The non-profit Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center (OHMTEC) has initiated a campaign to raise funds for the purchase, restoration, and preservation of Highland Farm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, the former home and creative base of Broadway legend Oscar Hammerstein II. The mission is to honor Hammerstein’s work as a lyricist and librettist, and his legacy of mentorship and social activism, by increasing awareness of social issues and the need for tolerance of diversity.
Oscar Hammerstein II. Photo courtesy of Photofest.
Hammerstein and his wife Dorothy bought the 72-acre working farm in Bucks County, PA, in 1940, as the US faced the prospects of involvement in World War II. Like many NYC-based artists of the time, he was seeking a quiet place to work outside of the city, as well as a refuge should the conflict extend to America’s shores. For the last 20 years of his life, Hammerstein and his family lived there; it was the place where he forged his legendary partnership with Richard Rodgers and created many of their greatest musicals, including The Sound of Music, Carousel, The King and I, Oklahoma!, and South Pacific. More than 75 Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, Academy Awards, and Grammy Awards can be traced back to the work done at Highland Farm.
Highland Farm. Photo by Grace Anne Alfiero.
It’s also the place where Hammerstein mentored the young emerging musician and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who lived in Doylestown in his teens, was a classmate of Hammerstein’s son Jimmy, and a frequent visitor to their home. Sondheim later spoke of the great impact Oscar Hammerstein had on his life, noting that he learned more about writing songs in one afternoon with Oscar than most people learn in a lifetime.
Although Highland Farm is currently privately owned and not yet open to the public, the work of the theater education center has already begun. Last year, OHMTEC held its first ever Hammerstein International Youth Solo Contest, which serves to educate young musical theater enthusiasts, ages 23 and under, about the tremendous influence Hammerstein had on the development of the modern Broadway musical. The inaugural event attracted 238 performers from 28 states and two countries.
OHMTEC aerial rendering. Photo courtesy of OHMTEC.
With the goal of creating a multifaceted and dynamic museum experience with a strong theater education component serving as a place of inspiration for Broadway fans and humanitarians alike, OHMTEC has raised nearly $1 million towards the purchase of Highland Farm. The project is the recipient of a $500,000 matching grant from the state of Pennsylvania; an additional $1 million is needed to complete this first phase of the project, so that the home can be opened to the public as a museum. OHMTEC is using the hashtag #SaveOscarsHome as one way to build awareness.
Among the growing list of luminaries who have joined the organization’s Honorary Advisory Board are actress Shirley Jones; Ted Chapin, the former head of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization; Melinda Mathias Walsh, granddaughter of Hammerstein; actress, author, and film and television producer Mariel Hemingway; English actor and producer Gerald Charles Dickens; National Medal of the Arts recipient Morten Lauridsen; Broadway and television actor and singer Justin Guarini; teen actress Kassie Mundhenk; and, most recently, Grammy award-winning singer and actor Jonathan Groff.
A fundraising gala, hosted by Ted Chapin and featuring Broadway stars Christy Altomare (Anastasia), Derek Klena (Jagged Little Pill), and Justin Guarini (American Idol), is planned for July 11, 2022. Tickets will be available to the general public starting on April 30, on the OHMTEC website. For information on sponsoring the event, please email the organization. Donations of any amount are welcome to support the project. A limited number of dedicated naming opportunities are being offered for rooms and spaces in the house and barn at Highland Farm. For information on availability and prices, email Secretary/Treasurer Christine Junker.
Musical Heaven. Is there a better way to describe the production of Carouselat the Media Theatre?
Joseph Spieldenner and Maxwell Porterfield. Photo by Greg Carroccio.
It would be hard to find a better-sung production than that given by the surpassingly youthful professional company assembled by director Jesse Cline. The evening allows us to savor again Richard Rodgers’ amazing ability to deliver compositions that are expected yet simultaneously surprising. Just as you think a melody is heading in the perfect direction, it takes a startling turn that slips from beautiful to sublime. Oscar Hammerstein’s lyrics are simple, profound, and profoundly singable all at once. Spinal chills are common.
These classics such as “If I Loved You,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Blow High, Blow Low” are deceptively difficult to sing, but the entire company sails through with taste, phrasing and exalted beauty. If you’ve never heard this music before, this is a great place to begin.
Hammerstein Americanized the Hungarian play Liliom, moving it to a village in New England in the early 1900s. Billy Bigelow is a loner who makes a living as a barker on a carousel for a traveling carnival. He falls in love with another loner, mill worker Julie Jordan, but their marriage is troubled. When Billy is unable to make a living and discovers he will be a father, he turns to a life of crime. It’s a sad story that only a brilliant score could sustain.
Joseph Spieldenner and Maxwell Porterfield sing Billy and Julie with thrilling purity. Spieldenner is a comely rogue who exudes self-confidence and macho intensity. Porterfield is a naive waif willing to give up anything to be with her charismatic man.
Director Cline has also carefully cast the supporting roles. Oftentimes these come off as annoying: Carrie and Mr. Snow try to ratchet up the comedy with cute mannerisms and quirks, while Mrs. Fowler is usually the earthy equivalent of TheSound ofMusic’s “Climb Every Mountain” nun. But this time Madalyn St. John, George Slotin, and Elisa Matthews (respectively) take on these roles, and they are played with simple, honest, dignified grace and charm. Carl Smith is the villainous Jigger who tempts Billy, Susan Mattson is the controlling boss who desires Billy for herself, and Kelly Briggs is the religious zealot mill owner. Once the action moves to Heaven, Jim Conte is an irascible Starkeeper.
Beada Briglia. Photo by Greg Carroccio
The ensemble deserves special mention. Back in the day of the original production, singers were separate from the august Agnes de Mille dancers, and they fled to the sidelines as the dancing commenced. Here the ensemble are both superior singers and dancers, as is currently expected in 21st Century musicals. The director has trimmed the choreography to make the show run a very modern 2 ½ hours. The ever-employed and always-excellent choreographer Dann Dunn contributes a shortened, scaled down version of the Act Two ballet that captures the feeling of de Mille’s original. Beada Briglia dances the role of Louise.
Ben Kapilow discerningly directs the music, and the seven musicians do their best with a score written for twenty-four players.
It’s unfortunate that the technical aspects are uneven. Set Designer Matthew Miller has moved the fishing village setting to the industrial revolution, with a proscenium filled with metal girders and the castoffs of a factory. All props are on the open stage at all times. Boxes or chairs are occasionally moved to indicate scene changes, along with the switching of a few black and white projections. The result is a visual downer, especially when the scenes in Heaven fail to impress. This effect is contradicted by the exquisite costumes by Carol Sorenson, which are pure Hammerstein. The full de Mille skirts are flowing throughout “June is Bustin’ Out All Over,” the fisherman have the expected colorful suspenders and vests, and as time goes by the characters age and grow gracefully. This is complimented by Steven Spera’s subtle lighting.
Yet despite this production’s many strengths, this Carousel fails to pack the emotional wallop we expect from a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. One reason is that it is so difficult to produce in a way that addresses its dramatic complications in a satisfying way. The Media’s Carousel succeeds as a musical event, but we have no idea why Julie and Billy are attracted so deeply, or why they do the things they do.
Finally, it is time to address the concept of sound design. This falls into two schools: the Cameron Mackintosh method, with shows like Les Miserables, where the sound is very subtly enhanced and almost unnoticeable, and the Tommy/KPOP school, where the creative blueprint is part of the entire production. Carl Park’s design at the Media is loud, and the music and voices emit from the speakers above the stage rather than the performers. The live orchestra sounds recorded, as do the actors’ voices. This led to a dramatic moment on opening night when, right in the middle of Billy’s massively demanding “Soliloquy,” his mike gave out. Spieldenner, a skilled performer and singer did not disappear. He became more excitingly human, as we heard every word and note. The great finale of the song was the musical highlight of the evening. Special thanks must also go to the excellent acoustics of the old Media Theatre, which is, after all, a former vaudeville house.
Carousel is challenging to produce in our era. Many thanks are due to the Media Theatre for letting us hear it again.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, with an intermission.
Elisa Matthews. Photo by Greg Carroccio.
Carousel plays through Sunday October 22, 2017 at The Media Theatre – 104 East State Street, in Media, PA. For tickets, call the box office at (610)-891-0100, or purchase them online.
New Records is our column about recordings of shows and concerts. It’s a companion to the reviews that regularly appear here on DC Theater Arts.
This month we take a look at albums from two more shows from Broadway’s 2016-17 season — Hello, Dolly! and Groundhog Day.
Hello, Dolly! (Masterworks Broadway)
This production has been a sold-out hit that, nevertheless, has been greeted skeptically by some aficionados. Bette Midler is a crowd-pleasing artist, and her persona seems a perfect fit for the role of the enterprising matchmaker, Dolly Levi. Yet there are those who say her voice isn’t large enough for Dolly’s big songs.
The size of her instrument scarcely matters when every stage performer is miked. And certainly on a recording it’s not a factor at all. Midler gives us an intimate Dolly, and on this Masterworks CD she is engaging. It’s true that she lacks a belt, but let’s keep in mind that Carol Channing didn’t win fans by belting either; she projected humor and charm, and Midler succeeds in those departments. (Channing’s well-known Broadway successors, such as Pearl Bailey, Betty Grable and Phyllis Diller, made their mark with smallish voices. Only Ethel Merman gave us a strongly-projected Dolly.)
When Midler sings “I Put My Hand In,” she confides in us almost as if we’re together in her living room. She sounds adorable. She adds some nicely personal inflections and idiosyncratic grace notes. In the cast that surrounds her are two outstanding voices, reminding us of the beauties in Jerry Herman’s score.
Kate Baldwin is lovely as Irene Molloy, the young widow who falls in love with Cornelius. Known for her beautiful singing as Sharon in Finian’s Rainbow and Amalia in She Loves Me, Baldwin dazzles in this smaller role. Eileen Brennan displayed a nice voice in the 1964 original cast recording but sounded far too mature to be a believable match for the awkward young man who’s a clerk in Vandergelder’s dry-goods store. Baldwin, on the other hand, is a romantic dream when she sings the ballad, “Ribbons Down My Back.”
Gavin Creel, as Cornelius, also has an alluring voice. His high notes during “It Only Takes a Moment” are thrilling, which is more than anyone could claim for the originator of the role, Charles Nelson Reilly. Creel contributes strongly to “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Dancing,” and “Elegance.” Reilly, however, made you smile every time he opened his voice, which quivered with vibrato. He, along with Channing, played everything for laughs.
Another asset of the new recording is the 26-piece orchestra, much larger than what we see in modern musicals, conducted by Jay Einhorn. The brass, reeds and strings carry us back to the type of sound we associate with Broadway’s golden age. They almost, but not quite, equal the punch of the band in the 1964 recording.
David Hyde Pierce as Horace Vandergelder is a disappointment. He doesn’t sing as well as he did on the Spamalot and Curtains albums, and fails to create an impression with his vocal acting. He has been given the privilege, in this production, of singing one song cut before the show’s opening in 1964, “Penny in my Pocket.” It’s a cute little song, not one of Jerry Herman’s masterpieces.
An additional pleasure in this new release is the comprehensive essay on Hello, Dolly! written by the knowledgeable and expressively literate Steven Suskin. The cover of the packaging is intentionally copied from the 1964 original.
Taylor Trensch, Bette Midler, and Gavin Creel in Hello, Dolly! Photo by Julieta Cervantes.
