Judy Kuhn, who closes the current Cabaret at the Prince season, brings to the party a number of qualities we don¹t usually associate with the genre. Youth, for one -- though she confessed she was about to celebrate a major birthday (45: It¹s a matter of record), the still ingénue-ish Kuhn looks 15 years younger.

Her musical interests, too, go in a different direction, and Finding Home is a collection of songs that favor a younger generation. Though there is some representation of the de rigueur old guard (two songs by Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer; one by Kurt Weill/Alan Jay Lerner), the rest of Kuhn's material leans to Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Tom Waits et al.

Finally, Kuhn's voice is luxury indeed -- one of the most prodigiously gifted singers around, she moves effortlessly from a powerful lower range to soprano sweetness (though on this occasion the very top notes sounded a trifle dry), and she can croon or belt with equal aplomb.

As I say, all of this is unusual in a cabaret setting, where most divas favor traditional musical theater repertoire, are 50-plus and often have slender vocal resources. Think of Andrea Marcovicci, Julie Wilson, Elaine Stritch.

Ah, but those women really live their songs, turning each lyric into a miniature play. Though Kuhn is an experienced theater actress, in this context (and at this point in her career) she scores most of her points vocally. It's a joy to hear such a beautiful voice used so unstintingly but we churlishly want more.

Taking the two Arlen songs as benchmarks, there's not enough defiance in Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home, nor does Kuhn mine the radiant happiness of Come Rain or Come Shine. She seems happiest somewhere in the middle and Finding Home includes a preponderance of songs that tend to the bittersweet and wistful. (As the show's title suggests, there's an implied theme here -- but not one that has any real dramatic arc.) Each individual example is lovely; I especially liked the one-two pairing of Billy Joel's Lullabye and Karla Bonoff's Home. Collectively, though, there's a sameness about it.

I'm being churlish, as I said -- but Kuhn's exceptional resources make us want it all. Still, there's a lot to enjoy (I haven't yet mentioned that she's charming and good with banter). Pianist Jeffrey Klitz has provided some splendid arrangements and there's further good support from Craig Thomas on bass and Darren Keith on drums.

Adjust your expectations more to concert than cabaret and you'll have a great time.

FINDING HOME: JUDY KUHN IN CONCERT Through May 18, Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., 215-569-9700

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