Cabaret Scenes Review

“It was a very good year,” says Ervin Drake’s song. So was 1961, the year in which he wrote it. It was also the year in which The Beatles gave their first public performances, JFK began his presidency, the first human entered outer space – and, if these events weren’t enough – Mark Nadler was born. Which is why he chose to jam-pack 61 songs written that year into a hilarious, fast-moving evening of music, titled, appropriately, Crazy 1961. Presented over four December nights at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, the show, by demand, returns for additional performances in January.

Producer, director, musical arranger, pianist, soloist, host – all were Mark Nadler, backed strongly by Scott Johnson (guitar), Mark Lopeman (reeds), Robert Sabin (bass), and Sherrie Maricle (drums). The program mixed numbers from Broadway shows of his birth year (such as Carnival, Sail Away, Subways Are For Sleeping, How to Succeed in Business…, and Stop the World, I Want to Get Off), movie songs (“Cruella deVil” from 101 Dalmations), and popular songs, including “Et maintenant,” the original French version of what became “What Now, My Love?” Mark occasionally left the piano to comment, center stage, on his years growing up in the Midwest. Nick Santiago, working the lights and sound, kept right up with him.

To underscore that Mark was celebrating his 50^th birthday, he telescoped snippets of 50 songs hat were hits in 1961 into a single fast-paced, brilliantly constructed medley. Counting down each selection, he held up a large numbered card, which he then dumped onto the stage floor or hurled into the audience. There they lay, in disarray, as Mark – by then somewhat in disarray himself – closed the show with an audience sing-along of “Moon River,” a great hit from – of course – 1961.

The show’s structure, Mark’s musical arrangements, MC’ing, singing and pianistics – all gave evidence once again that, beneath the mock mania, Mark Nadler is one of cabaret’s most gifted, disciplined and hardworking entertainers.

Mark Naler and Crazy 1961 returns to the Laurie Beechman Sundays, January 15, 22 & 29 at 1 pm.

Peter Haas
Cabaret Scenes
December 1, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Mark Nadler Crazy 1961 Laurie Beechman Theater New York, NY
“It was a very good year,” says Ervin Drake’s song. So was 1961, the year in which he wrote it. It was also the year in which The Beatles gave their first public performances, JFK began his presidency, the first human entered outer space – and, if these events weren’t enough – Mark Nadler was born. Which is why he chose to jam-pack 61 songs written that year into a hilarious, fast-moving evening of music, titled, appropriately, Crazy 1961. Presented over four December nights at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, the show, by demand, returns for additional performances in January. Producer, director, musical arranger, pianist, soloist, host – all were Mark Nadler, backed strongly by Scott Johnson (guitar), Mark Lopeman (reeds), Robert Sabin (bass), and Sherrie Maricle (drums). The program mixed numbers from Broadway shows of his birth year (such as Carnival, Sail Away, Subways Are For Sleeping, How to Succeed in Business…, and Stop the World, I Want to Get Off), movie songs (“Cruella deVil” from 101 Dalmations), and popular songs, including “Et maintenant,” the original French version of what became “What Now, My Love?” Mark occasionally left the piano to comment, center stage, on his years growing up in the Midwest. Nick Santiago, working the lights and sound, kept right up with him. To underscore that Mark was celebrating his 50^th birthday, he telescoped snippets of 50 songs hat were hits in 1961 into a single fast-paced, brilliantly constructed medley. Counting down each selection, he held up a large numbered card, which he then dumped onto the stage floor or hurled into the audience. There they lay, in disarray, as Mark – by then somewhat in disarray himself – closed the show with an audience sing-along of “Moon River,” a great hit from – of course – 1961. The show’s structure, Mark’s musical arrangements, MC’ing, singing and pianistics – all gave evidence once again that, beneath the mock mania, Mark Nadler is one of cabaret’s most gifted, disciplined and hardworking entertainers. Mark Naler and Crazy 1961 returns to the Laurie Beechman Sundays, January 15, 22 & 29 at 1 pm. Peter Haas Cabaret Scenes December 1, 2011 www.cabaretscenes.org

Mark Nadler

Crazy 1961

Laurie Beechman Theater New York, NY

Laurie Beechman Theater
New York, NY