By Christina Ling
Or should that be hit-switchers? Either way, the talented cast of the Bethesda Little Theatre (BLT) is sure to delight as they cross the musical gender divide with their upcoming production, Songs I Never Get to Sing.
A woman singing “The Impossible Dream” and “Mr. Cellophane”? Yes! A man crooning “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Ladies Who Lunch”? You’ve got the idea!
Director Martin Bestimt has selected an all-star lineup of jazz, pop, and Broadway numbers exclusively or strongly identified with either male or female leads and handed them over to the other sex for a fresh – and always fun – interpretation.
If you’re having trouble imagining guys vamping through a mashup of “Big Spender” from the musical Sweet Charity and “Gotta Have a Gimmick” from Gypsy, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this show.
“The challenging part is not laughing during the rehearsal,” says long-time BLT cast member Arthur Glover, who says he will be channeling diva Billie “Lady Day” Holiday for his numbers.
Crossover is more common for some songs than for others, of course. “’Luck be a Lady’ has been covered by more than a few female artists (most notably Barbra Streisand in her 1993 Back to Broadway album), so it’s had its fair share of gender-bending,” notes BLT’s Jessica Cooperstock, who sings the lead in this number. “It’s definitely a song I personally have never sung before though.”
Songs I Never Get to Sing plays from May 3 to May 12, 2019, presented by Bethesda Little Theatre at The Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, Theatre 2, 7995 Georgia Ave, in Silver Spring, MD. For tickets, call (202) 796-3431 or go online.
