EVA HEINEMANN REVIEWS BROADWAY BY THE SEASON Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center Scott Siegel: Host / Producer / Director / Writer Ross Patterson: Music Director / Piano Assistant Director/ Stage Manager: Rick HI8nkson Production Manager: Christopher Brian Production Assistants: Joe Burke, Izaya Perrier, Carrie Feinstien Sheet Music Consultant: Michael Lavine CAST: Klea Blackhurst Molly Bremer Neil Devlin Jason Graae Ben Jones Kyle Scatliffe Jenny Lee Stern Sal Viviano Michael Winther Scott Siegel is back with his wonderfully eclectic BROADWAY BY THE SEASONS featuring some of the most talented performers around. Klea Blackhurst, Molly Bremer, Neil Devlin, Jason Graae, Ben Jones, Moipei, Kyle Scatliffe, Jenny Lee Stern, Sal Viviano, Michael Winther. He always adds bits of information pertaining to those years and the famous people who were born at those times. So we get great American Classics and surprising information. This time he featured shows and songs from 1934/35 in the first act and 1946/47 in the second act. The show opened with Ben Jones singing “You and the Night and the Music” from REVENGE WITH MUSIC. I know that song so well but I never even heard of “Revenge with Music”. It is amazing the things one finds out at one of Scott Siegel’s events. Then Klea Blackhurst came out blasting “Blow Gabriel Blow” from ANYTHING GOES in her inimitable Merman style. Continuing with Anything Goes was Jenny Lynn Stern singing the title song. I got a kick out of that smooth toned Sal Vivaiano singing “I Get A Kick Out Of You”. Finishing the “Anything Goes” of the night was that irrepressible Jasan Graae with “You’re the Top”, basically singing a duet with himself. He was in the first of Scott’s Broadway shows twenty-five years ago and they are both going strong! Next came a couple of numbers from LIFE BEGINS AT 8:40, when most theaters opened at the odd time of 8:40. Featuring a couple of singers who started out as Broadway’s Rising Stars and they have risen to the occasion. Neil Devlin sang “Fun To Be Fooled” which I have never heard before and Molly Bremer continued with the perky “Let’s Take a Walk Around the Block”. Kyle Scatliffe sang that enticing song from PORGY AND BESS: “There’s a Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” which is my favorite song from that show. Another show that appeared that was unfamiliar to me was THUMBS UP but it had two of the classiest classics: “Autumn in New York” sung by Michael Winther and "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart” with Jenny Lee Stern pulling all stops out as Judy Garland. One could see why she was so successful on the Forbidden Broadway series. In the songs of 1946/47 we were treated to BRIGADOON, FINIAN’S RAINBOW, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN AND ST. LOUIS WOMAN. My favorite being Jason Graae as that twinkly fickle leprechaun singing “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love” enlisting Jenny Lee, Molly, and Klea to swoon over. As always the singing was top notch under Ross Patterson’s adept musical direction. I only wish that Jenny Lee had sung her songs unplugged as her voice is just too powerful and rich for a mic. You can’t miss at a Scott Siegel show. HAPPY FACE CLOSED NEXT BROADWAY BY THE SEASON WILL BE MONDAY APRIL 21ST AT 7:30PM This time he will be showcasing: Scott Siegel's Broadway By The Season: 1957/58 & 1963/64: The Music Man, West Side Story, Oliver! 110 in the Shade and many more! The Second Act song list: Old Devil Moon (Finian’s Rainbow) Sal Viviano I Got the Sun in the Mornin’ (Annie Get Your Gun) Klea Blackhurst They Say It’s Wonderful (Annie Get Your Gun) Molly Bremer When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love (Finian’s Rainbow) Jason Graae with Jenny Lee, Molly, Klea Almost Like Being in Love (Brigadoon) Ben Jones Come to Me, Bend to Me (Brigadoon) Sal Viviano There But for You Go I (Brigadoon) Neil Devlin From This Day On (Brigadoon) Michael Winther Come Rain or Come Shine (St. Louis Woman) Jenny Lee Stern https://www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/mch/event/scott-siegels-broadway-by-the-season-1957-58-1963-64/ (fb)

