Broadway by the Year: 1979

While it may not be famous as such, 1979 was a year of great change on Broadway. The bells that year tolled the death of the old-fashioned musical comedy with such traditional book shows and revues as The Grand Tour, They're Playing Our Song and Sugar Babies. But they also heralded the arrival of a new, edgy and experimental kind of show, exemplified by the two biggest hits of the year: Sweeney Todd and Evita. In twelve months, such legendary composers and lyricists as Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Jerry Herman, Marvin Hamlisch and Alan Jay Lerner contributed songs for Broadway shows.And as Scott Siegel demonstrated with the eighth season finale of his Broadway by the Year series at Town Hall, musical theater may never again see such a wide range of styles in a single year.

The very nature of such a shifting year, however, meant that the selected songs were quite uneven. Old-fashioned Broadway razzle-dazzle was paired with post-modern and innovative pieces, and they didn't always mesh. On the other hand, how else—and where else—could Broadway fans learn just how much the art form changed in twelve short months? Broadway by the Year concerts are as much about history as about art, and it was wonderful to fully realize just how vital a year 1979 was for musical theatre. 

The 11-member cast, backed by the always-wonderful Ross Patterson's Little Big Band, worked wonderfully together, especially considering the last-minute unavailablity of John Treacy Egan. The company opened the show with a wonderfully intense, and remarkably complete, "Ballad of Sweeney Todd" that nicely set the stage for the more innovative and edgy moments of the evening.

Jason Graae, who has performed in numerous BBTY concerts, sang an adorably energetic "They're Playing My Song" from the musical of (almost) the same name, and conjured the vaudevillians of old with "Immigration Rose" from Sugar Babies (the song was originally written in 1919). He sang an unabashedly sweet "Mrs. SL Jacobowsky" from The Grand Tour, and a charming "You I Like" from the same show with Jeff McCarthy.

McCarthy, after getting to solo the title part in the opening ballad, displayed his range with a campy "It's Going to be Good to be Gone" from I Remember Mama (a one-joke song that goes on too long), and a quietly dangerous "Epiphany" from Sweeney Todd  unamplified and accompanied only by Ross Patterson on piano. He sang a very cute "More and More, Less and Less" from The Grand Tour with director Emily Skinner (and Jason Graae silently doing his schtick between them), proving that his comic skills are still in top shape. (Urinetown revival, anyone?)Ms. Skinner's only other number in the show was a tough and bawdy "I'm A Woman" from Carmelina—and in that dress, the statement was quite obvious. (Wow.)

Sarah Uriarte Berry got to shine in some old-fashioned ingénue songs, the lovely "A Little Bit More" from I Remember Mama (evocative of "You'll Never Walk Alone") and a beautifully wistful "Green Finch and Linnet Bird." Max von Essen got hero roles, singing a simply gorgeous (and unamplified) "Johanna" from Sweeney Todd, a dry "High Flying, Adored" and a fierce "Oh, What a Circus" from Evita. (Lord Lloyd Webber, we've found your next Che.)

Terri Klausner, who played Eva at the matinees of Evita, got to perform many of her former role's best numbers, and proved that her energy hasn't waned in the (almost) thirty years since that time. She sang "Buenos Aires," "Rainbow High," and of course, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" with plenty of skill and verve. Tony Award-winner Chuck Cooper got a single solo—the simultaneously hilarious and oddly tragic "I Could Kill Her" from Carmelina.

John Treacy Egan was unable at the last minute to perform as scheduled, and so frequent BBTY star Scott Coulter stepped up to take on his songs, learning some of them that very afternoon. He sang a lovely and gentle "Fallin'" from They're Playing Our Song and "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd, and got to display his comic skills (and a hilariously tacky wig) with a brilliantly over-the-top "On This Night of a Thousand Stars," turned into a dance number with Noah Racey and Lorin Latarro.

Continuing this season's tradition of increased dance performances, several songs featured impressive and extensive choreography to compliment the music and lyrics. Melinda Sullivan danced a hot solo to the title song from Sarava, and later joined Noah Racey for a sweetly coy "Daddy" (yes, the Bobby Troup song) from The 1940s Radio Hour and a bright duet of "I'm Keepin' Myself Available for You" and "Exactly Like You," both from Sugar Babies.