New York Pops Gala

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 5/5/15 at 9:59am

 

One hundred sixty dollars was the top ticket price for this Carnegie Hall concert on Monday night. Announced a sell out, but there were still about sixty tickets available a few hours before it started. The honorees were Kathleen and Rob Marshall and the theme of the Gala was for performers who had been in one of their shows or films to sing something from that show or film.

 

The original performers announced were Kelli O'Hara, Sutton Foster, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Alan Cumming, Bebe Neuwirth and Laura Benanti and Rachel York. When they added another six, I was a little unhappy that this would mean the original performers would probably be one and done. This is pretty much how it worked out, but it turned out to be a very pleasant night.

 

Alan Cumming was first up to sing, what else, Willkommen, with only a little make up and his chest covered. I always have fond memories of Joel Gray in this role, preserved by the film, but I saw Alan last year and he is a fitting successor. When he sang "even the band is beautiful," he gave a lecherous look at the predominantly female string section of the Pops.

 

Victor Garber, whom I didn't know at all, came out impeccably dressed to sing "Those Were the Good Old Days" from Damn Yankees. Working the song for all the laughs he could, he was a good addition.

 

Rachel York was next. I didn't know much about her, but she came out in a sexy dance outfit with four male dancers and delivered the most polished and sexy act to "Le Jazz Hot." Now I know quite a bit about Rachel.

 

Brian Stokes Mitchell got a very warm reception. He sang "Where is the Life That Late I Led" from Kiss Me Kate, acknowledged the applause and made his exit without engaging the audience. Laura Benanti, looking great in a full length white gown, sang "Unusual Way" very nicely and left with no banter. She is set for Roundabout's She Loves Me next season.

 

Time for the first surprise guest. Listening to the show I got the same impression of the sound system that I had received when attending the dress rehearsal last December Of Kelli O'Hara's and Matthew Morrison's Holiday Pops concert: That it served as a noticeable and unwanted barrier between the mouths of the vocalists and the ears of the listeners.

 

So who ambled out onto the stage looking only a few pounds away from being a very beautiful woman: Broadway's newest leading lady Renee Fleming. Maestro Reineke announced that Renee would sing sans mike. So she did, a beautiful performance of "Summertime." So tell me that amplification is a necessary evil to Broadway musicals, but don't tell me that it doesn't take its toll on the music.

 

I was hoping that Kelli O'Hara, who had appeared with Renee at the Met in January in The Merry Widow would also lose the mike. Perfect chance to do it. But, no, there was the mike. Kelli was her usual relaxed self in a full length blue gown, saying a few words to and about the Marshalls, and singing a rather perfunctory version of "Someone to Watch Over Me," the Gershwin ballad sung and/or recorded by every female vocalist in the Western World. Hell, give her voice a break on her one day off.

 

But Kelli had her own surprise. She went to the wings and came out with "her own King" Ken Watanabe, who immediately launched into the Japanese translation of "Puzzlement." No he didn't do that. He talked a bit about how he came to meet the Marshalls and how he ended up on Broadway. He also introduced the next performance, the Pops playing an excerpt from Memoirs of a Geisha. I think Ken just wanted to show everyone that he could speak understandable English, which I guess he did. I don't think that he memorized the whole talk. I had to work just a little at understanding him, but after all he is the King of Siam and we are fortunate that he condescended to learn English at all.

 

Sutton Foster went on before Kelli. After all these other actresses dressed "to the nines," whatever that means, Sutton came out dressed for an early rehearsal in shirt and trousers. I'm a fan of Sutton as a true triple threat. I think that the six minute song and dance extravaganza that closed the first act of Anything Goes won Tonys for both her and the show. We don't see many tap extravaganzas any more. (Given the almost show-stealing tap-dancing porters of 20th Century, maybe tap is about to make a comeback.)

 

Sutton sang "Anything Goes" and went. Just singing, her voice isn't quite up to the same quality as most other actresses. Or is it? Don't want a fight with fans. I was left thinking that a nice duet of "You're the Top" would have gone down very well in that spot.

 

Anyway, to bring this to a close, Rachel York actually got a second walk on to the stage, this time in a white glittering gown, to sing "Children Will Listen." Not a big Sondheim fan, except of course for his lyrics, I made a mental note to watch that film with an open mind.

 

Bebe Neuwirth was a delight singing "All that Jazz" and hamming it up with the audience. She can be in my Gala any time. I have to report, though, that she did not attempt any cartwheels. Queen Latifah, with whom I'm not that familiar, received a very loud greeting from the audience and sang her song from Chicago.

 

Finally, it was all wrapped up with the return of Alan Cumming to sing "Gutbyyen", no, "Cabaret" and everyone walked out onto the stage. I decided that it was worth the $160 and the trip to the city.

 

Postscript: Any factual errors in this account are due to either weakening memory or poetic license.

 

 

[DropOfGoldenSun2]

Posted: 5/6/15 at 6:30pm

How were the couple groups of kids? There were a few singing groups and a few playing  instruments, right? Kids at those kinds of thing tend to be hit-or-miss, ya know?

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 5/7/15 at 4:15am

 

The second children's spot, was the emotional part of the show. Rob McClure came out with four children from McDonald's House, all I presume fighting cancer. There was a small girl in a wheelchair. With Rob's lead, they sang "Dressed Without a Smile" from Annie. "How does it feel to be singing from the stage at Carnegie Hall," he asked the children.

 

I hope that it gives the children a big memory to smile about when the going gets hard for them.