In the Encores Do Re Mi, Marilyn Cooper made me fall out of my chair with laughter during an audition sequence in the middle of Act One. I don't even know if I can describe it.
Do Re Mi might be seen as a second tier musical these days. But I think it does exactly what it sets out to do. The authors created roles expertly suited for the comic personas of their two stars (Phil Silvers as the schlemiel with a dream, Nancy Walker as his long suffering, slow burn wife). The score has its brassy pleasures (including "Waiting," perhaps the strangest opening number of any musical), as well as a genuine hit song with "Make Someone Happy". There are other truly excellent pieces of musical comedy writing with "Fireworks," "Adventure," "Ambition," "The Late Late Show," "Take a Job," and "It's Legitimate". What more could you want?
Lane, who is perhaps the only one around these days who understands that burlesque style of the great clowns like Silvers, Jackie Gleason, Bert Lahr, et al., was sublime in Do Re Mi. He nailed the laughs, and of course, brought more voice to the proceedings than Silvers is able to do on the OCR. Graff might not have been able to erase the sound of Nancy Walker in my head, but she was very good, and the arc of the relationship of those two characters sneaks up on you. You end up caring about them more than you think you will.
All told, a well crafted 1960s musical comedy, with some laughs, fine songs, and two great star parts. What's not to like?
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
