BWW Reviews: Kritzerland Scores Again with Schmidt & Jones

Another wonderful evening of song from Kritzerland, Bruce Kimmel's production label, at the Gardenia on Wednesday August 3, this time saluting the music of Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, and congrats are in, as this show marks Kritzerland's 12th consecutive show in its series at the Gardenia! Schmidt and Jones penned The Fantasticks, I Do! I Do!, among the most famous, and less so: 110 In the Shade, Collette Collage, Celebration, and even a musical entitled The Bone Room. On hand to perform were musical director John Boswell and special guest Rex Smith, as well as Lauren Rubin, Michaelia Leigh, Will Collyer, Camille Saviola, Michael Hawkins, 13 year-old Melody Hollis and even Guy Haines - I mean, Bruce Kimmel himself - singing. And I'm here to tell you, he didn't sound half bad! Kimmel as always introduced the evening with interesting composer trivia and anecdotes. The music showcased included well known tunes and lesser known or unfamiliar ones. Schmidt and Jones may not have had the popularity of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe, or Kander and Ebb, but one thing is certain, they sure did pen some eclectically beautiful songs!

Everyone loves their little - well, not that little - show that has gone on since the 60s to international acclaim, translated into a multitude of languages: The Fantasticks. It's a precious moral tale with some pretty great music, like "Try To Remember", "They Were You", "I Can See It", and "Much More" to name a few of its hit tunes. Michael Hawkins and Will Collyer did a splendid duet on "I Can See It", and Hawkins and Lauren Rubin opened the show with a loving "Man and Wife" from I Do! I Do! Other highlights of the evening included: Camille Saviola's torchy "Flaming Agnes" from I Do! as well as her beautiful rendition of "What Is a Woman?" from the same show, a deliciously bizarre "Postcards" by Melody Hollis from The Bone Room (1975), a gorgeous "They Were You" from Fantasticks by Michaelia Leigh and Will Collyer, and the haunting "The Room Is Filled With You" from Collette Collage. Kimmel proved delightful singing "Evening Star" cut from 110 In the Shade, and his ever engaging trivia included among others: a design of masks for Celebration (1969) by none other than a prolific little 16 year-old Julie Taymor. Well, you've got to start somewhere!

As with all Kritzerland shows, this one enchanted its audience, and they will be back September 7 - for their 13th show - with an all female cast, for a salute to the great Frank Loesser.

(photo credit: Daniel G. Lam)