The new recording is essential because it presents longer versions of some of the songs. “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” lasts more than five minutes compared to 4:16 on the old record; the charming “Dancing” waltzes in at 6:52 instead of 4:27; “Before the Parade Passes By” is 4:32 instead of 3:18; and the scene in the Harmonia Gardens (which includes the title song) is 9:30 instead of 5:41.
In addition, we get that restored song for Vandergelder, plus up-to-date sound. Good as it is, this cannot displace the memorable interpretations nor the hilarity of the original. Both of them belong in your record collection. The currently-available version of the 1964 recording, also on the Masterworks label, has bonus tracks of Mary Martin in the show’s 1965 London production, Pearl Bailey from the all-black 1967 Broadway version, and two songs by Ethel Merman. The Varese Sarabande recording of a 1994 revival, with Channing and Jay Garner, can be ignored.
Groundhog Day (Masterworks Broadway)
Groundhog Day is based on the 1993 movie, which is affectionately remembered for Bill Murray’s charming performance. In this Broadway musical adaptation, Andy Karl is the center of attention in a personable but very different interpretation. I’ve loved Karl’s work since he delivered his packages as the UPS guy in Legally Blonde in 2007, and he was impressive as the lead in Ahrens & Flaherty’s musical version of Rocky.
On stage, his handsome presence is augmented by cleverly staged ensembles. We are unable, of course, to see the spectacular choreography from Peter Darling, such as a bird’s eye view of a car chase, and a scene where we see Phil trying to electrocute himself by dropping a toaster into his bath with a flash of electrical sparks and, presto, Phil is lying in his bed. But on disc we have to rely on sound alone.
The premise of the plot is that a grumpy TV weatherman, Phil Connors, covering Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pa., awakens each morning and is forced to re-live the day over and over again. Thus, we hear repeated tracks that virtually duplicate each other. Karl’s weatherman is stuck in a loop. And so is the music.
You’ve heard the mantra, “The show must go on”? In this case, these scenes must go on till the point of tedium. Three separate tracks, titled “Day One” (more than ten minutes long), “Day Two” and “Day Three,” are repetitions of each other. Annoyingly, they’re padded with non-musical sound effects.
The show was directed by Matthew Warchus and has music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. The same team performed those tasks on Matilda The Musical. Much of Groundhog Day’s score is vamping as background to visual action. Karl’s pop/rock songs grab our attention more than anything by the ensemble.
In the opening number, he proclaims a string of amusing put-downs of the hicks in Punxsutawney, such as “tiny minds, shallow talk, big rears.” Karl’s big number is “Hope,” as he sings about persevering. When his character tries to bed his producer, Rita (Barrett Doss), she sings a ballad with lyrics which you might consider clever or, conversely, pretentious. She describes “another sexually ineffectual, self-obsessing metrosexual, pseudo-intellectual, getting drunk and existential.”
“If I Had My Time Again,” sung by Rita and joined by Phil, demonstrates Minchin’s best work as his characters muse about whether to change their behaviors or to simply accept themselves with all their faults. Yet the lyrics are commonplace: “Regrets, I’d not even have a few / If I could do this thing that you say you can do.” And his rhyming is clumsy: “I’d sample all the samples / Look at things from different angles.”
There are too many poorly-chosen non-rhymes. Minchin makes Phil sing: “I’ve stolen eighteen million bucks” and Rita respond: “And I would worry less about my nose looks.” Stephen Sondheim would go nuts; he has criticized Oscar Hammerstein and Larry Hart for writing a few inexact rhymes!
Andy Karl and Barrett Doss in Groundhog Day. Photo by Joan Marcus.
Two minor characters get major songs in Act Two, demonstrating that the locals we saw in the beginning are real people after all. John Sanders as Ned sings “Night Will Come” and Rebecca Faulkenberry as one of Phil’s one-night stands sings “Playing Nancy.”
The script comes to a philosophical conclusion as Phil and Rita realize that there’s a way back in life to a happier self. “Seeing You” is a sentimental closing song with a country-music flavor. I would have preferred an inspiring redemption song to mark Phil’s transformation.
David Holcenberg conducts the 12-piece orchestra briskly.
To read Steve’s views on other cast recordings, visit the New Records page.
More than sixty years after its debut, The King and I remains one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most popular and enduring musicals. The handsome national touring company of the recent Broadway revival is currently playing at the Academy of Music. This production is being featured by the Kimmel Center as a part of their Broadway Philadelphia series.
Laura Michelle Kelly and Jose Llana. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
Richard Rodgers’ timeless melodies hold up beautifully, and Oscar Hammerstein II’s graceful and clever lyrics shape the characters perfectly. However, some parts of the show have not aged well. Hammerstein’s script is often trite and creaky, and lacking in dramatic tension; the conflicts are resolved in a pretty routine way. And the culture clash at the heart of the story is often uncomfortably patronizing. Yet The King and I is never boring, and director Bartlett Sher’s impressive production, with its emphasis on the relationship between the two main characters, makes for an evening with a taste of grandeur.
Much of that grandeur comes from Michael Yeargan’s sets; columns lowered from above and curtains pulled across the stage by actors create a fluid sense of movement. However, something has been lost in the transition from Lincoln Center’s in-the-round staging to the Academy’s proscenium: the set changes have become noisier, and some of the scenes (like the second act ballet “The Small House of Uncle Thomas”) seem too crowded, even on a large stage like the Academy’s. Catherine Zuber’s costumes burst with color and invention, and Donald Holder’s lighting is just right for songs like “We Kiss in a Shadow.” And choreographer Christopher Gattelli has added some new steps and a bright polish to Jerome Robbins’ work from the 1951 original.
Part of what makes The King and I work so well is that it has a heroine the audience can identify with and root for. That’s Anna Leonowens, the real-life British governess who, accompanied by her son Louis (Graham Montgomery), went to Siam (now Thailand) in the 1860s to instruct the king’s dozens of children. And this production has an especially endearing Anna in Laura Michelle Kelly, who wins over the king’s court with a warm smile, precise diction, and a gorgeous, sparkling soprano. Jose Llana is a worthy sparring partner as the stubborn and imperious king, matching up with an equally tenacious Kelly. His bursts of comic exasperation in “A Puzzlement” are terrific, and he plays off Kelly well in their battle of wills.
Manna Nichols and Kavin Panmeechao. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
There are also strong, touching performances by Joan Almedilla, who plays the most senior of the king’s many wives (she delivers a lovely and moving “Something Wonderful”), and by Manna Nichols as the troubled Tuptim (providing a delicate “My Lord and Master”). Nichols, who also played Tuptim in the Walnut Street Theatre’s fine production five seasons ago (starring Rachel York), is paired with Kavin Panmeechao, as her lover Lun Tha, on two numbers; he has a sturdy and likable presence, but on the night I attended, his voice didn’t have the suppleness and range necessary for “I Have Dreamed.”
The King and I blends serious and comic elements in an agreeable way, but it’s more respectable than stirring; it doesn’t touch the heart in a way that elevates it to the pantheon of the greatest musicals. It sometimes seems like a dusty relic from another era (especially during that too-lengthy second act ballet). But when a vintage show is done with this energy and creativity, it’s hard to complain. And when the audience claps in time as Kelly and Llana make those familiar polka steps to “Shall We Dance?,” the joy is absolutely contagious.
A word of warning: this show starts promptly at its announced curtain time – so don’t even think of getting there a few minutes late. The king will not approve!
Running Time: 3 hours, with an intermission.
Laura Michelle Kelly, Baylen Thomas and Graham Montgomery. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
The King and I plays through April 2, 2017, and is presented by The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts at the Academy of Music – 204 South Broad Street, in Philadelphia, PA. For tickets, call the box office at (215) 893-1999, or purchase them online.
Annapolis Opera’s production of South Pacific was a fun, charming musical. Based on James Michner’s novel Tales of the South Pacific, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II, and directed by Braxton Peters, there was wonderful singing, music, and dancing combined with an inventive set and superb lighting. It was an entertaining evening, which was also thought-provoking.
Nora Graham-Smith and Christian Bowers. Photo courtesy of Annapolis Opera.
Nora Graham-Smith was a joy to watch as Nellie Forbush. She uses the whole stage during her numbers, twirling and dancing in pleasure. A sense of fun and humor came through particularly in “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” as she danced with the other women, playfully hitting them with her towel; at the end of the song she threw it into the air. In “A Wonderful Guy,” she leaped and glided through the stage. Her southern accent was also quite convincing.
Christian Bowers as Emile de Becque was a sheer pleasure. Hid rich, deep Baritone voice boomed in “Some Enchanted Evening” and his passion and anger surged forth in “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” where he paced back and forth, letting loose his hatred of prejudice. He and Nora Graham-Smith had instant chemistry. Bowers also sang a hilarious rendition of “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair. His convincing French accent added to his character’s charm.
Glenn Seven Allen was wonderful as Lieutenant Joseph Cable. He had a powerful presence onstage, and his emotions shone through. His desperation to get back to Bali Ha’i and Liat (Vanessa Naghdi) gave him a touchingly vulnerable quality. In “Younger than Springtime” he is tender and loving with Liat, gently holding and caressing her while singing of his love for her. His inner conflict between wanting to stay with her and needing to complete his mission plays out on his face; he pulls Liat closer to him and also pushes her away. Allen displayed fine acting as well as his glorious voice.
Glenn Seven Allen and James Ludlum. Photo courtesy of Annapolis Opera.
Kate Jackman’s Bloody Mary is absolutely marvelous. Filled with energy and earthiness, whether haggling with the sailors over souvenirs or arranging a match for Cable, she was enchanting in “Bali Ha’i,”painting a portrait of the island in words and song
In “Happy Talk” Bloody Mary is romantic and sweet, drawing Cable and Liat ever closer together. She displayed many emotions – joking or being serious as the situation required. “Bloody Mary” is the sailors’ joyful celebration of her activity, as they dance around their goddess.
James Ludlum showed great comic flair as Luther Billis. His attempts to outsmart his superior officers gets big laughs, especially when they end up getting him chewed out. He was hilarious in “Honey Bun,” wearing a coconut bra, grass skirt, and headdress.
Michael Klima’s Lighting Design set the mood and setting perfectly. When Bloody Mary and Cable enter Bali Ha’i it darkens, with part of the stage getting lighter as they approach their prize. During more suspenseful moments in the Commander’s office, the light adds to the atmosphere by slowly getting darker. The light briefly goes out at the Thanksgiving Follies. It is soft and romantic when Emile and Nellie are together.
The costumes by Elizabeth D’Antonio were stunningly beautiful. The sailors’ uniforms looked authentic, from the more casual blue shirts and jeans and white caps to their combat gear as they move out. Luther’s is particularly impressive; his shirt is usually open to the waist, revealing a tattoo of a ship. Nellie had several costume changes, starting with a beige skirt and top, to a light blue bikini, then to a more casual blue dress. Emile has a few costume changes as well, but he mostly wore a red dress shirt, with a yellow aviator’s scarf and brown leather boots, looking quite dashing. The dancers in the Thanksgiving Follies had glittery turkey tails and shiny pilgrim caps.
Set Designer April Joy Vester has created a plantation complete with bamboo chairs, desk, and drinks cart, with several large bamboo fences in the background. The sailors have a washing machine and various instruments on Company Street, and the beach has a large primitive shower for Nellie, with a water tank on top (and real water!). The Commander’s office has institutional-looking chairs and desks, which makes it look functional but unattractive.
