I caught Andrew Rannells at the Cabaret on February 12 in Indianapolis. Some thoughts:

It would take a revisit to the Cabaret, where Andrew Rannells was booked for the weekend, to know whether he and accompanist Jason Michael Snow are outstanding at spontaneous banter or if they are brilliant at making rehearsed bits feel impromptu.

Either way, they proved experts at making the audience feel like they are experiencing a one-of-a-kind event. Add in an eclectic but well chosen song stack, and the result was a solid hit for the Cabaret. 

Rannells, who became a Broadway name thanks to “The Book of Mormon” (where he and Snow became friends), launched his set in an oddly challenging way – with an intense is-he-sincere-or-is-he-mocking take on one-hit-wonder Andrew Gold’s mid-70s hit “Lonely Boy.” Those who hadn’t seen Rannell’s Live at Lincoln Center concert on PBS and arrived hoping for a string of songs from his Broadway shows may have been a bit baffled. 

Soon enough, though, with context about his fondness as a kid for Vicki Carr albums, tales of his last appearance in Indianapolis (in “Pokemon Live!” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds), name drops of places he’s checked out in Indy, and actually pronouncing the town of Carmel correctly, he handily won the full house over. 

And the musical theater songs arrived soon enough – “Cry for Me” from his tour in “Jersey Boys,” “The Games I Play” from “Falsettos” (the revival of which was recorded for PBS), and the highlight of the evening, a blending of “Wicked LIttle Town” and “Wig in a Box” from “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” 

Heading into intermission, he reverted to the overripe cheesiness of his opener, this time with Vicki Carr’s “It Must Be Him.” 

Returning for the second half, the audience was treated with “And They’re Off” from “A New Brain,” a sweet rendition of “If He Walked Into My Life” from “Mame,” and an equally tender “No More” from “Into the Woods” – a show Rannells said is his favorite. No surprise that he rounded the evening off with “I Believe” from “The Book of Mormon” and embraced the holiday with a low-key “My Funny Valentine” finale. 

Throughout the show, though, the laughs were plentiful, the rapport between Rannells and Snow delightful (including Rannells playfully admonishing Snow’s piano misplaying at one point with “Jesus! Mittens?”), and, as usual, the service and atmosphere at the Cabaret first class.