If there is a special part of Heaven for icons of the American musical theater, Florenz Ziegfeld must have a place at the head of the table. More than any other 20^th century showman, he glorified the entertainers and music of his day with elaborate productions that, still, immediately recall the headliners, the glamorous showgirls and the spectacular staging.  The stars who earned their reputations as Follies performers are legion. From Nora Bayes – who came to fame as she introduced “Shine On, Harvest Moon” in the 1908 Follies and whose later rendition of “Over There” in the 1917 production, swept the country – to Eddie Cantor, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Bert Williams, Will Rogers, Ruth Etting, Helen Morgan, Marilyn Miller, W.C. Fields and Ed Wynn, Ziegfeld’s eye for talent, and a shapely leg, was impeccable.

Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic of 2008, at Dillon’s Reprise Room, utilizing a dozen performers, including some elaborately costumed showgirls, recaptures in miniature a savory taste of the ambiance of the original Follies.  If the staging omits Ziegfeld’s more spectacular stunts, such as the showgirl-clad giant birthday cake, or the real plane that flew over the audience in another production, Producer/ Director Mark York and Choreographer David Auxier nevertheless have done a handsome job mounting the show in the comfortable, albeit smaller, surroundings of a cabaret venue.

The full-company introductory number, “Midnight Frolic,” was written by Donald Loftus and Producer York.  From there on, all the songs are from various Follies productions.  The better part of a century later, most remain quite familiar to listeners. First on the bill was “Makin’ Whoopee,” delivered with appropriate wide-eyed animation by Scott Gofta, an engaging Eddie Cantor near-look alike (with perhaps a bit of Robert Morse thrown in).  The selections from Ziegfeld’s Follies were, to borrow a phrase, a trip down memory lane. “Shine On, Harvest Moon,” “My Blue Heaven,” “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” “Shakin’ the Blues Away” and “My Man,” plus more than a dozen others.

The cast included many appealing performers.  Among them, Broadway star Helen Gallgher guesting for a couple of numbers, plus Amy Montgomery, Helen Klass, Adrian LiDonni and others.  Even if you’re not a musical theater history buff, this is a show to see.  Songs, girls, costumes, singing and dancing – it all comes together nicely in the supper club surroundings of The Reprise Room.

Producer/Director York served as the show’s accompanist.  Collette Black did a polished job of lights and sound in spite of a bare minimum of preparation time before this opening night’s performance.

Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic of 2008 will be at The Reprise Room every Saturday and Sunday through April with a different guest star each week.  And don’t let the title fool you; the shows are scheduled at reasonable hours.  Call for details.

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
April 12, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org