Alameda County Judge Tom Reardon Moonlights As A Cabaret Star

When Tom Reardon returns for his fourth appearance at Feinstein's at the Nikko on March 18 and 19, he'll be celebrating the legacies of his musical idols Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.

"Dylan invented the singer/songwriter, Mitchell perfected it," Reardon said of the two legendary icons. He shared an anecdote regarding Mitchell and her friend Kris Kristofferson, who noted how revealing Mitchell's lyrics were. "Leave something to yourself," Kristofferson told her.

It's that very personal nature of the Mitchell and Dylan catalogs which appeals to Reardon. "I'm always interested in telling a story," he said. "I like great lyrics matched to a great melody, like Steven Sondheim or Richard Rodgers. I've always included Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell in this category because they're superlative storytellers."

Dylan and Mitchell both rose to stardom during the mid-1960s, a time when the country was in the midst of great social upheaval, and when folk singers expressed the anguish and frustration of a generation. Reardon said that he won't be dressed in hippie attire when he performs at Feinstein's. "I'll be wearing a jacket which invokes their folk sensibilities, but that's still classy enough for Feinstein's," he said.

Some might be surprised by Reardon's career as a performer, which includes sold out cabaret performances and many roles in musical theater. Reardon, who is openly gay, is also a sitting judge in Alameda County Superior Court, which he calls his "day job." So far, none of the defendants he's presided over have come to see his shows.

"There's not a lot of crossover between Criminal Justice and musical theater," he said. Reardon has recieved a lot of support from his colleagues in the legal community, and has had some of his jurors come to see him perform after their service ended.

The judge said that he greatly enjoys his day job, and credits it with helping him to find his footing on stage. "The legal world instills a sense of discipline," he points out.

Reardon will be leaving the legal world behind -for just a few hours- when he brings his Dylan/Mitchell tribute to Feinstein's. He cited Mitchell's "A Case of You" and Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's Allright" as his favorite compositions from each.

"I am a lonely painter, I live in a box of paints," is the line from "A Case of You" which most resonates with Reardon. "There's always one line in her songs that brings me back," he said.

Reardon added that "Don't Think Twice, Its Allright" was one of Dylan's earlier, lesser known numbers. "It really comes out of a folk tradition," he said. "It has a beautiful, simple melody, an old folk feel."

Though Reardon has enjoyed a great deal of success in the Bay Area cabaret and theater world, he's not expecting to star on Broadway anytime soon.

"I'm realistic," he says. "It's a tough nut to crack. It's tough to pay bills. I wouldn't want to give up the pension from my day job. My performing is strictly Bay Area."

Still, there's always the chance that "someone" might see him on stage. "If the offer were right, I probably would," he said. "You only live once. It would be a big risk, but I wouldn't want to look back and ask why didn't I?"

Tom Reardon Performs: The Songs of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell at Feinstein's at the Nikko. $25-$45. $20 food/drink min. March 18, 8pm. March 19, 7pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (866) 663-1063. www.tommyontherocks.com www.ticketweb.com