he was only 21 he toured with Frank Sinatra. He led Errico’s trio, which included bass and drums, with quiet power while she handled all the vocals and patter.

This was Errico’s MIM debut, and she had set foot in Arizona for the first time just a few hours before her show. Known for recording and touring with Sondheim material, she integrated many of his songs into her holiday cabaret, including “Everybody Says Don’t,” “I Remember,” “Not While I’m Around,” and “Sooner or Later.” Errico collaborated with New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik who penned parody lyrics for her. They came up with a medley of holiday-themed Sondheim parodies to the melodies of “Send in the Clowns,” “Sorry-Grateful,” “Losing My Mind” (with a funny take on a parent assembling toys on Christmas Eve), and a little-too-rapid “Getting Married (We’re Not Seeing Santa) Today.”