CPAC
holds musical variety
By Jill Thomsen
On-line Forty-Niner
Great
singing without detailed sets and costumes
is unfortunately not enough to make the
musical theater world go round.
“The World Goes Round,” the latest production
from local company Musical Theatre West,
is a revue of John Kander and Fred Ebb songs
that’s big on singing and not much else.
Revues are a unique musical experience,
as they usually have no plot line, and rely
on audience recognition of the songs to
help the tempo of the show. It’s almost
like attending a concert rather than a theater
production as a whole.
Although Kander and Ebb are not names most
would recognize their collaborations on
musicals from “New York, New York” to “Funny
Lady” and “Cabaret” does provide a bevy
of songs to choose from.
A quintet of singers — two men and three
ladies — take the stage for 31 songs that
range from the omnipresent to the unknown.
Four songs from “Chicago” were featured,
the most from any single musical, and rightly
so, with its recent Academy Award victory
and the can’t miss melodies of “All That
Jazz” and “Mr. Cellophane.”
Most of the standout songs, however, come
from little known musicals, which makes
hearing the tunes for the first time a treat.
These included the clever commentary on
modern life “Coffee in a Cardboard Cup,”
an ode to pastry “Sara Lee,” and some lovely
observations about falling in love in “A
Quiet Thing.”
The singers have no costumes, save a few
coats and hats to change the scene on a
few songs, and the backdrop never changes
from a kind-of mauve colored stage frame
which features stenciled words like “dreams,”
“lyric” and “vamp.” The seven-piece band
sits upstage and provide great accompaniment
on the many tunes, with especially competent
and jazzy trumpet and trombone players.
Each of the five singers has great tone
and a distinctive voice that are used in
solos, duets, trio and full ensemble numbers.
Notable pieces include the harmonizing trio
of all three women on “There Goes the Ball
Game,” “New York, New York” and Lucy Daggett
and Jennifer Shelton’s two duets — “”Class”
from “Chicago” and “The Grass is Always
Greener” from “Woman of the Year.”
“The World Goes Round” is by no means a
waste of two hours, but bear in mind the
two hours may seem like four.
“The World Go Round” will run until May
11.
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