On Saturday, April 11, 2026, I had the pleasure of seeing yet another excellent production at Center Stage Theatre in Shelton, CT, JERRY’S GIRLS, a show that celebrates the music of Jerry Herman whose music was featured in Hello Dolly!, Mame, and other musicals. Starring the phenomenal first-rate vocals of stars Sandra Fernandes, Makenzie Massey, and Emerson Raymond, accompanied by talented pianist Jane Best, this show is highly entertaining! The star power of these performers succeeds in pulling off this challenging production, under the brilliant combination of the direction of Liz Muller, associate direction of Jacob Marcus, and choreography of Brandy and Michael Bailey. I am not exaggerating when I say that if Sandra, Makenzie, and Emerson were to audition for American Idol next year, they would likely be the top three contestants. Yes, they are that good!
JERRY’S GIRLS is neither a non-fiction musical narrative like Jersey Boys nor a fictional story featuring music from the same source, like Mamma Mia! It furthermore is not like a tribute concert where the performers talk about the songs and what inspired them. This, rather, is a continuous song after song production featuring Jerry Herman’s music from his plays, but without explanation or sequence, as if his musical soundtracks were combined together, but then performed interspersed song by song on random or shuffle mode.
The set features the piano up on a moving platform that beyond Jane Best is sometimes used by the actresses as well. The actresses make a point of using the entire stage. I am not sure exactly how the platform is frequently moved, but I would imagine it was by remote control. While other possible explanations would be telekinesis or a crew hiding under the platform and constantly moving it, both those options are highly unlikely. Whatever the method was, it worked extremely well and was done without visible stagehands moving it.
Some songs were solos while others showcased the phenomenal harmonies of these three actresses or any given combination of two of them. Their stage presence and stage chemistry was strong all throughout the show. Whether performing a deep serious song or a comedic number, all three actresses succeeded in selling the emotion of every song, a challenging task to pull off in a musical that is separated from a cohesive plot, consistent characters, or an established storyline. Most importantly, it is clear that all three actresses are having a great time performing on stage, radiating positive energy that is reflected back in the audience that is clearly enjoying watching them.
The most universally well-known song that appears in JERRY’S GIRLS is the still popular “We Need a Little Christmas,” which has stood the test of time, most popular as recorded by Percy Faith. The arrangement in this production, however, is vastly different, with the main chorus sped up and made more staccato, with the song cutting out after that first chorus.
The second most well-known song from JERRY’S GIRLS is “Hello Dolly,” popularized by Louis Armstrong in 1964. This song closes the first act. Some humorous parody lyrics reflecting recent situations are added for this production, as the actresses break the fourth wall, addressing the audience.
Beyond those two songs, I was also familiar with “It Takes a Woman,” since I appeared in a local production of Hello Dolly! back in 1998. Somewhere from the deep recesses of my mind, memory of the song “When the Parade Passes By,” was triggered upon hearing it performed in JERRY”S GIRLS. I was personally unfamiliar with the rest of the songs, yet greatly enjoyed the way these actresses performed them.
The actresses appear in numerous different outfits throughout the show, changing off-stage while the other actresses are performing onstage, the music only breaking for audience applause and at the intermission. One of the highlight outfits and moments is when Sandra comes out from stage right wearing a headband that elevates a waxing crescent moon above her head. This led to the audience laughing and Sandra playfully breaking the fourth wall by asking, “What are you laughing about?” Regardless of whether that line was scripted or improvised, it totally worked and created a more personally immersed feel to the show.
I highly recommend JERRY’S GIRLS, especially for older audiences who would be more familiar with the plays and music of Jerry Herman. At the same time, as someone who only previously knew four of the songs, I also found it highly entertaining. The show is scheduled to continue to run through April 19,, 2026. For times and tickets, please go to Tickets.
Reader Reviews
Videos