REVIEW OF "THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND: THE MUSIC OF KANDER & EBB" AT HEMSLEY HALL, STATEN ISLAND, NY APRIL 7, 2025. MUSIC BY JOHN KANDER AND LYRICS BY FRED EBB. Directed by Jai Sada, Musical Direction by Michael Louis Curcio, Choreographer: Anadina Saladino; Stage Manager: Nikita Chernin; Technical Director: Katie Scibelli; Lighting Designer: Nick Diaz; Set Design: Adrienne Ferretti; Set Construction: Craig Kwasnicki; Photography: Anna Glenn Sparks. PERFORMERS: Francesca Loftus, Mitchell Maglio, Sophia Condon, Peter Gilleece, Helene Dubois, Victoria Matthies, Amanda Rose Benjamin, Frank Fazio, Michael Whelan, Jai Sada, James McKeon, Samantha Leigh Chiodo, Ellen Mitchell, Matt Gilleece, MaryKate Brown, Michelle Pagano, Peter Gilleece, Lloyd Lerner, Kayla Rose Cariffe, Joyce Gordon, Albert L Pica, Roseann Marcus, Connor J. Burke, Eli Bradley Gottesman, MaryKate Brown, James McKeon. REVIEW: This marvelous show, under direction of Jai Sada and musical direction of Michael Louis Curcio, celebrated the many songs of Kander and Ebb. Their many songs were written for Broadway and film, including "New York, New York"," The Happy Time","The Act", "Woman of the Year", "Chicago", "Funny Lady", "Flora the Red Menace", "Cabaret", "Funny Lady", "Kiss of the Spider Woman", "And the World Goes 'Round", "All That Jazz", and many more. The amazing songs, listed in the photo below, were vocally perfect, and the choreography (by Anadina Saladino) was spot-on. Space does not permit my detailing each performance (also in the photo below), but the following performances were my favorite highlights: "AND THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND" BY Francesca Loftus AND Michael Whelan: from the film "New York, New York". This song struck home for me, coming off the very recent plunge of the stock market, reminding me of the cynical nature of life, that the darkness will pass, and I shall soon see the light again. "MAYBE THIS TIME" BY MaryKate Brown WITH AMPLE ASSISTANCE FROM Eli Bradley Gottesman from "Cabaret." "Maybe This Time" is my favorite of all the K&E songs, having first heard it over 50 years ago. MaryKate began the song with such heartfelt desperation, pleading for a future with a man she seemed destined to lose. But she contradicts herself when she belts out "everybody loves a winner, so nobody loved me," but it's exactly the way MaryKate sings this self-deprecating status, that proves her performance a WINNER." "ISN'T THIS BETTER" BY Victoria Matthies ROM "Funny Lady." Following "Maybe This Time" in the program, Victoria brings me back to the Barbra Streisand film version with her great voice and very strong chorus "Isn't this better? BETTER?" "SOMETIMES A DAY GOES BY" by James McKeon: from "Woman of the Year". With his beautiful baritone, James gave us such poignant and moving yet simple lyrics that truly captured our emotions, such as "it's hardly every day. It's most unusual. I can't remember when, but sometimes a day goes by when I don't think of her. Then morning comes and there she is again." "ALL THAT JAZZ" by Samantha Leigh Chiodo and Company from "Chicago." Given the huge success of the play, whose revival of which is still running on Broadway, and made even more famous by Bob Fosse's film of the same name (even though it doesn't feature the song) Samantha and the cast craft this catchy song so beautifully. "YES" by the Company from "70 Girls 70". The entire company takes this catchy song with its very light subject, speaking directly to the audience (sung in second person), with some lyrics quite comical. "CABARET" by James McKeon and the Company. We've all listened and watched this song sung over the past 50 years and we all know the lyrics. James and the whole group brought down the packed house with their catchy, funny, and energetic version with a very big finish. "NEW YORK, NEW YORK" by the Company from the film "New York, New York" This song tops the list of all those anthems about the "city that doesn't sleep." With wonderful audience (set up with tables as in a cabaret) participation and most of us New Yorkers, we all ended the show with this very passionate anthem. All in all, this was one of the most marvelous performances Frances A. Shea and I have seen and heard in the past few years. The songs took us back thorough our lives and the entire performance was so memorable. MAJOR HAPPY FACE PLUS. (fb)