The cast of ‘South Pacific.’ Photo courtesy of Annapolis Opera.
Braxton Peters’ direction is flawless and what a great cast he has to work with! The actors work so well together. They are full of energy, and their singing is incredible. This production has many scene changes, and the cast makes the switches quickly and easily.
Ronald J. Gretz conducted the the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, who performed the iconic score so beautifully. Kudos to the all the exceptional musicians.
Annapolis Opera’s South Pacific was an enchanted evening I won’t soon forget.
Running Time: Approximately 3 hours, with a 15-minute intermission.
South Pacific played on Saturday, November 5 and 6, 2016 at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts – 801 Chase Street, in Annapolis. For tickets, call the box office at (410) 280-5640 or purchase them online.
The hunger for optimism is never in short supply these days. Walnut Street Theatre brings life to an American classic in their current production of South Pacific under the direction of Charles Abbott, with choreography by Michelle Gaudette. Full of sunshine and idyllic landscapes, this taste of paradise has a bit more to offer than just escapism.
The Company of ‘South Pacific.’ Photo by Mark Garvin.
With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, South Pacific begins unflinchingly as a parade of some of America’s favorite showtunes – “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There Is Nothing Like a Dame,” “Younger Than Springtime,” and “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy.”
Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener, the book scenes – by Oscar Hammerstein II and original director Joshua Logan – leave quite a bit to be desired. However, as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most topical work, the thematic explorations of racism and a world at war – still relevant today – caused a bit of a stir when originally produced in 1949.
Kate Fahrner, Courtney Chu, Kwanchi Loo, and Paul Schoeffler. Photo by Mark Garvin.
Our heroine, Kate Fahrner as Ensign Nellie Forbush, begins as a self-proclaimed hick from Little Rock, stationed on an island in the South Pacific during WWII. Fahrner has an easy charm and an infectious smile, all the while carrying the weight of Nellie’s troubles. Perhaps a bit quirkier than your run-of-the-mill “cock-eyed optimist,” she matches well with the casual and cool Paul Schoeffler as the local French planter, Emile de Becque. As they quickly fall for each other, both handle the sweeping score deftly while diving deep into the emotional baggage of troubled pasts and current prejudices.
Lightening the mood is a beach full of handsome Seabees helmed by the mischievous Fran Prisco (Luther Billis). A strong ensemble with a booming sound – under the musical direction of John Daniels – they delight in antagonizing local merchant Bloody Mary (Lori Tan Chinn) when they’re not ogling the female nurses. While not a highly demanding ensemble show, everyone stationed on the island brings a welcomed bit of uniqueness to the group, making the landscape feel all the more genuine.
Sean Thompson, Dan Olmstead, Owen Pelesh, and Jeffrey Coon. Photo by Mark Garvin.
Thanks to the stalwart leadership of Jeffrey Coon (Commander William Harbison) and Dan Olmstead (Captain George Brackett), the military scenes come into sharp focus. Often glanced over for the two famous and hummable love stories, the ever-present background of WWII reminds us of a nation fighting off terrifying, if unknown, bullies.
Ben Michael (Lieutenant Joseph Cable) has certainly become one of Philadelphia’s most promising leading men. His tall, broad build and an uncompromisingly strong chin make him a perfect fit. But his smart sensitivities, not to mention a soaring tenor, bring out Lt. Cable’s nobility as a potential military hero, and his sadness as a star-crossed lover in scenes with his beloved, Liat (Alison T. Chi).
Alison T. Chi and Ben Michael. Photo by Mark Garvin.
Robert Andrew Kovach’s set design delivers this Golden Age classic as if on the front of a postcard, with a lush jungle of palms and flowers and a glittering sea in the distance. Paul Black’s lighting design soaks the beaches with sun and shoots through the dark island recesses, while Ryan Peavey’s sound design keeps the rolling waves just in the distance along with the threatening sounds of war. Mary Folino’s costume design compiles a rich mixture of casual island wear, mid-century wholesomeness, and military uniform, with plenty of fun to be had in the Thanksgiving pageant.
While the progressive takes on racism and international tumult continue to resonate so many decades later, a few plot lines have weathered over the years, as one might expect. Schoeffler and Fahrner take their roles in a love story familiar to Rodgers and Hammerstein fans – a younger woman in an unfamiliar world, falling helplessly for an older, more powerful man. The script then doubles down with a parallel relationship between Cable and Liat, but infinitely more skeptical than the former as Liat appears frighteningly young next to the to the handsome Lieutenant, all the while being romantically auctioned off by her mother.
Walnut Street Theatre’s production highlights the joys of love and celebration while still living in the reality of combat. The message of racial equality in South Pacific is present, but by no means harsh. The script introduces the problem, but does not grapple with it, preferring instead to illuminate the heart and sincerity of each role. Through it all, Nellie Forbush remains a symbol of the great American resilience in the face of hardship.
Running Time: Two hours and 45 minutes, with one intermission.
South Pacificplays through October 23, 2016 at Walnut Street Theatre – 825 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, PA. For tickets call (215) 574-3550, or purchase them online.
This vintage musical, now over 50 years old, was written by a team of masters of musical theatre. It is the perfect piece with which the Encores! series continues to fulfill its mandate, which is to resurrect musicals, particularly those that have been neglected, so that a new generation may examine and enjoy them. Do I Hear A Waltz?has impeccable credentials; a book by Arthur Laurents (based on his play (The Time of the Cuckoo), a score by perhaps our greatest melodist (Richard Rodgers), and lyrics by a young Stephen Sondheim. It was directed by John Dexter, a hot-at-the-time import from Britain, and though Sondheim was reluctant to do another musical simply as a lyricist, he accepted the job because his mentor and great friend had been Oscar Hammerstein II, whose death left Richard Rodgers in need of a lyricist.
Melissa Errico and the ensemble of the Encores! production of ‘Do I Hear a Waltz?’ Photo by Joan Marcus.
The original production, which opened at the 46th St. Theatre (now named the Richard Rodgers!) was moderately received by the press and the public, and managed a respectable but unspectacular run of 220 performances. Its cast was comprised of some interesting names including Elizabeth Allen, Sergio Franchi, Carol Bruce, Stuart Damon, Julienne Marie, and Madeline Sherwood. None was a “box office star,” and the musical itself was dismissed as a near-miss. An interesting point, mentioned by Producer Jack Viertel at the post-matinee talkback of this Encores! series, is that the original production arrived at the exact midpoint (1965) of the 1960 opening of The Sound of Music, which ended the 20 year reign of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and the 1970 opening of Company, which established Stephen Sondheim as their heir apparent, the innovative composer/lyricist who would move musicals into the “concept” area, the non-linear story which had more on its mind than romance.
Melissa Errico and Richard Troxell. Photo by Joan Marcus.
This time out, under the astute direction of Evan Cabnet (making his debut at Encores!) and the choreography of Chase Brock, a perfect cast has allowed us to see this under-rated musical, to re-evaluate it, and to marvel at the cohesion it shows as it flows effortlessly to its honest and satisfying conclusion. This story of a secretary in mid-life, who holidays in Venice, hoping to find one totally happy making experience to enrich her colorless life, served the great Shirley Booth with one of her most satisfying vehicles when she appeared in the play version. It also served Katherine Hepburn in the film (Summertime) for it offered her a chance to leave the airy heiress roles and classical heroines with which she’d been identified, to sink her teeth into a more middle class and contemporary character.
Melissa Errico plays that character (“Leona Samish”) at Encores! and she is a revelation. Early in her career, she became a major leading lady list by her work in My Fair Lady, High Society, Dracula, and many others. Now, having born three children, she returns to us, in her prime, with a voice of liquid velvet, the grace of an accomplished dancer, and the acting chops to give size and stature to Leona Samish, the lady who had to learn to like herself more than when she arrived at the Pensione Fioria in Venice. Richard Troxell plays opposite her as a local shop keeper, who opens her willing heart to the possibility of that “magical, marvelous miracle” she has been seeking all her life, only to find it shut tight once again when circumstance intervenes. His voice is pure and resonant, and the gentleman can act as well, so this central relationship is fully realized, and it’s quite glorious.
Karen Ziemba. Photo by Joan Marcus.
In support, Encores! has once again found just the right people to breathe life into this lovely story. For starters, Karen Ziemba, whose work in Steel Pier, Contact, Bullets Over Broadwaty, and much more, has proven her worth as singer, dancer and actress, plays Signora Fioria, the owner of the pensione. Her attitude, her accent, her agile body, are all in tune with this Venetian woman of the world, who long ago stopped worrying about what she’d missed in life, and started enjoying each day as it arrived. She’s a very Italian version of Fraülein Schneider in Cabaret, who could also shrug off some of life’s annoyances with “So What?” She’s been served by Mr. Rodgers with tricky and alluring melodies, and by Mr. Sondheim with lyrics that tickle the ears.
Sarah Hunt and Claybourne Elder. Photo by Joan Marcus.
Claybourne Elder and Sarah Hunt play a young couple on their honeymoon, and a couple of middle aged American tourists named McIlhenny are equally well delivered by Richard Poe and Nancy Opel. Beautiful work by all four actors bring color and reality to these characters, all of whom I’ve met in my own travels.
Everything about this staged reading at City Center is better and more interesting than the original version. John Dexter, the director back then, was not primarily known for his skill with musicals, and (yes, I saw it!)I found the show stodgy and overblown. Elizabeth Allen, who played Leona, was lovely looking, and sang pleasantly, but she did not suggest a spinster who’d made wrong choices all her life. Rumors of dissension among the collaborators gave the whole event an aura of unpleasantness, and that hurt ticket sales as well. Evan Cabnet and Chase Brock have approached the material as a new work, and given it a fresh look and a top notch cast that makes it particularly welcome in these modern times, when melody and insight are often sacrificed for amplification and special effects. Scott Lehrer’s sound design is refreshing and helpful. There isn’t a lost lyric or a distorted voice in the large cast of excellent singers.
Unless this production moves to Broadway (and there are no rumors that it will) you won’t have a chance to see these talented people strutting their stuff, but we can at least hope that this superb revival will stimulate other productions of this almost forgotten musical. Or it might get you thinking about a subscription to Encores!for it proves once again that the three revivals they offer each year are always among the richest experiences you’ll have in musical theatre. I’ve found that to be true for me, ever since they gave us Fioriello 26 years ago, a Pulitzer Prize winner that had also been neglected since its original successful run.
Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes, with one intermission.
Do I Hear a Waltz? played from May 11-15, 2016 at Encores! at New York City Center – 130 West 56th Street, in New York City. For information on the 2017 season of Encores! go to their website.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II pioneered a flair that was all their own in the golden age of musical theater. From 1940 to Hammerstein’s death in 1960, this musical duo dominated the musical stage and big screen with hits such as South Pacific and Cinderella, and their mastery of creating stories through music that lived beyond the page or even the performance is much of what keeps their work alive and well today.
Norm Lewis. Photo courtesy of The Choral Arts Society of Washington.
And is it alive and well. Along with The Choral Arts Society of Washington (Choral Arts), world renowned soprano, Renée Fleming and Broadway baritone juggernaut,Norm Lewis, brought the Concert Hall of The Kennedy Center to life in a way that was nothing short of electric. This is what live concerts, for all of their ad-libbing and occasional mix-ups, are all about. And this is what makes them so special. For one night only, we relived the magic of what it must have been like to hear the songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein for the first time.
