Liz McCartney Pays Tribute To Rosemary Clooney With ROSEMARY AND TIME 7/26

Rosemary and Time is an inspired title for Liz McCartney's tribute to the late Rosemary Clooney, an amalgam of Clooney's songs and a biographical walk through a famous life.

Symbolically, the show starts by recreating the experience of listening to one's favorite vocalists on the radio. In the totally-darkened Laurie Beechman Theatre, McCartney opens with a moving arrangement of "Tenderly" as a single spot ever so slowly back lights and silhouettes her. The biographical narrative begins soon after as the versatile Marcy McGuigan joins McCartney as sister Betty, to recreate the youthful Clooney Sisters.

With her rich voice, McCartney follows Clooney's career and her personal life within a tapestry of songs associated with the star. "Counting My Blessings," "Hey, There," "Slow Boat to China," "Mambo Italiano," and of course the "stupid" song Clooney came to despise that may have been her biggest hit, "Come On-a My House." As the show progresses, McCartney does a splendid job recreating the feeling of Clooney's era, from its 1945 origins to her last concert in Hawaii in 2001.

Guest star Marcy McGuignan is a charmer and an engaging fillip to McCartney's performance, as she pops on and off stage numerous times in numerous guises, including as a bearded Mitch Miller. Musical Director Fellman, appropriately costumed for ‘forties and ‘fifties, also engages in some dialogue and delightful duetting with McCartney.

It is a captivating program of songs and nostalgia, done handsomely.

The effectively scripted show was impressively directed by Kelley McKinnon, with Frank Galgano the capable hand on lights and sound. Ray Fellman at the piano led Gregory Landes on percussion and Mark Shmied on bass.

Rosemary and Time plays again at the Laurie Beechman Theater on Sunday, August 24th.

Also starring Marcy McGuigan and Ray Fellman at the piano with Bill Ellison and Gregory Landes on percussion.

Also Sunday, July 26th 7:00 and 9:30pm at the Beechman Theatre inside the West Bank Cafe 407 West 42nd Street $15 cover $15 minimum call 212-695-6909 for reservations

Photo by Linda Lenzi