GURTAIN UP A browse through original stage casts, film soundtracks and performers who strut their stuff. by Allen Pollock al len@apollock. pl us.com performedby a wonderfulcast lead by Matthew Broderick, Kelli O'Hara,Judy Kaye,Stanley Wayne Mathis and Robyn Hurderwho equallyenhance the scorewith vocal lightness of touch enhancedby the deft orchestrationsof David Chase. The collaboratorsmust have felt like kids let loose in a sweetshopwhen choosingthe songsfor this escapadeand apparentlythey all fit the flimsy plot to perfection!This recordinghonours the on-stagehappenings and is highly recommendedwith thirty page booklet giving production detailsand photographsas wellas completelyrics. Firstperformed in 1935,PORGY AND BESS was conceived as an Americanfolk opera with musicby GeorgeGershwin, librettoby DuBoseHeyward, and lyricsby DuBoseHeyward and lra Gershwinand based on DuBose Heyward'snovel d ffi*-" SFru:,.*r#x**Jg PORGYsubsequent play of the sametitle. Set amongstthe African-Americanresidents of a fishing village in South tu r..d,.:. r.r".{fl,ffa{4rytfi*' Carolina,Bess, a womanwith a past,endeavours to breakfree ;i {{-ffii4.#E# from her brutishlover, Crown. after he becomeswanted for *" ,, &rFlf,T&# murder. The only person willing to offer her shelter and . nlr li:: .:j:i::!:::lil : l}:|: :i::''::::': : ::E: :i:s|:1 I: :':' + tr;::|i|:e.I: , overlookher past is the crippledPorgy. With disapprovalby s{#, -r@., tfi#w.&#[fl thosearound her, the presenceof herold drugdealer, Sportin' Life and the threatened return of Crown contributeto the #ffi&&$ffim&ffiffi#effiWeY &sPS ffiffi*#effi&W& Whenit comesto revivalsof pre-warmusicals, I wouldsuggest that Cole Porter'sANYTHING GOES has been the most frequentlyrevived show. However,the Gershwinmusicals have achievedmuch as post-warrevivals with OF THEE I SINGand OH KAY!making the gradeplus the rewrittenGIRL CRAZY risingagain as the highlysuccessful CRAZY FOR YOU and MY ONE AND ONLYborrowing much from FUNNY FACE. Over the years, many Broadwayreviews have also been dedicatedto Georgeand his collaborators.In fact so muchactivity this pastyear allowsme the opportunityto reflect on what'snewly available on disc. With new book by Joe DiPietroinspired by materialwritten by Guy Boltonand P.G.Wodehouse and directed/choreographed by KathleenMarshall, the plot of NICEWORK lF YOU CAN GET lT mattersnot a jot as it merelyseryes as a wafer thin excuseto set the proceedingsduring the RoaringTwenties whena groupof outrageouscharacters gather in New Yorkto celebratethe weddingof a wealthyplayboy. However, things don'tgo as plannedwhen the bridegroommeets a bubblyand feistyfemale bootlegger who meltshis heart.The champagne flows, the gin fizzesand those splendidGershwin songs are uncorkedfor yet anotherhilarious go-around. The show was powerfulplot. Featuringan entirecast of classicallytrained nominatedfor ten 2012 Tony Awards;winning just two; Judy black performers,PORGY AND BESS was neitherregarded Kaye (Best FeaturedActress in a Musical)and Michael as legitimateopera or a musicalbut variousrevivals have McGrath (Best Featured Actor in a Musical) in a very indicated a preference towards the former. However, its competitiveyear. acceptance was somewhat assisted by the 1959 Otto Thecast album of NICEWORK lF YOU CAN GET lT (SHOUT! Premingerdirected movie version which found a world-wide FACTORY826663-13740) is pure joy with nearlytwo dozen audiencealthough the currentsearch to locatea pristineprint Gershwinstandards (SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME, suitablefor DVD transferis provingelusive. Adapted for the 'S LET'S CALL THE WHOLETHING OFF, WONDERFUL,musical stage in a totally revamped version for today's FASCINATINGRHYTHM, BUT NOT FOR ME, THEY ALL audience,the retitledGERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS,the LAUGHED) and lesser-known gems (SWEET AND new productionopened on Broadway a year ago amid LOWDOWN, DELISHIOUS, BY STRAUSS, HANGIN' controversywhen StephenSondheim launched a scathing AROUND WITH YOU, WILL YOU REMEMBER ME?) attackon the producersfor tamperingwith a classicin orderto 22 make the updated staging more accessiblefor modern Philip Chaffin, Danny Burstein, Sara Jean Ford, Sally Broadwayaudiences. The reviewswere somewhatmixed but Wilfert, Bethe Austin, Jason Graae and conductor Sam the show was nominatedfor ten awards in the 2012 Tony Davis plusvocal arranger David Loud resurrect this charming Awards;winning Best Revivalof a Musical(and therefore but forgottenscore which the notes neatlydescribe allowing beatingSondheim's FOLLIES revival) and Best PerformanceGeorgeto find "the musicalvoice that would come to define by a LeadingActress in a Musical(Audra McDonald) and it him".Of coursethe plot is waferthin and basicallyrevolves playedfor 322 performances;17 more