Starting with the Sound of Music—the last musical Rodgers and Hammerstein worked on together—the women of the Choral Arts conjured chills in their performance of “Preludium,” and perfectly set the stage for the night’s leading lady to arrive. In a version all her own, Fleming’s “The Sound of Music” carried us to that high Austrian hill and dared us to sing along.
In was in the program’s transition to The King and I, my personal favorite of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, that Lewis took the stage and brought a mature tenderness to “I Have Dreamed” that I‘ve rarely witnessed in live performances. The sincerity with which he sings is truly remarkable. Where he was a lover in “I Have Dreamed,” he was an old friend in “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’” from Oklahoma. The Concert Hall rang with his clean, clear tenor just as a bird would on that bright and beautiful morning. You can’t help but admire the deftness with which he jumps from mood to mood between songs; practically shining with excitement in “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” from State Fair, while in the next he (and the audience along with him) are close to tears at his rendition of “Ol’ Man River” from Show Boat.
Songs such as “Getting to Know You” from The King and I and “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music, however, broke through the serious moments with fun. For these playful numbers Fleming was joined on stage by the Choral Arts Youth Choir, and while several looked to be on the cusp of adulthood themselves (wonderfully adding to the comedy of the songs), the youthful energy and committed focus they possessed was inspiring to see.
The Choral Arts Chorus at ‘Some Enchanted Evening.’ Photo by Russell Hirshon.
But for me, the moments that stole the show came in the second half of the program when Renée just got to be Renée (in truly stunning blush sequined gown, might I add). Her variations on “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “If I Loved You” (from Carousel) can’t be overstated, and maintained a perpetual flutter in my chest as my heart just danced. The effortless way she floats to her notes and her ability to delicately sustain any note seemingly forever had me in awe. Here is a woman who has practically owned every stage she has set foot on and to see her so moved, so present in the music was something I will not soon forget.
Renée Fleming and Norm Lewis at ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ with Choral Arts. Photo by Russell Hirshon.
Not to be outshone though, the musicians of the Choral Arts, led by Artistic Director Scott Tucker, were magnificent constants throughout. Not unlike a chord wall of sound and enthusiasm, the choir delivered a show-stopper in its Medley from Guys and Dolls, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. (A quick shout-out to Katie Capanna for her characterization of Miss Adelaide during “Adelaide’s Lament.” It was the perfect balance of nightclub nasal and some serious belting pipes, well done!) Equally as impressive was the range, both playful and serious, of the Choral Arts Orchestra in ushering in the last musical of the evening with “The Carousel Waltz” from Carousel.
Renée Fleming. Photo by Jonathan Tichler.
But in saving the best for last, it was Fleming and the Choral Arts musicians performing a truly empowering version of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” that was the highlight of the night. You couldn’t help but smile by the final chord, chest swelling with emotion, and, looking around at my fellow audience members, few were not outright beaming.
Akin to musical candy for the ears, last night’s concert celebrated classics from the American songbook in ways even I could have hardly expected and I know just about every word of the Rodgers and Hammerstein collective works.
Congratulations to the Choral Arts Society on another spectacular concert, and thank you seems hardly enough for the musical brilliance of Renée Fleming and Norm Lewis, but thank you. One encore was hardly enough to get you the applause you all deserved.
Running Time: Two hours, with a 20-minute intermission.
The rumbling of drums, the chiming of bells, and the sweet notes of violins drifting up into the air all create an enchanting tune for a beloved fairytale. Then, the curtain opens, and the audience is greeted with a woodland backdrop of purple and pink hues and the rising voices of a melodious chorus. Immerse yourself in TheatreMcLean’s production of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, a modern spin on the classic fairytale that proves to be a joy for audiences of all ages, directed by Phil Reid, produced by Chip Rome, and with musical direction by Mitch Bassman.
Syd Kirk (Cinderella) and Christophe Jelinski (Prince Topher). Photo by Andrew Reid.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella includes a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and music by Richard Rodgers. It was a musical originally written for television that aired live on CBS on March 31, 1957, with Julie Andrews in the starring role. Since then, it has gained wide popularity, allowing the show to be adapted for the stage in different ways.
Most recently, the show debuted on Broadway in 2013 based on Douglas Carter Beane’s new book, which incorporates modern ideals into the musical, including politics and class divisions that portray the main characters as more realistic rather than whimsical and romantic. Add to that a flare of witty comedy and you have a transformed production accessible to today’s audience.
As the enchanting Cinderella, the lovely Syd Kirk truly brings to life the kindness and generosity of her character through her soft and knowing smile and delightful interactions with other characters. In beautiful songs like “In My Own Little Corner” and “Me, Who Am I,” Kirk delighted the audience with her captivating voice, conveying the hopes and dreams of Cinderella.
Accompanying her is Christophe Jelinski as Prince Topher, who brought a refreshing and humorous spin to the stereotypical idea of the “perfect” prince. His strong voice rang clearly to express his lack of self-worth and frustrations over leading a kingdom. Both Kirk and Jelinski had great chemistry with each other, and their characters developed beautifully throughout the show as they fell in love.
The talented supporting cast, made up of a variety of expressive and humorous characters, brought the story to life. The trio of the stepmother and stepsisters greatly entertains the audience with their exceptional comedic timing. Diana Suk’s stepmother articulates the perfect blend of pompous and selfish cruelty, as her unyielding character torments Cinderella.
The wicked stepsisters, played by Abby Comey and Alanna Milstein, energetically display the differences between their two characters: the first, immersed in her own vanity; the second, in love with the town revolutionary, Jean-Michel (Jeffrey Nolan), who was funny as the champion of the less fortunate.
Heidi Deger was a charming Fairy Godmother, fully convincing the audience that she was crazy Marie before magically transforming into the kind-hearted Fairy Godmother. Among the members of the King’s Court is the stepmother’s partner in crime, Sebastian, portrayed by George Stifel, who cunningly reveals his character’s oppressive views of the lower classes. Also, Tori Garcia, as Lady Pinkleton, exhibits astounding vocals in the phrase “Hear Ye!” as she announces that “the prince is having a ball.”
Heidi Deger (Marie) advises Syd Kirk (Cinderella), with Christophe Jelinski (Prince Topher), and Tori Garcia (Lady Pinkleton). Photo by Chip Rome.
What really stole the show was the outstanding performance of the ensemble, made up of a cast of quirky characters. Each character was unique with their own special personality. In particular, the witty fox (Carenna Slotkoff) and the hilarious raccoon (Lauren Grobman) kept the audience entertained with their priceless antics, while transforming into a footman and driver. During the musical numbers, the ensemble delighted the audience with their precise choreography and beautiful songs. Their singing flowed together to form a melody that told a story of magic and enchantment.
Choreographer Katie Perry effectively sets the captivating atmosphere of the show. From the joyful and lively dancing done by the townspeople in “The Prince is Giving a Ball” scene to the solemn and formal waltz during the ball (characterized by its elegant lifts and spins), the choreography provides a visually appealing picture to the audience.
Piper Phillips’ set design dramatically created the magical world of Cinderella. Comprised of moving set pieces that were easily rolled out during scene changes, the set included props depicting Cinderella’s home, the palace, and the town square. Aspects of the set were based on Tudor period designs evident in Cinderella’s carriage and the interior of the Stepmother’s house.
The Happy Couple: Syd Kirk (Cinderella) and Christophe Jelinski (Prince Topher). Photo by Chip Rome.
Jess Scarano’s Costume Design magnificently portrayed the rich/poor divide. The color palettes of the costumes, which focused on mute earth tones for the townspeople and bright royal colors for the wealthy, illustrate the tensions between these two groups, a central message of the story. Cinderella’s dress transformation (created by Scarano’s ingenious dress design, the lighting design by Jared Jacknow, and special/sound effects by Avery Madore and Emily O’Keefe, and Russell Reed) left me and the audience speechless as they witnessed a wonderful spectacle.
TheatreMcLean’s lavish and entertaining production of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella is a beloved tale that everybody in the family will enjoy. Let’s all go to the ball!
Running Time: Approximately two hours, with a 15-minute intermission.
Remaining performances forRodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella are on Thursday, April 14, Friday, April 15, and Saturday April 16, 2016 at 7:00 PM at McLean High School – 1633 Davidson Road, in McLean, VA. For tickets, buy them them at the door or online.
In Part 5 of a series of interviews with the cast of A Grand Night for Singing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Rachel Weisenthal.
Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell us where we may have seen your work on our local stages before? Who did you play?
Rachel Weisenthal in ‘A Grand Night for Singing.’ Photo by Scott D’Vileskis
Rachel: Rachel Weisenthal. My most recent role was Chava in Damascus Theatre Company’s Fiddler on the Roof. I also perform in Rock and Roll Revival at Sherwood High School.
Why did you want to be part of the cast of A Grand Night for Singing?‘
I consider singing to be one of my strengths, so a musical revue appealed to me. I’m also familiar with a lot of Rodgers and Hammerstein shows.
What were the biggest challenges learning your songs?
There’s only 5 people in our cast, so there’s no one to listen to or cheat off of when learning your part. If you don’t know your notes, no one will sing them for you! This is really challenging when learning music, but it also really motivated me to make sure I know my stuff. I’m also singing second soprano for most of the group songs. I usually sing first soprano, which is mostly just the melody… it’s pretty different having to learn actual harmonies and tricky parts!
What do your songs/solos mean to you?
My big song is “Cain’t Say No!”from Oklahoma! I think it’s really about getting caught up in the moment and letting love or romance cloud your judgement. I’d say I’m a pretty romantic person, so I can definitely relate to that. It’s also just really cute and fun to sing! There’s lots of funny moments and chances to show off.
How would you describe a Rodgers and Hammerstein song?
To me, Rodgers and Hammerstein songs try to capture people’s responses to all kinds of situations. There’s not really many songs that necessarily advance the plot of the show or anything like that. The characters are saying to the audience “Look at this crazy situation! Here’s how I feel about it! Remember when this happened to you and you felt this way?” It’s all very universal.
What do these songs have to say to today’s audiences?
Going off of the previous question, I think the nature of Rodgers and Hammerstein songs is to be relatable to all audiences. People hearing the songs today will get just as much enjoyment out of them as audiences from years ago. Especially because love is a repeating theme in their songs, and that’s something everyone can understand.
What song that you are not singing is your favorite and why?
I really love “A Wonderful Guy.” It’s really cute and two of my favorite Broadway actresses, Kelli O’Hara and Laura Osnes, both sang it in South Pacific.
This is an ensemble piece. What do you admire most about your fellow cast members? And what have you learned about being a member of an ensemble that you hadn’t experienced before?
I admire my cast members so so so much. I’m the youngest person in the cast, so working with people who have more experience than me is really beneficial. I’ve learned a lot about dedication and persistence. If only one or two people are needed for a song, the other three will be studying their music or going over choreography. I remember at one of the first rehearsals Lauren-Nicole came in with a paper fully mapping out her first song- she had already learned her part and thought really thoroughly about what her character was thinking while singing. I had barely looked at my music yet! That really gave me a wakeup call to get down to business and use my time wisely.
Why do you think Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music is till so popular and if you had to describe their legacy-what would it be?
Their music is timeless. I think their legacy is writing beautiful music that relates to everyone. Most of us will never dance with a prince, but everyone can relate to the excitement Cinderella sings about in “A Lovely Night.”
