Review: LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO 'ROUND Was Packed with Fine Songs at AMT Theater

The season full of Broadway-centric events is proceeding in grand style with J2 Spotlight Musical Theater in their home at the AMT Theater on West 45th Street. The third and final mainstage revival is now running through May 24 – The Mystery of Edwin Drood, based on the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens — but the busy company has been presenting other events, too. There are lectures surveying Broadway history and related topics and a cabaret-style night related to each of the three book musicals, featuring other songs by their respective composer-lyricists. Drood’s writer, Rupert Holmes, is on the agenda for Tuesday, May 19; last month’s Jerry Herman potpourri (cued to the revival of Milk and Honey) was seen and reviewed earlier here 

…but May 5 – aka Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence Day, notably fueling parades and a definite carnival mood for celebrations in New Orleans – seemed apt for J2’s revival of Carnival!-related cabaret to celebrate the work of its composer/lyricist, Bob Merrill. 

Directed by Mike Meaney, the night proceeded at a brisk but comfortable pace, with some singers introduced by name (sometimes doing so themselves, sometimes just by first name) and some of their names not spoken at all until the end, at the bows. Without a printed program being handed out (which would have been helpful), some in the audience might have been depending on recognizing faces from previous J2 events or other shows (or having gone to the company’s website ahead of time; names and photos were there). Spoken comments ranged from brief to non-existent, with the exception of one performer with a personal connection to the songwriter – as described in the last paragraph — whose stories and perspective were a major plus.

Sawyer Whitted provided supportive accompaniment on an onstage electric keyboard. Some of the grander, more serious selections would have benefited from a fuller theatrical sound. “I’m also a singer,” he told the audience, and showed more than promise and “rose” to the occasion with “Promise Me a Rose,” which was endearingly spot on. It’s from Take Me Along (1959) which was heavily sampled, taking time that might have allowed samples from more little-known or ill-fated shows and curiosities with worthy songs (Prettybelle, The Red Shoes, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Hannah 1939). But the audience seemed glad to be taken along for a Take Me Along spell justified by the presence of an actor who, over the years, has played the lead role (it was created by Jackie Gleason) and was quite entertaining with two of the score’s two-character numbers. 

The night included appearances by three of the Carnival! stars, showing different sides of their vocal talents and characterizations —   singing more as themselves and that’s more the agenda for cabaret interpretations. Bridget Delaney and Mason Hensley took on a tender lovey-dovey duet (“Did You Close Your Eyes?” from New Girl in Town) and Gregory White, flamboyant and brash in his Carnival! role as magician revealed his kindly and gallant “hero” potential with “Along the Way” from the score of The Dangerous Christmas of Little Red Riding Hood. It showed up as a TV musical, with Merrill’s lyrics paired with Jule Styne’s music, in 1965 while their songs for Funny Girl were still being performed on Broadway. And that musical was represented twice: with the classic ballad, “People,” getting the heartfelt treatment in the program with Ari Axelrod’s earnest rendition while the torchy “The Music That Makes Me Dance” was assigned to Rebecca Spiegelman. The same team’s score for Sugar, a 1972 Broadway musical version of Some Like It Hot, was also on tap; it’s another show that this company has done and an oft-cast favorite, Richard Rowan, made a welcome appearance to revisit his sweet time in Sugar with “November Song.”

Some (very) perky pop songs and novelty numbers from the 1950s, written or co-written by Merrill, with merry melodies and lighter lyrics were on the bill, too. These included "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake," “Mambo Italiano,” “Make Yourself Comfortable,” and the classic cute canine query – “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?” – which invited an audience sing-along oppor-TUNE-ity, and the pianist gamely and smilingly provided the barking puppy sounds. The sunny singing was appropriately assigned to Tiffan Borelli, who has played Patti Page onstage in a production about the career of that vocalist who had a hit record with this doggie ditty.

Having someone with a direct connection to –and history with – the songwriter whose work is surveyed in events such as this makes the program more meaningful. Luckily, this night had that fortunate fate when Neva Small was given the time to fondly talk about her experience.

Many in the audience had seen as the nice, pushy Jewish widow in Milk and Honey. She recounted her early history with two Merrill-scored shows: Henry Sweet Henry in which she played a starstruck teenager and The Prince of Grand Street, which closed in its out-of-town tryout. co-starring with Robert Preston in a May/December relationship. With a smile, she remarked that she may have been the “May” back in 1978 but “now I’m ‘December.’” Singing that little-known score’s worthy “I’m a Girl with Too Much Heart,” with plenty of heart indeed, her gentle performances and warm memories were the heart of the cabaret evening.

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