than a 1953 revival- aroundthe romanticentanglements that ensue after Virginia, a making it the longest-runningproduction of PORGY AND budding novelist,begins answeringletters that her cousin BESSon Broadway.Fortunately recorded by PS Glassicson Joyce, a FOLLIESchorus girl, has receivedfrom Tom, an PS-1206,the new scaled down orchestrationsand spoken ardentadmirer. Highlight songs are YOU'RE MIGHry LUCKY, 'ER dialogue in place of sung recitativesdo not impede the VIRGINIA,MATRIMONIAL HANDICAP, HEY! HEYI LET listeningpleasure or intensepower of the dramaticscore with GO! HOORAYFOR THE USA and JIJIBObut the complete Audra McDonaldas Bessvocally towering over the resulting score, althoughhit-less, is a joy and reminderof a more outcomewith Norm Lewis (Porgy)and David Alan Grier innocentdecade. (SportingLife) handling great support. SUMMERTIME, BESS Now availableon DVD (Region2), A DAMSELlN DISTRESS YOU IS MY WOMANNOW, LEAVING FOR THE PROMISED(Odeon ODNF270)was releasedby RKO in 1937 with its LAND, I GOT PLENTY OF NOTHING, IT AIN'T NECESSARILYSO, THERE'SA BOAT THAT'SLEAVING SOON FOR NEW YORK, I LOVES YOU PORGY and OH LORD l'M ON MY WAY are familiarriches plucked from an amazing score. Some puristswill naturallyadhere to the original folk opera concept; finding this new staging unacceptablytheatrical but the moreenlightened will warm to this reinvigoratedrecording of a land-markproduction and the effusivenotes plus lyrics will help make this an essential release. {* ';+b\\rF- f- t k-rf.xiis*. , Y {-$-T"trsf,_*$__l fnil-\ \'$LrE} t*---.-$rs 3t 3 \;;'!lli i,1i)4 i 1.,!., ',, ',::ill[- jrili1.il?J iJi4ii,'ft,ili,f fit'f Tl.i |\ nT' i.'li.st'''i''Tli t, i': 'i.,t;lijii"A \l'/'ilt 1"ii\:3i-} ":: i"],:'\l';tt' Englishsetting mainly featuring London -Hollywood style - and i:{L'ri1't-t"t.l'l l Jl"fii ':fi 'ij''fiiT1'1't1 dancingAmerican visitor, Fred Astaire,pursuing an attractive ,, 11.".. aristocraticheiress (Joan Fontaine) with her dotty family contributingto the ensuingplot confusionright up to the final minuteof the film's100 minute running time. Apparently made at GeorgeGershwin's instigation, the moviewas intendedto fully employ and enjoy the P.G. Wodehouse/Ernest Pagano/S.K.Lauren screenplayso it's now essentialto suspendall thoughtsof realismand just go withthe flowwhich of course means waiting for the many George and lra PS Classics are applaudedfor looking back at pre-war Gershwinsongs and dances.The lattermay not be as elegant musicals and creating studio recordingsin its Forgotten as thoseAstaire had previouslyenjoyed with Gingerin their Musicalsseries - the latestbeing the worldpremiere recording co-starringmovies but neverthelessshow an easy charm, of SWEETLITTLE DEVIL (PS-l207) based on a 1924musical especiallyas Fontainewas discoveredto have no dancing that ran for 120 performances with George Gershwin ability but Astairewas talked out of replacingher with Ruby collaboratingwith B.G. (Buddy)DeSylva with whom he had Keeler by the film's directorGeorge Stevens.With George previouslywritten I'LL BUILDA STAIRWAYTO PARADISE, Burns and Gracie Allen engagedto supply the comedic SOMEBODY LOVES ME. As George's earliest surviving elements,the filmwas on courseto be a winnerbut in fact,it's score,SWEET LITTLEDEVIL reveals his gift for memorable reputedto have been the first Astairepicture to lose money, melodieswas alreadyin full flower,with hintsof the driving costing$1,305,000 to produceand losing$65,000. However, rhythmsand boldblues notes that would also characterize his the STIFFUPPER LIP routine, staged in a fairgroundfunhouse laterwork. In fact,during the Broadwayrun of SWEETLITTLE with its hallof mirrors,gained a 1937Academy Award for Best DEVIL,his RHAPSODYlN BLUEwas premiered;changing the Dance Directionfor co-choreographerHermes Pan and Fred course of his career as he forged lifelong partnershipwith doesa niftystreet tap solowith I CAN'TBE BOTHEREDNOW. brother lra whilst DeSylva,who wrote such infectiousand PUT ME TO THE TESTis a comicAstaire/BurnsiAllen routine comediclyrics for the show, went on to consolidatesuccess with brooms;THINGS ARE LOOKINGUP occursprior to an with Lew Brown and Ray Hendersonon shows like GOOD Astaire/Fontainedance throughthe woods - artfullyfilmed to NEWS(1927) and FLYING HIGH (1930). Utilising light and airy conceal the latter's dance shortcomings!However the best Robert Russell Bennett orchestrations,the tuneful score is songs are A FOGGY DAY by Astairewhile walking/dancing pleasantlylight-weight with no discernablehit numbersbut the througha countrylandscape and NICEWORK lF YOU CAN involvedcast of talentedBroadway stalwarts, Rebecca Luker, GET lT occursprior to Astaire'stap and drum solo which is 23 allegedto havebeen shot in one take.The moviealso features enactmentof the AeoleanHall's historic premiere), Al