What are you doing next on the stage?
My next show is Rock and Roll Revival #45 at Sherwood High School.
If you could have any role in a Rodgers and Hammerstein show, what would it be?
Nellie in South Pacific. I admire her optimism and charisma, and all of her songs are adorable. And, like I said, I’d like to follow in Kelli O’Hara and Laura Osnes’ footsteps.
A Grand Night for Singingplays through February 27, 2016 at Montgomery Playhouse and Arts on the Green performing at The Arts Barn – 311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. For tickets, call (301) 258-6394, or purchase them online.
LINKS: Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’: Part 1: Brian Lyons-Burke.
Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’: Part 2: Jennifer Georgia.
Question: Where can you hear more than 30 wonderful songs from the legendary team of Rodgers and Hammerstein performed by talented local artists? Answer: The current production of A Grand Night for Singing by Montgomery Playhouse in partnership with Arts on the Green. With music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, musical arrangements by Fred Wells, and concept by Walter Bobbie, A Grand Night for Singing is a tuneful and funny revue of familiar and not so familiar numbers from the Rodgers and Hammerstein repertoire.
Rachel Weisenthal, Lauren-Nicole Gabel, and Jennifer Georgia. Photo by Scott D’Vileskis.
Considered by music historians to be the greatest musical theatre writing team of the 20th century, Rodgers and Hammerstein produced five hugely popular Broadway shows, Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, as well as a very successful television production of Cinderella, during the 1940s and 1950s—the so-called “golden age” of Broadway. However, the title A Grand Night for Singing comes from one of the fabulous songs in the dynamic duo’s 1945 feature film State Fair. Not surprisingly, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s productions garnered numerous accolades, including thirty-four Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize.
A Grand Night for Singing is an homage to the remarkable canon of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Produced more than three decades after the team’s final collaboration, the 1993 revue takes a fresh look and a modern interpretation of their unforgettable show tunes. It’s been said that Rodgers and Hammerstein’s songs are like snowflakes—no two are alike. This infinite variety requires tremendous talent and versatility and the Montgomery Playhouse cast and crew are clearly up to the task.
In this production, Director Kevin Sockwell, Music Director Arielle Bayer, and Choreographer Melanie Barber combine to lead a cast of five superb performers through a nonstop compendium of sensational music, dance, and comedy. Bayer not only serves as pianist and conductor of a talented three-piece orchestra, she also gets into the act at one point and displays her comedy skills.
Set Designer David Jones keeps things appropriately simple, with two small tables and chairs on either side of the stage and a platform upstage for the orchestra. McKenna G. Kelly’s costumes consist mostly of colorful and attractive formal wear and cocktail wear with a few extra touches appropriate to each song.
Danny Santiago, Lauren-Nicole Gabel, Brian Lyons-Burke, Jennifer Georgia, and Rachel Weisenthal. Photo by Scott D’Vileskis.
The ultra-talented company consists of Lauren-Nicole Gabel with her lovely and confident voice, Jennifer Georgia who is the epitome of a powerful female with a singing voice to match, Brian Lyons-Burke with his deep, rich voice and impeccable vocal dynamics, Daniel Santiago who has a remarkable flair for physical comedy, and Rachel Weisenthal with her pure and sweet soprano voice and impressive acting ability.
To open the show, the entire cast joins in a wonderful rendition of “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” but, because there are three women and only two men, the song becomes a comedic game of “musical chairs” as the women aggressively change dance partners. Later, Lyons-Burke leads the company in a show stopping version of “Honey Bun” from South Pacific, as the other cast members form a back-up group, complete with scat singing, chorus line dancing, and “playing” of musical instruments–using only vocal effects and pantomime.
Comedy is king once again in a brilliant individual performance by Weisenthal. When she sings “I Cain’t Say No” from Oklahoma!, she virtually “acts the part” of Ado Annie using only her singing voice, facial expressions, and body language—and the result is raucous fun.
Other standout individual performances include Lyons-Burke in a beautiful and seemingly effortless version of “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’” (also from Oklahoma!) as well as a heart-breaking rendition of “This Nearly Was Mine” from South Pacific. In another song from South Pacific, Gabel is delightful as she declares she’s in love with “A Wonderful Guy.” Georgia shines brightly in the passionate love song “Something Wonderful” from The King and I and Santiago is nothing short of hilarious in his boy-loses-girl version of “Maria” from The Sound of Music.
When it comes to group performances, the three women get down and dirty in a blues rendition of “Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair” from South Pacific, ending with the now iconic Charlie’s Angels pose. Weisenthal and Santiago perform a funny, yet endearing, version of “Shall We Dance” from The King and I.
Back Row: Brian Lyons-Burke and, Jennifer Georgia. Front Row: Lauren-Nicole Gabel, Rachel Weisenthal, and Danny Santiago. Photo by Scott D’Vileskis.
The entire company performs a thrilling and emotional finale with “I Have Dreamed” from The King and I. Their rich, dramatic harmonies and stunning individual performances demonstrate that this production is truly A Grand Night for Singing!
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission.
A Grand Night for Singingplays through February 27, 2016 at Montgomery Playhouse in partnership with Arts on the Green, performing at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn – 311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. For tickets, call the box office at (301) 258-6394, or purchase them online.
A Grand Night for Singingplays through February 27, 2016 at Montgomery Playhouse and Arts on The Green performing at The Arts Barn – 311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. For tickets, call (301) 258-6394, or purchase them online.
LINKS: Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’: Part 1: Brian Lyons-Burke.
Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’: Part 2: Jennifer Georgia.
In Part 4 of a series of interviews with the cast of A Grand Night for Singing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Danny Santiago.
Danny Santiago. Photo by Lydia Velazquez.
Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell us where we may have seen your work on our local stages before? Who did you play?
Danny: Hello, I’m Danny Santiago, you may have recently seen me as Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs with SSTG at the Arts Barn or as Fyedka in Fiddler on the Roof with Damascus Theatre Company at Olney Theatre Center.
Why did you want to be part of the cast of A Grand Night for Singing?
For one, I’ve been achin’ to work with our director Kevin Sockwell, since I was Jay in his Lost in Yonkers nearly 4 years ago now, But also because I was criminally underexposed to Rodgers and Hammerstein before the show and was looking to acquaint myself more intimately. Not to mention I’ve been wanting to sing more, in shows and just in general, recently.
What were the biggest challenges learning your songs?
Learning to really go with the flow of the songs, especially with some of the more radical arrangements and obscure songs. It was a really rewarding experience, though, when I finally got all my parts down.
What do your songs/solos mean to you?
My first song In the show, “Surrey with the Fringe on Top” from Oklahoma!, is a lot of fun for me because it’s very charming and endearing and those are two things I would certainly like to imagine myself being.
“Maria” from The Sound of Music is my other big song. It’s a lot of fun because I can play off of the audience a little and use some of the very real very nervous energy I have on stage to tell the tale of a lovelorn young lad.
How would you describe a Rodgers and Hammerstein song?
Lots of repetition! Beautiful nearly-universal lyrics that are very easy to relate to.
What do these songs have to say to today’s audiences?
I think a lot of the songs, especially in this show talk about the sort of inherent magic to being in love. And I think that even if the audience has never been in love, the songs can really give good examples of the good the bad and the ugly sides of falling in and being in love.
What song that you are not singing is your favorite and why?
Probably “If I Loved You” from Carousel. It’s an absolutely breathtaking piece of music and I adore the lyrics, that personally really resonate with me, and it’s just a gorgeous song.
This is an ensemble piece. What do you admire most about your fellow cast members? And what have you learned about being a member of an ensemble that you hadn’t experienced before?
I’ve been in shows with each of these actors (minus one) in various configurations in the past couple years that I’ve been doing community theater shows, and I absolutely adore every single one of them. They all have such a spark and willingness in them to try anything and I admire that so much. Being in such a small cast has helped me learn to embrace the idiosyncrasies within myself as well as my other cast members, as with larger casts I would often be more afraid to be myself.
Why do you think Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music is till so popular and if you had to describe their legacy-what would it be?
Oscar Hammerstein II is a master of dialects in lyric, and Richard Rodgers’ music can be anything: soaring, claustrophobic, melancholy, or the very embodiment of cheeriness. It’s interesting to note that even while being sort of reconceptualized as a couple of the numbers in this show are, the music’s flexibility never tampers with the meaning. If I had to describe their legacy I’d say it was and possibly will always be near unrivaled in the world of musical theater.
What are you doing next on the stage?
Rock And Roll Revival #45 at Sherwood High School.
If you could have any role in a Rodgers and Hammerstein show, what would it be?
Lieutenant Cable in South Pacific or Billy Bigelow in Carousel.
A Grand Night for Singingplays from February 12-27, 2016 at Montgomery Playhouse performing at The Arts Barn – 311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. For tickets, call (301) 258-6394, or purchase them online.
LINKS: Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’: Part 1: Brian Lyons-Burke.
Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’: Part 2: Jennifer Georgia.
In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of A Grand Night for Singing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Jennifer Georgia.
Jennifer Georgia. Photo courtesy of The Montgomery Playhouse.
Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell us where we may have seen your work on our local stages before? Who did you play?
Jennifer: I’m Jennifer Georgia, and I have specialized in playing grand dames, old bats, wicked witches, harridans and viragos — no, let’s call them “strong, self-actualized women” – of various sorts since I was 12. Here in the D.C. area, these include Mama Rose (Gypsy) and the Wicked Stepmother (Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella) at Montgomery Playhouse, Jocelyn Jollygoode and Mrs. Cratchitt (Scrooge! the Musical), the Royal Clothesmaker (The Emperor’s New Clothes), The Red Queen and the Mad Hatter –in a fruit headdress à la Carmen Miranda—(Alice in Wonderland) for Sandy Spring Theater Group, Kitty in Six Degrees of Separation at Silver Spring Stage, and movie mogul Celia B. DeMilo (Murder at the TonyLou Awards) at Rockville Little Theatre, among others.
I have also played the title role in Hello, Dolly! and Carlotta in Sondheim’s Follies (which I also directed) in Switzerland, and Golde in Fiddler on the Roof and Mrs. Higgins in My Fair Lady in London. (As the only American in a cast of 40 Brits, playing the woman who taught Professor Higgins how to speak was a bit nerve-wracking, but I knew I had succeeded when a fellow actor told me that “on stage, you haven’t an accent at all!”)
Why did you want to be part of the cast of ‘A Grand Night for Singing?’
Since I seem to be cast so often as intimidating women (although I’m very nice – really!) in character roles that tend to rely more on acting than singing, I was thrilled with the idea of being in a show with such a small cast and so much lovely music, all about romance in all its stages and forms. It was delightful serendipity that I got to join such terrific people, most of whom are friends from other shows.
What were the biggest challenges learning your songs?
The biggest challenge has been the short time-frame of the show. Because of the holidays, we have basically had only 6 weeks to learn 38 songs, and we have been doing complex harmonies, blocking, choreography and acting pretty much simultaneously. The schedule feels more like professional than community theater. It’s very exciting.
What do your songs (solos) mean to you?
I am particularly tickled with my solos because they tend to be either comic turns or emotional soliloquies. I get to make the audience laugh and cry – I hope!
How would you describe a Rodgers and Hammerstein Song?
