Photos by Christine Butler
This will be another banner season for the formidably talented composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim. A streamlined revival of his A Little Night Music is currently running on Broadway and the Roundabout Theatre Company will be presenting Sondheim on Sondheim starring Barbara Cook later this spring. And, just this past week the Manhattan School of Music presented Beautiful Girls: A Stephen Sondheim Revue of Songs for Women, sadly for one-night-only, starring four luminaries of the Broadway stage: Zoe Caldwell, Donna McKechnie, Marin Mazzie and Jenn Colella. Paul Gemignani, a Sondheim stalwart, conducted the Manhattan School of Music Chamber Sinfonia; and Lonny Price—another Sondheim veteran—put it all together with his discreet direction and humorous dialogue.
The subtitle of the show is a bit misleading for some of the songs were not written expressly for female characters. But somehow, these four star performers made you believe that no male could ever do justice to these numbers ever again. Certainly, the leading lady show-stopping numbers such as “I’m Still Here,” “Another Hundred People,” “Could I Leave You?” and “Some People” were all in glorious presence, but more interesting was how some “male” songs were turned on their heads when performed here. Songs such as “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and “Pretty Women” from Sweeney Todd took on a different, more ambiguous ambience.
Beautiful Girls was emceed by a graciously low-keyed Zoe Caldwell who spoke about Stephen Sondheim’s life, with the other three ladies interjecting often ribald quotes from everyone from Mae West to Simone de Beauvoir. A running theme, which became a bit tired after a while, concerned the age differences among the performers with Ms.Colella, the youngest, ribbing the others, but getting ribbed right back. Although the songs were distributed among the stars in an age-appropriate manner, the constant reference to age became a moot point when each woman got up to do her own number.
Donna McKechnie gave power and nuance to “Some People” from Gypsy, striding across the stage like a lioness; and gave humanity and color to “I’m Still Here” from Follies, probably the most moving rendition of this song ever. Her “Could I Leave You?” from the same show was frightening in both its intensity and inner terror.
Marin Mazzie was sexy and exultant in “I Will Marry the Miller’s Son” from A Little Night Music and impossibly poignant in “Not a Day Goes By” from Merrily We Roll Along.
Jenn Colella sang “Another Hundred People” and “Getting Married Today” from Company with such clarity, strength and rip-roaring energy that she completely possessed these humorous word-twisters.
But topping them all was Zoe Caldwell’s “Liaisons” from A Little Night Music. She captured the warmth and humor of this nostalgic reverie, singing with quiet intensity that riveted the audience to her every word. (That Broadway’s current Madame Armfeldt, Angela Lansbury, was in the audience only added tension and excitement.)
The four also sang duets (“Every Day a Little Death”) and trios (“You Could Drive a Person Crazy”) and quartets (“Everybody Ought to Have a Maid”) displaying skillful camaraderie
Margaret Peterson, a mezzo-soprano MSM student was trotted out to sing “I Remember Sky” from an early Sondheim work, Evening Primrose. She is young, with a rich voice, but clearly needs more experience on stage. She appeared a tad stiff compared to the flamboyance of the leading ladies, but was poised.
Another MSM interjection was an anti-climactic “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide sung by the school’s chorus and soloists who appeared to be from a totally different planet. Although they all sang with warmth and worked hard at getting the song across, they should have been coached more in deportment and the logistics of getting on and off the stage. Also, since this song has neither words nor music by Sondheim it appeared gratuitous. (“It’s Our Time” from Merrily We Roll Along would probably have been more appropriate.)
The show was well-lit and the glamorous gowns and outfits of the four stars added to the fun.
Beautiful Girls caused so much excitement that the ovations were almost as long as the numbers. Mr. Sondheim could not possibly have been better represented than by these great ladies of the theater and Manhattan School of Music—despite some missteps—gave them and the music their full due.
BEAUTIFUL GIRLS: A STEPHEN SONDHEIM REVUE OF SONGS FOR WOMEN
Manhattan School of Music
John C. Borden Auditorium
120 Claremont Ave.
New York, NY
January 18th,2010 at 7:30 pm
Tickets & Information for upcoming events: 917-493-4428 or www.msmnyc.edu