It was prime-time viewing in mid-afternoon when Broadway Originals! strutted its stuff to close this fall’s Broadway Cabaret Festival 2010.  This was the sixth year of the annual three-day event, created, hosted and written by Scott Siegel and produced by The Town Hall.  Directed by eternally vivacious, ever pretty Michele Lee (pictured), the show brought back performers reprising the roles they created or revived on Broadway.  They also shared memories of being in the shows.  This created a nostalgic mood over the afternoon, remembering shows of the past and meeting stars no longer in the spotlight or in new spotlights, and there was certainly no scarcity of talent and polish.

With all this, two moments stood out — one poignant, one electrifying.  Michele Lee recalled a period during the run How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.  Although she is the most recognizable Rosemary, Lee actually stepped into the part late, after the original Rosemary (Bonnie Scott) became pregnant and left the show.  Lee talked about a song she sang as a reprise, “I Believe in You,” and how she found a special significance in the song during the funeral of John F. Kennedy.  She focused on the assassinated President and poignantly evoked the feeling of national loss and grief.

And the most electrifying?  Opening Act II was special guest Marilyn Maye, who has portrayed Mame Dennis, Dolly Levi, and other Broadway divas, but never played Broadway.  What she did, however, was record four songs before their shows even opened, including “Step to the Rear” (How Now, Dow Jones) “Sherry” (Sherry!),  "I’ll Never Fall in Love Again" (Promises, Promises) and Kander and Ebb’s "Cabaret."

Proving they could still do them justice, Carole Demas reprised some tunes from Grease, Maureen Silliman sang the wistful title song from I Remember Mama and Jo Sullivan Loesser put down the mic to sing “Somebody, Somewhere” from the show that made her career, The Most Happy Fella.  Lucie Arnaz, energized with personality, wowed the crowd with the title song from They’re Playing Our Song and a ballad from the same show, "I Still Believe in Love.” Also impressive was Christiane Noll’s anthem from Ragtime, “Back to Before” and Tom Wopat’s stunning rendition of “I Stayed” from A Catered Affair.

More recent songs included John Tartaglia’s “Purpose” and Stephanie D’Abruzzo’s “There’s a Fine, Fine Line,” both from Avenue Q.  Nancy Opel belted her declaration that “It’s Privilege to Pee” (Urinetown) and Crista Moore remembered Big’s “Dancing All the Time.”

John Fischer was musical director for Broadway Originals!, another hit for The Town Hall’s Broadway Cabaret Festival.

(Photo by Glenn Harris)

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
October 17, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org