They tend to be very sweet and earnest – you might even say corny (as Kansas in August….?). But one of the delights of this show is that the musical arrangements keep the sweetness, but jazz it up. There are songs in this show that sound like the Andrews Sisters and Manhattan Transfer. They’re a blast to sing and I hope they’ll be as much fun for the audience.
What do these songs have to say to today’s audiences?
When it comes right down to it, these songs are about love, and love is universal. When approached with a sense of humor and musical sophistication, they are very contemporary.
What song that you are not singing is your favorite and why?
Probably “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?” from Cinderella. It is simply a gorgeous song, and Lauren-Nicole’s voice fits it perfectly, but also it is quite psychologically sophisticated in how it examines love and the way we ascribe qualities to those we’re attracted to. I also love when the guys sing “All At Once You Love Her” – I had never heard it before, and the harmonies and arrangement are just luscious.
This is an ensemble piece. What do you admire most about your fellow cast members? And what have you learned about being a member of an ensemble that you hadn’t experienced before?
What I learned is that in an ensemble this small, there’s nowhere to hide! Everybody has to be on top of everything – and they are. I admire their dedication and professionalism, but I also love their humor. They take the work very seriously, but not themselves. They are top-notch, and totally nuts!
Why do you think Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music is still so popular and if you had to describe their legacy-what would it be?
They pretty much invented the form and structure of musical theater as we know it today, with songs that tell a story, advance the plot and reveal character. There is an emotional core and truth to their work that I’m not sure earlier songs had. Writers of musicals have been building on that ever since, from Hammerstein’s protégé Steven Sondheim to Stephen Schwartz to Jonathan Larson to Lin-Manuel Miranda. Also, the melodies and lyrical structure of their songs are superb.
What are you doing next on the stage?
I’m going to be the Mother of the Bridezilla in A Taste for Murder Productions murder mystery A Wedding to Die For at the Kentlands Mansion April 8-10.
If you could have any role in a Rodgers and Hammerstein show, what would it be?
First choice: Anna in The King and I – she’s strong, gutsy and British, but she gets to polka around in a really nice dress and sing some lovely songs. In a dream world, I’d love to play Cinderella, but the Fairy Godmother would probably be a more realistic aspiration.
A Grand Night for Singingplays from February 12-27, 2016 at Montgomery Playhouse performing at The Arts Barn – 311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. For tickets, call (301) 258-6394, or purchase them online.
LINKS: Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’:Part 1: Brian Lyons-Burke.
Meet the Cast of The Montgomery Playhouse’s ‘A Grand Night for Singing’:Part 2: Jennifer Georgia.
In Part 1 of a series of interviews with the cast of A Grand Night for Singing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Brian Lyons-Burke.
Brian Lyons-Burke. Photo courtesy of The Montgomery Playhouse.
Please introduce yourself and tell us where we may have seen your work on our local stages before? Who did you play?
I’m Brian Lyons-Burke, and most recently played Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof with the Damascus Theatre Company. Over the last two years I have performed in My Fair Lady as Henry Higgins (also with DTC), in Peter Pan as Captain Hook with the Arlington Players, in The Producers as Roger De Bris with Sandy Spring Theatre Group, and as Thenardier in Les Miserables with the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia.
Why did you want to be part of the cast of A Grand Night for Singing?
I have for some time wished to work with our Director Kevin Sockwell. I also saw this as an opportunity to sing some of the most classic works of American musical theatre in a different format, where the challenge is to connect with the audience almost purely through the music. Usually I sing through a character, which colors the vocalization. Here the singing can be pure and unadulterated, which presents its own opportunities and vulnerabilities.
What were the biggest challenges learning your songs?
One real challenge has been to bring life to the music in a way that will touch the audience and pull them in. The other is that the show is full of complex harmonies, which can be difficult to get right. As Kevin has told us time and again, we need to listen to and understand what the music is saying before we can make it real.
What do your songs and solos mean to you?
Most of my solos are romantic ballads, and in one way or another they all have a sense of yearning, of loss, of pain. They speak to the things we wish were so, we wish we had done, we wish had never happened. They speak in one way or another to experiences to which we can all relate. That is part of the magic that Rogers and Hammerstein gave to us. Except for Oh What a Beautiful Morning. That’s in a whole different category!
How would you describe a Rodgers and Hammerstein Song?
Romantic. Emotional. Full of feeling. And often an exuberant sense of humor.
What do these songs have to say to today’s audiences?
The music of Rogers and Hammerstein still has the power to touch us, to make us feel deeply, to laugh, to cry. The songs may be from a different time, but they speak of timeless things. We have all been or wanted to be in love, we have all danced, we have all had regrets, and we all love to laugh. That is what fills the theatre and our hearts.
What song that you are not singing is your favorite and why?
“I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair.” In the show this gets a bluesy treatment brings a new life to this old standard.
This is an ensemble piece. What do you admire most about your fellow cast members? And what have you learned about being a member of an ensemble that you hadn’t experienced before?
Everyone is dedicated and hardworking, and of course talented! Most important, the cast is selfless, and we support each other as a team. An ensemble must meld into a unit, which is vastly different from a solo performance. The trick is to find the right level so that you present whole cloth and not a patchwork.
Why do you think Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music is still so popular and if you had to describe their legacy-what would it be?
In many ways, they gave us the modern musical. Without them, we would have no Sondheim. They brought us the advancement of the plot through song, telling us as much or more through the music as had previously been relegated to dialogue.
What are you doing next on the stage?
That isn’t set yet, but I am sure it won’t be too long before the next show. In the meantime, I will be completing filming on a local independent production titled Medusa.
If you could have any role in a Rodgers and Hammerstein show, what would it be?
Now that’s a difficult question to answer. There are so many iconic roles, it’s hard to name just one. But for the moment, I’d say Emile de Becque from South Pacific. Or maybe….
A Grand Night for Singingplays from February 12-27, 2016 at Montgomery Playhouse performing at The Arts Barn – 311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. For tickets, call (301) 258-6394, or purchase them online.
The version of Carousel, with Music by Richard Rodgers and Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, presented in the recently renovated theater of Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis by Live Arts Maryland, is not so much a full production of a musical as it is a performance of the rich, lush sounds of the Annapolis Chorale and Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, directed by Courtney Kalbacker, and Musical Directed by J. Ernest Green.
Dress rehearsal with Jason Buckwalter (Billy Bigelow) and Erik Alexis (Jigger Craigin). Photo courtesy of Live Arts Maryland.
The singer-actors who performed at the front of the stage were the icing on the very full and tasty cake. Unlike most musicals where the orchestra is in “the pit” a lowered area below the front of the stage, the 28-piece orchestra performed onstage, taking up the center portion. In the rear, on tiered stands, were the magnificent voices belonging to approximately half of Annapolis Chorale’s 160 members. Green conducted both groups from a small raised platform.
Though the show’s characters were in costume, the play was performed without sets and with minimal props: a bench, two chairs and one palm-sized star.
The stage, itself, was making a debut. The ceiling of the “shell” surrounding the band on three sides and above had just been installed. The Chorale and Orchestra were performing beneath it for the first time during Friday night’s performance.
The members of both the Annapolis Chorale and Annapolis Chamber Orchestra are volunteers. After passing an audition, they pay a small annual membership fee and also purchase their music. Many members of both groups – a diverse mix of teens, young adults, midlifers, and seniors, have been involved for years – some for more than three decades.
The sound the two groups created was gorgeous, professional, and filled the space. It was akin to listening to a rainbow: soaring, elegant, colorful and breathtaking. Occasionally, their volume drowned out the actors in front, possibly a result of the new acoustics.
Now, onto the show.
Carousel has an interesting history, coming, in wartime 1945, on the heels of Rogers & Hammerstein’s hugely successful 1943 production,“Oklahoma”.
It was adapted from a 1909 play by Ferenc Molnar set in Budapest, Hungary. For the musical, the site was changed to the Maine coastline, and the ending adjusted to transform a tragedy into an uplifting message of hope.
There was a brief prelude to the show during which Green announced performances on Live Arts Maryland’s 2015 – 2016 season schedule. A supporter who’d successfully bid for the opportunity then led the cast and audience in singing “Star Spangled Banner” as he directed from Green’s conductor stand.
The Chorale and Orchestra were dressed, for the performance, in “black on black” – black shirts and trousers or skirts.
And, like the Chorale, the talented cast’s voices soared.
Billy Bigelow, the central character, drunkenly staggered out onto the stage and promptly passed out. He was played by baritone Jason Buckwalter, Billy is a cad. He is the barker for a carousel operated by the widow Mrs. Mullin (Alicia Sweeney). His sexual energy is what helps sell the rides on the carousel to the local female millworkers. Mullin doesn’t like that his energy is directed at others, not at her. The women work long hours and are required to live in a dormlike setting. Violating curfews or other rules can lead to immediate dismissal.
His rapidly burgeoning romance with Julie Jordan (soprano Jessica Satava) costs him his job. Later, when her boss spots her and offers to escort her to her lodgings so she won’t violate curfew, she rebuffs him – and loses her job, too.
There is a second plot: the romance between Julie Jordan’s friend Carrie Pipperidge (soprano Kimberly Christie) and Enoch Snow (tenor J. Austin Bitner) moves rapidly.
Against a backdrop of songs – “When I Marry (Mister Snow) with Pipperidge and Snow, and “If I Loved You” with Bigelow and Jordan – both relationships develop quickly.
Molly Moore Green (Nettie Fowler). Photo courtesy of Live Arts Maryland.
The women’s friend Nettie Fowler (Molly Moore Green) leads the Chorale and cast members in a rousing “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over.” and later, at the end of the show, Green delivers a heart-wrenching “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” All these classic songs were sung with heart and some produced gorgeous harmonies.
A month later, the still unemployed Bigelow and Jordan are married, as are Pipperidge and Snow. Piperidge learns Snow has plans for a big family in the heartwarming “When the Children Are Asleep.”
Bigelow, angered by his lack of employment opportunities, has taken it out on his wife. During an argument, he hit her. She brushes the incident off in discussions with others, but the news spreads through the town.
Meanwhile, the townspeople are planning their annual clambake on a nearby island. Bigelow had rudely informed Jordan he has no plans to attend. In a meeting with an acquaintance, the lowlife sailor Jigger Craigin (Erik Alexis), Craigin attempts to involve Bigelow in a robbery for a “lot of money.”
Bigelow, at first, brushes him off as the robbery would involve violence. When he learns Julie is pregnant with their child, he changes his mind during “Soliloquy.” And what a tour de force performance Jason Buckwalter delivered! During this song, he also realizes he will have to take responsibility for being a father to his child. He decides to attend the clambake to provide an alibi for the robbery.
I was so impressed by 8th grader Gracie Albus (as Louise Bigelow) who performed a psychologically intriguing barefoot ballet as Bigelow’s 15-year old daughter in which she fends off bullies while expressing her embittered loneliness as a societal outcast. This was an impressive feat performed within the narrow parameters of the front stage.
There is one more performance tonight at 8 PM, so if you are free run and buy tickets.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel, presented by Live Arts Maryland, has one remaining performance TONIGHT, Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 8 PM at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts – 801 Chase Street, in Annapolis, MD. For tickets, call (410) 280-5640, or purchase them online.
https://youtu.be/Ovx0DazXDcE
For more information on Live Arts Maryland, call (410) 263-1906, or visit their website.
Columbia Pro Cantare is more known for its liturgical and classical music, so this was a nice change from their normal musical format. Included in this performance were many popular American composers from the first half of the 20th Century.
