BWW Reviews: GMCLA Scores with Stephen Schwartz Tribute Concert NOT ENTIRELY WICKED

On Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) presented Not Entirely Wicked, a salute to the music of Stephen Schwartz with special guests Schwartz and consummate singer Liz Callaway.The show began with plentiful numbers from Pippin and Godspell, but seemed somewhat low on energy and drive, despite several intermittent solos and some visual lighting treats. Thank heavens, Schwartz made an early appearance singing and playing the piano, which included a duet "Love Song" from Pippin with Callaway. Callaway also essayed a glorious "West End Avenue" from The Magic Show. Following this section, the chorus segued into a medley of Schwartz's movie hits from Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Beautiful sounds all around! The show was now officially cooking with GAS!

Act II was ten times stronger and became the veritable piece de resistance. One person, who expressed dissatisfaction at the intermission - much more so than I, commented at the end of the second act "It was like two separate concerts. The second act was a triumph!" With chorus members dressed gaily in green and black - remember Elphaba, the green witch from Wicked? - well, I mean, the green was resplendent with sparkling green vests, green bow and full-length ties, green hats, green socks... you name it, these guys wore green - and it was nowhere near Saint Patrick's Day! A delightful highlight of the Wicked segment was "Popular" with three drag queens trying to outdo each other playing Glinda, all in pink.

Callaway returned to sing the gorgeous "Meadowlark" from The Baker's Wife with Schwartz accompanying her. Schwartz then proceeded to sing a heartfelt original piece about his life's journey "Forgiveness Embrace", followed by ahhhh..."Testimony", sung by the entire chorus, which S S composed last year for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. It rocked the house. With a madrigal group up front and a screen directly behind them, with pictures of various men who took their own lives projected on it - and the rest of the chorus visible through the screen, "Testimony" with its theme of identity and unhappiness/disillusionment with one's life accomplishments... but with a positive, uplifting finish, took flight. It is, like an opera, full of the real beauty of the common man, the gay man, and humanity at large, which S S conveys so extremely well in all of his work. It moved me and many others to tears, big time. Concluding the evening was a sparkling medley of "Beautiful City" from Godspell with "Defying Gravity" from Wicked, and then as encore the jubilant "Corner of the Sky" from Pippin.

A stunning endeavor from GMCLA! A wonderfully colorful show with some splashy fun choreography including tap by Billy Rugh and Michelle Benton! Can't wait for their annual Christmas, Holiday concert in December at the Alex Theatre in Glendale!

http://gmcla.org/

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