Interview: Paul Hope of LOVERLY - THE BROADWAY OF LERNER AND LOEWE (AND LANE) at Ovations

Paul Hope produces cabarets that often consist of the Great American Songbook. His upcoming production is called LOVERLY- THE BROADWAY OF LERNER AND LOEWE (AND LANE) and will be performed on Monday, February 9, 16th, and 23rd, at 7:30 pm at Ovations Night Club in Rice Village, next door to Main Street Theater. These include songs from shows like MY FAIR LADY, GIGI, CAMELOT, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, and others. Paul has a whole cast performing these, including himself, Lauren Salazar, Tamara Siler, and others. BROADWAY WORLD writer Brett Cullum got a chance to talk to Paul about presenting some of the greatest musical songs ever written in an intimate jazz club. 

Brett Cullum: How long have you been doing these cabarets and staging concert-style shows? Because I feel like I have not known a Houston Theatre scene without you and events like these.

Paul Hope: The cabarets started back when I had Bayou City Concert Musicals, and then when Bayou City folded, I resurrected the cabarets back at Ovations, which is where they started. We became our own nonprofit, Paul Hope Cabarets. I think we've been doing these for about 9 years, 8 or 9 years. But I've been doing cabarets for almost twenty years! 

Brett Cullum: I remember all the way back! The singers are just incredible. I've always been amazed at the level of talent that you've got. And of course, when you're doing the Great American Songbook, I mean, how are you gonna go wrong? Those are great songs. But I did want to ask, how do you pick which material you're going to cover for LOVERLY, in particular, why Lerner and Loewe and Lane?

Paul Hope: When we started the cabarets, I was working chronologically through the Broadway songbook. So, our very first cabaret was before the turn of the century. It was like 1866! We've gone through the operetta composers, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Gershwin Porter, Rogers and Hart, and Rogers and Hammerstein. We've finished with the 40s, we're just about done with the 50s, and are tipping into the 60s now. So, we'd already done Lerner and Lowe, and Lane in the 40s. So we've already done a cabaret that featured songs from BRIGADOON, FINIAN’S RAINBOW, and PAINT YOUR WAGON. That show included movie songs that Alan J. Lerner had contributed to in the 40s. So this is our second one of Lerner and Lowe and Lane. Burton Lane is the man who wrote the songs for FINIAN’S RAINBOW, but he then collaborated with Alan J. Lerner a few times, and on film and on Broadway, so we're including him. They wrote ON A CLEAR DAY together. So, that's what this show is about. Next year, we're doing our first Sondheim Cabaret, but it's Sondheim and Richard Rodgers. So it's early Sondheim, late Rodgers. We're doing our first Cy Coleman next year, so we're tipping into the 60s.

The other thing people have really liked about these is that I emcee and give info about the shows. I try to dig up as many anecdotes as I can about the stars, about the shows, you know, pre-opening or during the run, about the composers themselves, and without keeping it dry. It's everything to keep this as entertaining as possible. So, what's been lovely is when our audiences, people will come to me at almost every performance and say, I enjoy what you're sharing as much as the songs themselves. It adds context to the songs without making me come off as Professor Poopface. It also doesn't hurt that I'm in the business. And particularly with all of the people out of New York that I've worked with through the years at Theater Under the Stars, I collect stories. So if it's somebody that's worked with somebody, I'll go, well, tell me about when you were on the road with Lorelei, tell me Carol Channing stories, tell me about this, tell me about that, and I never forget a good story.

Brett Cullum: Lerner and Loewe and Lane, do you have a favorite show of theirs? Is there one that you look at and you go, “Wow, this is the one I could listen to over and over?” 

Paul Hope: People talk about various shows being a perfect musical; this is a perfect musical. People talk about GUYS AND DOLLS, which is not Lerner and Lane, being the perfect musical, and I will say, yes, it is, like, so beautifully structured and written and whatever, but it’s not a show I love. I think MY FAIR LADY is such a gorgeous show. CAMELOT is not as well-written, but the score is amazing, gorgeous. The songs from GIGI are like caviar. But I'd have to say, as far as the scores, I probably like ON A CLEAR DAY. I love the songs, from ON A CLEAR DAY, which was not anywhere near as big a hit as those other shows were. The thing about Lerner and Loewe and Lane is that with Alan J. Lerner, you have a very wonderful lyricist. He was a very witty, urbane lyricist. And, Frederick Loewe wrote such fantastic melodies, gorgeous lyrical melodies.  

Brett Cullum: Well, let's talk a little bit about you, Paul. I mean, I know a bit about your story, but our readers may not. Though on a site named BROADWAY WORLD HOUSTON, they would likely know you. Where did you start, and why would I know Paul Hope?

Paul Hope: Oh, well, a lot of people may know me because I was a member of the resident acting company at The Alley Theatre for 25 years. But before I was at the Alley, I grew up at Tuts. I've been at Tuts, and I believe my grand total is 44 shows for them. I first did my first Theatre Under the Stars show when I was 19. I was a sophomore in college. I was a member of the union before TUTS even offered union contracts. You got $250 total for doing a show. Sometimes you'd have to wait a few years to get it during lean times. In all the years I've been in Houston, I've worked at some point or other in most of the theaters in town. Like, I've done shows at Stages and Main Street. Not a whole lot. I don't think I could fill up one hand with either theater. I've performed for HGO, and I've narrated a ballet for Houston Ballet. I've directed for the University of Houston, Rice University, Houston Community College, and Lone Star College. I've just been all over the place. I'm a Houston theater dinosaur!

Brett Cullum: No, you're a legend, a Houston legend. You've done everything, and you've been everywhere, and it's amazing, and I'm just thrilled to even talk to you. Do you have a favorite role that you've done here in Houston? 

Paul Hope: I loved playing Barrymore, the ghost of John Barrymore in I HATE HAMLE. Beverly Carlton in THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER. I played Serge in ART when the Alley did ART. I loved playing Richard in HAY FEVER at the Alley. Which, unfortunately, in 25 years at the Alley, that's the only Noel Coward play I ever got to do there. And it was a Coward play at U of H that got me in the door at the Alley originally. Greg [Boyd] didn't want to produce Coward, so I got to do a lot of Agatha Christie instead! 

In musical theater, I think one of my faves, that I've always had a blast with, I've gotten to play it three times, is Max Detweiler in THE SOUND OF MUSIC, of all things. Because by the time they've had enough of the nuns and the kids, you come on and have adult humor. So, you know, the audience is really ready for somebody who's a smartass.

Brett Cullum: That's the best role, period, in any show. If you get to have that one scene where you're the comic relief, then go for it all the time. But one thing about you I love is that we get these great cabarets! LOVERLY is going to feature so many songs from shows that have not been done recently in Houston! Things like MY FAIR LADY, GIGI, CAMELOT, and ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER! You have to come to Ovations right next to the Main Street theater on Mondays in February! 

Paul Hope: Oh, and one thing, one last thing is what we have coming up in May. We're doing a Disney cabaret!