If you got there early, you were privileged to hear a lecture by Dr. Barbara Renton, who helped us explore in depth (past the very informative program notes) the men whose music would greatly influence American music.
Duke Ellington was one of the composers featured last night. You may not realize Mr. Ellington wanted to be remembered for his classical and gospel pieces more than his swing/jazz pieces. Of course, we now know that although his favorite creative pieces are played, he is most remembered as a leader of swing and jazz. We were informed that the note changes in the song “Over the Rainbow” by Harold Arlen with Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, are very challenging to singers but it is these changes that allows us to feel uplifted listening to this classic made so popular byJudy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.
The “Songbook” opens with this last mentioned piece arranged by Guy Turner. The smaller group, taken from the ranks of Pro Cantare, called CPC Chamber Singers, performed the first group of numbers. The melodies and harmonies switched smoothly as they performed the famous song a cappella. This continued to the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart song, “Blue Moon, whose arrangement was less Doo-Wop and more jazz than you might find familiar.
At this point the CPC Chamber Singers were joined by pianist Alison Gatwood for a portrait of the works of Jerome Kern. They performed “All the Things You Are” (Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II) again with the smooth harmony and melody switching from the males to the females in the group. “Who” let us hear how many ways you could sing that simple word. The piece “Yesterdays” was a haunting number (lyrics by Otto Harbach), we all tapped along to “I Won’t Dance” (lyrics by Dorothy Fieldsand Jimmy McHugh) and could imagine Astaire and Rogers performing the number, and ending with “I’m Old Fashioned” (lyrics by Johnny Mercer) which reflected a time when simpler lives were idealized. The addition of the piano opened us to the interesting chords that Kern had created that led to many of the changes in “show music” for generations to come. All the music was arranged by Lou Haywood.
It was then time for Cole Porter. Porter was unique in that he wrote almost all his own lyrics as well as the music. The section was arranged by Kirby Shaw. The CPC Chamber Singers blended back into the Pro Cantare chorus, and they added a small instrument combo to join the pianist. The company was a wonderful compliment of male and female voices, and the complex lyrics in pieces like “It’s De-Lovely” were clear and distinct. Pro Cantare captured the exotic sounds for “In the Still of the Night” and the quickstep beats of “From this Moment On.” Harper Denhard’s beautiful voice was featured in “Always True to You in My Fashion,” from Kiss Me Kate.
From Cole Porter we went to the band leader, Glenn Miller. Of course, it started with The Glenn Miller Band’s signature song, “Moonlight Serenade”. This section was performed by The Lexington Brass Quintetand did not involve any singing. It included the very popular, “String of Pearls”, the mournful Irish melody, “Danny Boy,” the patriotic “American Patrol,” the love song “At Last,” and of course, the famous “In the Mood.” The quintet did a wonderful job recreating Mr. Miller’s music which was arranged by Christopher Dedrick. They ably reflected the jazz and swing mood that the bandleader created.
After the intermission, Pianist Alison Gatwood lightened the mood by changing the setting to a piano bar complete with a tips jar. This was perfect for Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” (arranged by James Matte and transcribed by Al Levy) which might be one of the most played pieces ever. She expertly went from a piano bar style to one more likeLiberace’s.
The Lexington Brass Quintet came back for a little Duke Ellington. They took us back to the Cotton Club in Harlem with “The Cotton Tail,” the wonderful complicated “Sophisticated Lady” (which was a little Harlem and a little New Orleans street music) and closing the section was “It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it ain’t got that swing).” The latter song would go on to influence many jazz musicians and swing bands, like Benny Goodman’s Orchestra. The syncopated rhythms and chord patterns brought jazz to a new level. Particularly of note, although the entire band was extremely talented, was the tuba solo by Ed Goldstein. (The others in the band were Robert Suggs, Marshall White, Rich Roberts, and Jared Denhard.)
Early American music would not be complete without George Gershwin. It is hard to remember that Gershwin who was so prolific, along with his brother Ira often his lyricist, died at 38 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. This tribute began with a bit of “Rhapsody in Blue” and included many of his musical works. Outstanding in this group were “Clap Yo’ Hands” an early attempt at the Negro Spiritual which Gershwin would perfect in Porgy and Bess (with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and Du Bose and Dorothy Heywood). The opera was represented with “Summertime,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So” with a wonderful solo by James Farlow, “I Got Plenty O’Nuttin” and featuring a beautiful operatic solo by Harper Dernhard, “My Man’s Gone Now.” Other highlights were the fox trot “S’Wonderful,” the interesting harmonies in “Fascinating Rhythm,” and “I Got Rhythm,” and the upbeat final song, “Strike Up the Band.” The music was arranged by Mac Huff.
The group’s leader, Ms. Dawson, turned over her baton for the finale to one of the local contributors to the art group, Bob Lucido, a local realtor. He led the chorus in the George M. Cohan song, “You’re a Grand Old Flag”. Of course, this patriotic piece is so well known, the audience was encouraged to sing along.
The whole night was to quote Mr. Porter, “Delightful, Delicious, De-Lovely.” The singing was impressive. The musicians, including the pianist, Ms. Gatwood, the jazz combo, and the Lexington Brass Quintet enhanced the singers and were terrific in their own right on their featured pieces.
Like Ira Gershwin wrote, “Who Could Ask for Anything More?”
Running Time: Two hours, with an intermission.
The Columbia Pro Cantareis off for the summer but will return October 24, 2015 at the Jim Rouse Theater in Columbia – 5460 Trumpeter Road, in Columbia, MD. with Northern Lights, a celebration of Scandinavian music. If you have never heard them do Handel’s Messiah, you should pencil in Dec. 6, 2015 for their performance of this holiday favorite.
With brilliant direction by Richard Highby, Port Tobacco Players’ Oklahoma! takes place in the year 1905 in a small community of rangers and farmers in the Oklahoma territory. 1905 is moving rapidly, the United States is prospering- we have electricity, Henry Ford, the Wright Brothers, Teddy Roosevelt is in office and there is a feeling of optimism. Innovations are abounding, inventions are being created, and – romance is blossoming? That is, at least for Curly and Laurey, but will the sultry dangers of the broiling farmhand, Jud Fry pose a threat to their love? With music by composer Richard Rodgers and book by librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, it is quite apparent why Oklahoma! is a beloved American classic!
Tara Waters (Laurey) and Matt Usina (Curly). Photo courtesy of Port Tobacco Players.
As Curly, Matt Usina gave a strong performance. He set up a beautiful evening in his enchanting rendition of the opening number, “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’.” His also exuded much charm and energy.
Portraying his love interest, Laurey, was the sweet and spunky Tara Waters. Her light, airy vocals shined in “People Will Say We’re In Love” as she and Curly covertly flirt with one another. The third wheel in the fractured love triangle is the reclusive and disturbed farmhand, Jud Fry.
Patrick Pruitt gave a haunting performance as Jud. From the moment he arrives, Pruitt dominates the stage with his booming, bitter demeanor. His dynamic vocals were showcased in “Lonely Room.”
Katie Ludy (Aunt Eller) and Matt Usina (Curly). Photo courtesy of Port Tobacco Players.
Sprucing up the musical with her sass and motherly nature, Katie Ludy gives a memorable performance as Aunt Eller. She commands attention in act two as she fires off a gun to mandate control and order at the community social.
What good is a musical without a little bit of comedy? Will Parker is portrayed by the talented Ben Simpson. His impeccable dance ability is displayed in “Kansas City,” where he leads the company in a cowboy soft-shoe. In addition to dance, Simpson’s comedic disposition stands out in “All Er Nothin’.” Opposite Simpson is the incredible Becki Turner. Her boy crazy, side-splitting performance of Ado Annie Carnes steals the show. I enjoyed her amusing and flawless vocals in “I Cain’t Say No.”
The cast of ‘Oklahoma!’. Photo courtesy of Port Tobacco Players.
Speaking of enthralling, Brooke Howell-Weisner had the gargantuan task of designing downright delightful dancing. Her boot-stompin’ choreography kept my oes tappin’ and my heels thumpin’, especially during “The Farmer and the Cowman” during act two. Set Designer John Reckeweg, with complimentary set decorations by Laurie Mudd, made it easy to forget that you were in La Plata, MD and transported you to the rural land of Oklahoma. The scenic yellow farmhouse, with endless rows of cornfields and glowing blue skies engulfed the backdrop.
A vital aspect of the show that should not be left in the backdrop is the intricate, clever, and vibrant costumes created by Pat Brennan and the Costume Crew. Standout costumes include Will Parker’s bright red shirt, white cowboy hat, bezel-jeweled belt, beige pants, and authentic cowboy boots. Another amazing costume was Aunt Eller’s in act two. She was garbed in a red top with cream lace, a cameo broche pin, an eccentric red hat with a side feather that would put any peacock to shame!
Another element that deserves kudos are the properties by Terri Fortney Beinert. They included Ali Hakim’s wooden wagon wheel peddler’s cart, which was filled with an assortment of rare commodities and treasures. The lighting design by Leslie L. Wanko displayed an array of emotion and suspense during the “Dream Sequence.” The lively sounds of nature, like birds chirping, were designed by Dave Bayles. Under the musical direction of Will V. Derr and Jim Watson, the orchestra was able to maintain a unified sound that complimented the show in a hootin’-tootin’ magical fashion.
Mosey on over and see what all this here ruckus is ’bout PTP’s toe-tappin’ Oklahoma!
Running Time: two hours and 45 minutes, with one intermission.
Oklahoma!plays through April 12, 2015 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm. All shows take place at the Port Tobacco Players located in La Plata, MD – 508 Charles Street, in La Plata, MD. For tickets, call the box office at (301) 932-6819, or purchase them online.
Last seasonwas a dream for us at YAA! We opened the season with a gala performance of SHOW BOAT in Concert at the Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club in November 2013. Over 90 students were joined onstage by guest mentors from the Washington National Opera, Strathmore, National Philharmonic and The Catholic University of America. We could not have been more pleased with the turnout: a standing room only crowd of 500 people who reveled in the glorious music by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II.
Last spring, we were honored when Broadway legend Jason Robert Brown accepted our invitation to come to Maryland for the regional premiere of the fully orchestrated version of his song cycle, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD. Jason spent 4 days mentoring, rehearsing and performing with our 90+ students. This unique opportunity to perform this groundbreaking work with the composer himself (who incidentally had just opened his Tony-award winning musical The Bridges of Madison County) was not lost on the students, and they thrived and excelled under his guidance. We were especially humbled when Jason himself devoted an entire blog post on his website to YAA, gushing about the YAA program and his time spent with us. His thoughts can be read here.
We could not be more excited to announce Young Artists of America’s upcoming 2014-2015 Season! The season is titled British Invasion as both productions are based on the works of famous British playwrights, namely Frances Hodgson Burnett and the master, William Shakespeare. Both YAA productions were conceived to continue our quest to expose our students to a varied array of musical styles and genres, all the while focusing on what YAA does best, the MUSIC! In true YAA fashion, both productions will of course include the full symphonic scores, provided by the 54 piece YAA Youth Orchestra in the fall and the 90+ piece Maryland Classic Youth OrchestrasPhilharmonicin the spring.
In choosing repertoire for each season, we are always on the lookout for works that would best showcase our students and also expose them to repertoire they might not otherwise experience, all the while always working to emphasize the musical aspect of musical theatre and opera. Often, as with our selection for our upcoming spring production, this takes us back in time to the last generation of musical theatre and sometimes even back a century to the height of operatic music. However, there are those composers today that are still writing contemporary scores that utilize the sonorities of a full orchestra in telling their grand musical story. Our first production next season is such an example.
