For those who are interested here is the program:
Monday Night at Town Hall in The Broadway Musicals of 1940-1964 (tickets still available!) Just Sayin’! — Scott Siegel
Act 1
1940 NATALIE DOUGLAS – Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered*
1941 NANCY ANDERSON — My Ship*
1942 BARBARA FASANO & ERIC COMSTOCK — Everything I’ve Got*
1943 MARISSA McGOWAN – People Will Say We’re in Love*
1944 CAROLYN MONTGOMERY-FORANT – I Can Cook, Too*
1945 ALEXANDRA SILBER If I Loved You*
1946 AMBER IMAN Come Rain or Come Shine*
1947 JEFFREY SCHECTER When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love*
1948 ROBERT CUCCIOLI Where Thine That Special Face*
1949 WILLIAM MICHALS This Nearly Was Mine* (unmiked)
1950 BARBARA FASANO & ERIC COMSTOCK You’re Just in Love*
1951 AARON LAZAR – They Call the Wind Maria*
1952 MARILYN MAYE – Guess Who I Saw Today*
1953 MAXINE LINEHAN – I Love Paris*
Intermission
Act 2
1954 PATRICK PAGE Captain Hook’s Waltz w/chorus*
1955 JEFFRY & ERIN DENMAN Two Lost Souls*
1956 LIZ LARSEN – “Oooh My Poor Feet”*
1957 BRIAN CHARLES ROONEY Maria*
1958 DEBORAH TRANELLI – “Love, Look Away”*
1959 LISA HOWARD Climb Every Mountain*
1960 BEN DAVIS “If Ever I Would Leave You”*
1961 RON BOHMER Her Face*
1962 GAVIN LEE I’ve Got Your Number*
ANITA GILLETTE Nightlife* (bonus number)
1963 JASON GRAAE She Loves Me*
1964 BBTY CHORUS Sunrise, Sunset*
Marilyn Maye Before the Parade Passes By* (bonus number)
Mixed bag evening with one shining standout: 85 year old Marilyn Maye knocking 'em flat in the aisles with her belting and even dancing in "Before the Parade Passes By". Amazing energy.
Other standouts:
Lisa Howard - gorgeous voice that had an operatic range and depth of tone with the unpretentious straightforward delivery of a folk singer.
Anita Gillette was very charming in a night so memorable tune she created 52 years ago in "All American" called "Night Life".
Other fine turns: Ron Bohmer, Amber Iman, Nancy Anderson, William Michals (unmiked), Aaron Lazar, Liz Larsen (over the top but fun), Patrick Page (very Cyril Ritchard rolling his "r"s), Maxine Linehan, Gavin Lee (unmiked) and Robert Cuccioli. Jeffry and Erin Denman sang and danced charmingly together. Brian Charles Rooney and Ben Davis were in lovely voice.
Alexandra Silber was rather overwrought singing "If I Loved You" with one or two pitchy notes, too much vibrato, not enough repose and odd carefully formed vowels that made it seem like she was not a native English speaker. BTW: Silber sang unmiked and it is a quality soprano voice. She needs to relax - she is experienced enough that nerves should not be a factor.
Notably poor: Deborah Tranelli wobbling and whooping through "Love Look Away" - she was on "Dallas" but should she be on "Broadway" (or close to it)? She must have had a lovely voice some years ago but is past it. Marissa McGowan belted too much of "People Will Say We're in Love". Others were sort of mannered, too cabaret or just not distinctive enough to make an impression in such famous songs. One man in the chorus forgot the words to "Sunrise, Sunset" (he is obviously one of Scott Siegel's "Rising Stars" recent graduate newcomers and was visibly nervous).
More familiar material but everyone was at least interesting and had something to offer. Less unfamiliar material than usual - I often am curious to hear songs from the forgotten or flop shows or historical curiosities. However, many of my favorites were up there and some new favorites I haven't gotten to see in major shows: Bohmer, Howard, Michals, Linehan, Graae and Schechter.
An evening well spent.
Marlo Manners (Lady Barrington)
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