Kimmel's Kritzerland @ the Gardenia Moves Vibrantly Into 2011

On Wednesday, January 12 Kritzerland at the Gardenia, a series presented on the first Wednesday of every month - January being the exception, and which originated in September of 2010, offered The Sondheim Albums. The series, based on Bruce Kimmel's record label and albums, honors a composer's lesser known material, oft times cut from an original score. Nine skilled singers participated in the fine evening; they were: Damon Kirsche (photo at left), Kim Huber, Zachary Ford, Juliana Hansen, Alet Taylor, Shannon Cudd, Aleah Whaley, Holly Long, and very special guest artiste Millicent Martin. John Boswell served admirably as musical director.

Kimmel served as narrator, spoke briefly about his collaborations with Sondheim, stating quite emphatically that despite many calling Sondheim's music too cerebral to evoke emotion, he sided with those that consider said music the best in every way. There were several amusing anecdotes including one about the awkwardness of altering the ending of one of the songs before recording it, to which Sondheim reluctantly told Kimmel, "OK, go ahead and change it!" Also, there was a very funny story and representation by Cudd, Whaley and Long of a Kimmel recording of the renowned McGuire Sisters doing "Getting Married Today" from Company, whose lyrics are usually performed in rapid-fire succession; this time, Kimmel noted, although critics called it a 'reviled' recording, it was, due to its slow speed, "the first time you could really hear the lyrics". There were six lesser known tunes and twelve more familiar ones in the 90 minute set.

Highlights included: "Truly Content" performed gorgeously by Huber: Sondheim's early unsuccessful attempt at scoring Passionella's songs for a musical that eventually became Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's The Apple Tree. There were also "With So Little To Be Sure Of", beautifully rendered by Kirsche and cut from Anyone Can Whistle in medley with "Who Could Be Blue?" cut from Follies, Millicent Martin's still vibrant rendition, which she sang originally on Broadway in Side by Side by Sondheim of "I Never Do Anything Twice" created for the film The Seven-Percent Solution, and "The Glamorous Life" totally rewritten for the daughter Frederica in the film version of A Little Night Music, nicely delivered by Hansen. Kirsche soared on "Multitudes of Amys" cut from Company and Huber worked her magic with more familiar tunes like "Anyone Can Whistle" and "Children Will Listen" from Into the Woods.

This was a very pleasant evening of cabaret, made appealing by Kimmel's stories and the excellent vocal presentations. It's a one-of-a-kind evening for lovers of musical theatre. Next month: a salute to The Sherman Brothers on Wednesday February 2.