The score of The Secret Gardenis the perfect piece to showcase the strengths of our YAA instrumentalists and vocalists with its lush symphonic orchestrations and sweeping vocal melodies. Composer Lucy Simon, along with orchestrator William D. Brohn (Ragtime, Miss Saigon), do a masterful job of setting this classic children’s tale to music and bringing the words of Pulitzer-prize winning playwright, Marsha Norman (The Bridges of Madison County, The Color Purple)to life.
After our wildly successful opera/musical pairing of Madama Butterfly & Miss Saigonat Strathmore in 2013, we decided to create another unique pairing of classical and contemporary works for our return to the mainstage at The Music Center at Strathmore this coming March 2015. As in 2013, YAA will again collaborate with the exceptional 90+ piece MCYO Philharmonic and guest vocalists to bring Shakespeare’s tale of the two most famous star-crossed lovers to life. West Side Story + Roméo et Juliettewill tell this famous tale through both scores, weaving together music that was brilliantly composed by Leonard Bernstein and Charles Gounod 90 years apart.
At YAA we are always looking to augment our performance opportunities for students with educational opportunities as well. We are happy to announce the return of our popular Summer Institute for Singers in Summer 2015.
Also, since our inception, students have been asking for opportunities to coach and improve on their auditioning skills in preparation for college and summer program auditions. As a result, we are pleased to announce a new initiative in the fall called Audition Intensives that will give instrumental and vocal students the opportunity to present their audition repertoire in front of a panel of experts and to work on them in a masterclass setting. This is a unique opportunity for students to practice their auditioning skills while also receiving crucial feedback as they prepare for major auditions.
As you can see, we have a full season ahead of us, and we very much hope that you will join us for our 2014-2015 performances!
In the words of Maria, the hills are most definitely alive with the gorgeous sound of the stars of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s production of Von Trapped– a hilarious parody of the iconic 1959 musical The Sound of Music with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Cooper Westbrook (Maria). Photo by Emily Pinna.
A musical of this caliber, enjoying healthy runs on Broadway and the West End as well as the 1965 Oscar-winning Best Picture film musical starring Julie Andrews and the 2013 televised production starring Carrie Underwood, hardly needs an introduction. As a musical that has earned a place rightfully on the mantle of show tune standards and notoriety in some circles, Artistic Director Jeff Buhrman and Executive Director Chase Maggiano exploit our wildest imaginations and have masterfully coached an all-male ensemble to deliver a comedic performance that pushes this Tony Award-winning musical to the boundaries of our imagination.
The all-male cast does not disappoint. Opening with the iconic “Morning Hymn/Alleluia” performed by Mother Abbess (Montario Hill) and Sisters (Ray Jay Garcia, Justin Bank, Bill Cutter, Michelangelo Longario, L. Owen Taggart, Greg Plavcan, and Rick Yarborough), the opening number showcased how, while intentionally comedic, this musical parody would take its musical responsibility to deliver a performance that was not only funny, but also of musical quality. With a full chorus of 62 “nuns” set as the backdrop for the opening scene, what’s immediately clear is the richness and the power of the full chorus. With several of the nuns boasting everything from Marge Simpson-style hair to a bucket of fried chicken as props, it was quite the ridiculous sight.
Dressed in a pink skirt, Maria (Cooper Westbrook) then makes her appearance, singing the title song of the show while frolicking about a beautiful, lush mountainous backdrop (rented from Kenmark and Grosh).Westbrook has a stage presence that grounds the lighthearted performance in a state of suspended reality, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the imagination of the artistic team. Elevated by the elaborate backgrounds done by the construction team, Westbrook seamlessly connects each plot point in an otherwise ludicrous musical with grace and poise.
The remainder of the performance follows the plot loosely, but hits all the major songs of the show that audiences will remember and with which audiences can identify.
One of the highlights of the evening was Maria and the Children: James Stillwell (Liesl), Joel Wallace (Friedrich), Mitch Menchaca (Louisa), Mario Sengco (Brigita), Stuart Goldstone (Kurt), Sidney Jonathan Jowers (Marta), and Marcus Brown (Gretl) performing the iconic number “My Favorite Things.” With “Ryan Gosling” named as one of everyone’s favorite things, the number was a hit with many members of the audience singing along.
The number followed with Liesl (James Stillwell) delivering a scintillating performance of “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” a parody in which an over-the-top Liesl—dressed in a silky Japanese Kimono—must pick between four suitors. I’m sure this isn’t what Rodgers and Hammerstein had imagined.
The first act closed with “Do Re Mi”—a piece in which we really get to experience the joy of a live orchestra. With piano (Alex Tang), synthesizer (Jonathan Tuzman), bass (Mary Scott), and percussion (Logan Seith and Maurice Watkins), the live orchestra accompanied the chorus in mellifluous harmony—striking a perfect balance with the chorus without becoming overpowering.
The second act opened with a hilarious rendition of “Do Re Mi,” featuring the youngest Von Trapp child, Gretl (Marcus Brown), singing a soulful medley of Michael Jackson’s “ABC” and “Do Re Mi,” causing the audience to erupt in raucous laughter. Dressed in an entire curtain pole (alluding to how Maria made children’s clothing out of curtains), Brown lead the audience in this soulful scene-stealing number. This was definitely one of the musical masterpieces of the night.
Act II also featured an interpretation of “The Lonely Goatherd” done in dance with Michael “Cabbie” Caban, Alon Mazor, Ivan Davila, Clint Novotny, Harron Elloso, and Ray Jay Garcia to a rapping—yes, I said rapping—chorus. Needless to say, words escape me. You will have to check out the show yourself to see what I’m truly talking about.
Captain Von Trapp (Lonny Smith) dazzled the audience with his “Edelweiss”—one of the few songs performed throughout the evening that is taken almost entirely without parody from the original production. Smith’s voice perfectly captured the sense of solemnity in the piece, and was one of the more tender, memorable moments of the evening.
Cooper Westbrook (Maria) and Montario Hill (Mother Abbess). Photo by Emily Pinna.
The evening concluded with “So Long, Farewell,” in which each member of the Von Trapp family received resounding applause after his (or her?) solo. As an encore, the entire cast performed “Climb Every Mountain/You’ll Never Walk Alone”—a stunning exclamation mark on an already exciting evening of musical parody.
Running Time: Two hours, with one 15-minute intermission.
Von Trapped plays two more performances Tonight-Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 8pm and Tomorrow, Sunday, March 16th at 3 pm at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium — 730 21st Street NW, in Washington, DC. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.
A Valentine’s Day treat was offered to all those who were lucky enough to attend celebrated jazz and cabaret artist Ann Hampton Callaway’s concert Let’s Fall in Love: Ann Hampton Callaway Sings Streisand, Songbook Classics, & More at last night at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater. The very prodigious Callaway‘s artistic output is phenomenal from being the only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter, writing songs with Carole King, Rolf Lovland, and Barbara Carroll, writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series The Nanny to touring the country with The Streisand Songbook.
Ann Hampton Calloway. Photo by Bill Westmoreland.
Entering the stage in a beautifully tailored black pantsuit with bold, red lapels on her evening jacket, Callaway covered songs that evoked romance, pain, and wit. She hit all the right notes (pun intended!) and more as she displayed her vocal prowess from pristine clarity to scat singing to deeper, evocative and smoky tones. Callaway has an obvious inherent understanding and desire to foster an appreciation of the Great American Songbook and this show spotlighted her love for these beloved classic songs,just as Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney– on her Concord jazz albums– and Michael Feinstein have promoted these treasured songs.
Callaway’s voice is a natural wonder of the world and her voice should be patented as a musical instrument itself. Her voice blended like another instrument as she presented herself as an equal with her very stellar jazz trio. So many artists give very short shrift to their musicians, but Callaway’s approach was obviously to blend right in for an ensemble feel and she gave artistic parity to the three supremely talented musicians on stage with her: Peter Washington on bass, Tim Horner on drums, and Ted Rosenthal at the piano. Many instrumental interludes and solos were the order of the evening and the audience was courted with a veritable musical feast.
Opening with a relaxed and bouncy rendition of Harold Arlen’s “Lets Fall in Love,” she followed up with a smoky and sensuous cover of “But Beautiful,” holding out the heartrending lines with an unerring sense of cadence.
Callaway expressed her admiration of Audrey Hepburn and her fondness for her 1967 film Two for the Road and, then, she proceeded to relate how much she enjoyed traveling around the world with her partner.
These musings were an appropriate lead-in for her soulful rendition of Leslie Bricusse and Henry Mancini’s theme song “Two for the Road” from the film of the same name. The poignant journey of two hearts confronting the world together was beautifully evoked and Peter Washington’s expressive and pronounced yet sensitive interlude on Bass added immeasurably to the song’s effect.
Next on her agenda of romantic songs, Callaway delivered a swinging and audaciously entrancing version of the Gershwin classic “The Man I Love”. Eschewing the angst-ridden versions of yore, she jolted the ear with a disarmingly ultra-rhythmic rendition that was full of bouncy verve and swing, and continued to build to a spine-tingling coda as she reiterated the closing line over and over, finally closing off with a rousing yet sharp crescendo.
Callaway reminisced how music infiltrated her home by virtue of her mother playing the piano and her father bringing home records. She continued to regale the audience with interesting patter on the cusp of performing the oft-performed Rodgers and Hart standard “My Funny Valentine,” describing how Lorenz Hart was a self-loathing homosexual and alcoholic —it was these somber realizations by Hart that inspired the writing of the famed lyrics. She interpreted this esteemed song with a resonant, plaintive quality and she held the last utterance of “stay” for ultimate effect and power.
The Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein classic “All the Things You Are” was performed as a true ensemble combo piece with Callaway’s gorgeous, lush tones blending beautifully with the piano, bass and drums. The drums of Tim Horner were the standout here.
Callaway mused about the joy she felt meeting one of her musical idols, Carole King and writing togethe,, and launched into a cover of King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” performing it with a measured yet yearning quality and with exceptional psychological acuity.
Ross and Adler’s witty and sexy “Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)” from Damn Yankees was performed with great comedic appeal and sass as Calloway sauntered out into the audience and wooed an audience member named Bob.
Speaking of working with the iconic Barbra Streisand and, especially, about the circumstances that lead to her to write the lyrics to the song that was performed at Streisand’s wedding, “I’ve Dreamed of You,” Callaway sang the song in a style almost akin to singing an anthem –in this case, of course, an affirmation of fidelity and love.
Etta James’ well-known standard “At Last” was performed to perfection with a sense of relieved yet robust finality. Ted Rosenthal’s piano solo was haunting.
Callaway conducted an amusing and extremely creative improvisatory composition of a spontaneous song with audience involvement. With a few well-chosen phrases or words yelled out by the audience members, Callaway composed a beautiful song in tribute to Washington, DC.
For her encore, this amazing artists performed a simply stunning medley of Jules Styne’s “People” and Sondheim’s “Being Alive”.
Ann Hampton Callaway is a national treasure.
Running Time: 80 minutes, with no intermission.
Ann Hampton Callaway performed last night February 14, 2014 at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater-– 2700 F St NW, in Washington, DC. For future Kennedy Center performances check their calendar of events.
