ORANGE — Call them well-matched strange bedfellows — an oxymoron that makes perfect sense on the musical and comedic stage commanded by amiable local talents Janet Paoletti and Jack Arnot.
With neither a safety net nor props or even microphones, the music of tenor Arnot and pianist Paoletti can fill a concert hall to its aerial heights while they alternately juggle quips and anecdotes without hazard. The longtime occasional duo recently performed multiple 45-minute shows in Central Congregational Church for annual Starry Starry Night audiences, who were treated to vaudeville, Italian pieces, 19th Century gems and more.
It was in that church that Arnot, an entertainer for more than 40 years, had gotten his start as a youth singing in the choir — under the direction of Paoletti, who is a longtime esteemed musical theatre accompanist, church organist and teacher. Arnot, a noted barbershop singer with a long theater resume, takes jobs these days soloing for weddings and funerals.
With her usual sophisticated pluck, an animated Paoletti kept up her end of the onstage volley with ease — and even wove in a musical and biographical tribute to historic ragtime great Scott Joplin. Arnot impressed with the occasional robust, golden orb of a vocal note he’d catapult into the middle row and somehow hold suspended there in midair. And, in delightful deference to the genre, he’d punctuate his singing with razzmatazz hand gestures on snappy numbers like Ahlert’s & Young’s 1935 classic “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter.”
In one of her “stand-up” comedy moments, Paoletti casually regaled the audience with the story of how the independent performers had been paired, once again, for the recent event. She simply recounted Arnot’s cliffhanger phone call to her — entailing a genteel exchange that drew audience chuckles in the retelling. … and likely made the spirits of variety troupers of showtimes past smile down, too.