Kritzerland Has a Turkey Lurkey Time at the Gardenia

Kritzerland at the Gardenia presents 
A Broadway/Hollywood Christmas
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Starring (in alphabetical order)Dan Callaway, Zachary Ford,Juliana Hansen, Melody Hollis,
Kim Huber, Alet Taylor, and from Promises, Promises (1968): for the first time in 40 years  
Kelly Britt, Ilene Graff, Margot Hanson, and Ilona Simon-Muller
Music Director:  Richard Berent 

On Wednesday December 7 Kritzerland presented its yearly Christmas show A Broadway/Hollywood Christmas at the Gardenia celebrating both popular and lesser known Christmas songs from the world of film and Broadway. It was a delightfully fun evening as usual with some terrific singing, some amusing anecdotes from Bruce Kimmel, Kritzerland's founder, and a few surprises from Santa Claus. 

This year's biggest surprise was "Turkey Lurkey Time" from Promises, Promises - CD, newly remixed by Kritzerland - and...was sung by four of the original pit singers: Kelly Britt, Ilene Graf, Ilona Simon-Muller and Margot Hanson, who after over 40 years, can still provide the kooky harmony needed to propel this gem of a little tune. Kimmel pointed out that Promises, Promises really did change the sound of Broadway musicals, not only with its Burt Bacharach pop rock score, but technically, as it was the very first time that a sound board was used in a New York show.

Other Broadway highlights of the evening included: "Hard Candy Christmas" from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas sung gloriously by Alet Taylor, a fun "Lovers on Christmas Eve" from I Love My Wife, performed by Taylor and Dan Callaway, the rousing opener "Be a Santa" from flop Subways Are For Sleeping done with great flair by Callaway and Juliana Hansen, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" from the play Miracle on 34th Street sung in tandem with "Thank You For Your Love" an early song from The Fantastiks then titled The Mummers Play sung beautifully by the consummate soprano Kim Huber, "We Need a Little Christmas" so popular from Mame sung by Hansen, and two songs from the stage version of White Christmas, "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy" and the title song done with inimitable gusto by Melody Hollis.

From the screen, big and small, there were: "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" from On the Avenue sung by Alet Taylor, "That's What I Want for Christmas" fromStowaway, sung dynamically by 9 year-old Lucy Taylor, Alet's daughter, "Christmas Children" fromScrooge sung by Hansen, a fun "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" from the TV special Mr. Grinch done with panache by Callaway, two songs from Home Alone 2 by different composers "Christmas Star" sung with sincerity and warmth by Zachary Ford and "My Christmas Tree" a gorgeous rendition by Huber. Ford warmly essayed everyone's favorite "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Meet Me in St. Louis. Fine musical director Richard Berent accompanied throughout the 75- minute set.

This was a wonderfully nostalgic and tuneful Christmas Holiday show enjoyed by a packed SRO house. The next three shows in 2012 are family friendly and will be produced at an earlier time on Sundays at Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's in Studio City, the first in honor of Michelle Nicastro on January 8 at 7 pm. Be there!

Photo credit: Daniel G. Lam