| . | 04/01/2009
The Broadway Musicals of 1931
By: Simon Saltzman
Karen Akers (photo: MaryAnn Lopinto)
Did Scott Siegel, the creator, writer and host of the wonderful and popular series of revues (now in its ninth season) that celebrate the musicals of a given year have to remind us that in 1931 ten million people were out of work and that two thousand banks had closed? Of course he did as well as to inform us that American industry fought back with the invention of Alka Seltzer; that entrepreneurs and politicos succeeded in getting gambling legalized in Nevada and that women were suddenly being transformed by the introduction of the Clairol line of hair dye. It was the great Depression Era, but what up-lifting musicals there were in 1931 to help make people forget.
More importantly for us today is the not terribly depressing news that the distinguished actor of dramatic literature Mr. Murray Abraham can survive the rigors of a tune, three in fact as he cavorted endearingly with a cast of musical theater pros.
As loyalists to this series have come to expect, the selection of songs from such shows as Of Thee I Sing, George White’s Scandals of 1931, The Ziegfeld Follies of 1931, The Bandwagon included those familiar and less familiar, but which were given their due and more by a bright and talented company…including Mr. Abraham, who,
despite a vocal glitch at the start of Poor Pierrot (from Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach’s The Cat and the Fiddle, re-assured us (unplugged) later that “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries,” and that he could be endearingly “Miserable With You” (from the Dietz and Schwartz’s The Bandwagon).
Notwithstanding Abraham’s star status, the show was not all about him but rather more excitingly about the discovery (at least for me) of the sensational Barb Jungr whose dynamic voice and unusual delivery style had the Town Hall audience going ape over her two-song medley, Shadows on the Wall and The Torch Song. So be it if the description “sensational” has to be applied one more time to describe the stunningly beautiful Karen Akers who sang the standards “As Time Goes By” and “Dancing in the Dark,” the latter augmented with the glorious dancing of Mara Davi & Jeffrey Denman.
Jeffry Denman (left), Melinda Sullivan (center) and Kendrick Jones (right)
Photo By Genevieve Rafter Keddy
Dancing throughout the revue was choreographed Denman who also proved himself a true Cowardian with his bravura rendition of the flippant patter-song “Mad Dogs and Englishman.” Musical comedy was at the forefront as Kerry O’Malley and David Pittu drew laughs with “You’ll Do,” a witty little ditty of put-downs by the then up-and-coming composer Harold Arlen.
Melinda Sullivan (left) and Chip Zien (right)
Photo By Genevieve Rafter Keddy
Other comic highlights were offered by the disarming Chip Zien (“By Special Permission of the Copyright Owners, I Love You,” from The Gang’s All Here); the adorably roly-poly Brad Scott (“Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba” from The Third Little Show) and the delightfully adamant Mara Davi (“I Want a Man” from America’s Sweetheart). A tidal wave of approval followed Tony Yazbeck’s rapturous singing of the extraordinarily beautiful ballad “To-Night” (from Free for All).
The cool and classy dancing by Kendrick Jones, Melinda Sullivan and others in the company charged such numbers as “Crazy Quilt,” and “Sweet and Hot” while the incomparable Ross Patterson Big Band provided the up-lifting accompaniment. The entire show was under the direction of Brad Oscar, who proved that it doesn’t take a firm hand or a baton to direct but a pair of maracas (you had to be there).
The Broadway Musicals of 1931 (one night only March 30, 2009)
The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street
For tickets ($45 - $50) to the next shows: Broadway Musicals of 1944 (on May 11) and Broadway Musicals of 1970 (June 15) call (212) 307 – 4100.
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