Broadway by the Year 1949 at Town Hall Monday April 19

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 4/21/04 at 9:50am

Noah Racey and Nancy Lemenager did a bang up job w/what I thought of as a little homage to Rogers & Astaire in "No Time for Nothin' But You," from All For Love. Please bring them back.

Lennie Watts and Cady Huffman showed lots of sensitivity when they sang a sweet duet fr Miss Liberty called Little Fish in a Big Pond. (P.S. I’m a biiiig fan of Lennie Watts’ voice & hope he brings back his most recent cabaret show.) Lennie was born to sing Guys & Dolls. He also knocked my socks off with the fabulous ending to The Big Movie Show in the Sky.

Scott Coulter, ahhh. A very unusual voice & timbre. Scott gives his all to every song he sings & whether some people might have been aurally jolted by his interpretation of Younger Than Springtime, I remind everyone that Barbara Cook did THE most incredible non-traditional interpretation of This Nearly Was Mine. What I’ve just said takes nothing away from the testosterone-packed interpretation of Martin Vidnovic…just apples & oranges. That’s how I feel about Scott Coulter’s YTS.

Scott also sang beautifully my personal favorite discovery of the evening It Will Be All Right (In 100 Years), I must get the sheet music for that song & find a place for it in a show.

It was delightful to see & hear Ziemba & Lacy in Let’s Take an Old Fashioned Walk. I also must say that I think Ziemba is a terrific singer & when I heard her Cockeyed Optimist & Wonderful Guy, I kept praying that the producers of the next South Pacific were in the audience to hear her. I think she’s around the same age as a Mary Martin when MM did the show, give or take.

The other song I wanna get my hands on is This Had Better Be Love. While Cady was breathtakingly perfect in everything she sang last night, this was my little diamond discovery.

I think Robert Westenberg was incredibly brave to “go on with the show” despite his being obviously unwell. Kudos to him for using wonderful singing technique & for being as focused as he was.

Martin Vidnovic, hello! What a joy to hear him sing & interpret.

As many of you can tell by my postings of Today’s Birthdays, I love learning & remembering bits & pieces of ephemera, & I personally enjoy Scott Siegel’s bits of patter that sets up the year by letting us in on what was going on & setting up songs.

Once again, Ross Patterson & The Ross Patterson Little Big Band came thru with flying colors.

Give me more years, & I look forward to the Broadway By The Year 1989!

Milla

[theatreguy2]

Posted: 4/21/04 at 11:50am

hi milla!

i absolutely agree with you about noah racey and nancy lemenager. I suppose it's no accident that the dance number (and even their chemistry) reminded you of fred and ginger because -- if i remember correctly, i didn't actually see it -- weren't they actually playing fred and ginger in that last show they did together, "never gonna dance"? (i may have that wrong).

and yes, Karen Ziemba was super charming in the two South Pacific numbers u mentioned. It would be truly lovely to see her in a major revival of the show. And come to think of it, Martin vidnovic too.

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 4/21/04 at 3:08pm

Hey there tg, thanks for your post. The show Never Gonna Dance was based on a delightful Fred & Ginger movie called Swingtime. I wish all good things for Nancy as she is about to join the cast of Movin' Out, and I'm turning blue in the face waiting for someone to produce a show for Noah.

I could very easily swoon over both Noah Lacy & Martin Vidnovic, 2 distinctly different types, but both oooh so handsome & talented.

Milla

[theatreguy2]

Posted: 4/21/04 at 10:27pm

that's right, swingtime! of course. i remember now. i do assume we'll be seeing the likes of racey again.

[kertrats]

Posted: 4/22/04 at 11:56am

I heard Noah will be appearing at the Goodspeed in Ct this summer.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 4/22/04 at 12:18pm

I was also struck by the fact that Ziemba's voice had much the same color and weight as Mary Martin's. I think she would be fine in revival of "South Pacific", but if it is revived for god's sake leave the book ALONE!

That's just my opinion, I may be wrong.

Updated On: 4/22/04 at 12:18 PM

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 4/22/04 at 4:22pm

Enjoy!

Milla
THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1949

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 4/23/04 at 10:35am

Kudos to all!

Milla
Broadway By the Year: The Musicals of 1949

[kertrats]

Posted: 4/23/04 at 3:04pm

I agree twogaab2 - KZ was very much like Mary Martin for me too!

[theatreguy2]

Posted: 4/23/04 at 4:03pm

yes, i subsequently heard about noah at goodspeed too. I just might have to take a trip out there.

and yeah, KZ IS a bit MM-ish! someone really should revive SS.