[NEohioPAL]Rave Review of Grand Night for Singing at Actors' Summit

Mon Sep 16 08:20:07 PDT 2002

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Actors' Summit offers night of great songs
Rodgers and Hammerstein revue filled with romance, nostalgia
By Kerry Clawson
Beacon Journal staff writer

Actors' Summit's Rodgers and Hammerstein revue, A Grand Night for Singing, 
doesn't have a lot of pizzazz, but it's full of romantic, nostalgic classics 
that make for a pleasant evening.

The 1994 Broadway revue, nominated for two Tonys, celebrates the work of 
these famous collaborators, featuring tunes from Oklahoma, Cinderella, The 
King and I, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Allegro, Pipe Dream, Carousel 
and Flower Drum Song. 

The Actors' Summit production is a fast-paced performance with seamless 
transitions. Four actors/singers are backed by an excellent four-member band, 
led by music director/pianist Marc Baker, obviously a consummate musician.

Baritone Greg Violand is the anchor in this musical production, as a soloist, 
in duets and in ensemble numbers. He's the most accomplished singer of the 
four, having sung with Cleveland Opera Company and in a number of Northeast 
Ohio musicals. The rest of the singers have generally enjoyable voices.

The charming Violand excels in the lovely We Kiss in a Shadow and as the lead 
singer in Honey Bun, one of the most delightful numbers of the evening.

Here, he begins with a cute verbal disclaimer to this song that extols a 
woman's great figure: `No offense to anybody. It was the times, you know.''

In this bouncy, jazzy number, the rest of the cast serves as a girl backup 
band, dancing and miming playing instruments.

Other lively songs include That's The Way It Happens with MaryJo Alexander, 
Violand and Wayne Turney and the ensemble's perfectly polished show stopper, 
Kansas City. 

Alexander and Maryann Nagel also offer a lot of fun in the jazzy, 
lounge-style I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair. 

Too often, alto Nagel and tenor Turney sound a bit forced and flat. That 
pairing makes their duet, Shall We Dance, one of the show's weakest numbers.

All of these cast members are good actors, though. They offer very honest 
emoting in Alexander's tender Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful and 
Turney's painful Love, Look Away. Director Neil Thackaberry has added a 
number of niceties to the show, including plenty of cute patter between 
numbers. There's a good flow of actors from different entry points into the 
stage area, and choreography is simple yet effective.

Costumer Alexander presents a beautiful array of gowns for both her and 
Nagel, adding great elegance to the show. 

Rodgers and Hammerstein lovers will want to tap their feet and hum along with 
some of this revue's best-known numbers. The actors all look starry-eyed in 
their finale, Impossible/I Have Dreamed, which features beautiful four-part 
harmony.

Theater critic Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at <A HREF="mailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com">
kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com</A>. 

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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><P ALIGN=CENTER><FONT  SIZE=4 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><B>Actors' Summit offers night of great songs</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></B><BR>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><B>Rodgers and Hammerstein revue filled with romance, nostalgia</B><BR>
<B>By Kerry Clawson</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></B><BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><B>Beacon Journal staff writer</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></B><BR>
<BR>
Actors' Summit's Rodgers and Hammerstein revue, <I>A Grand Night for Singing, </I>doesn't have a lot of pizzazz, but it's full of romantic, nostalgic classics that make for a pleasant evening.<BR>
<BR>
The 1994 Broadway revue, nominated for two Tonys, celebrates the work of these famous collaborators, featuring tunes from <I>Oklahoma, Cinderella, The King and I, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Allegro, Pipe Dream, Carousel </I>and <I>Flower Drum Song. </I><BR>
<BR>
The Actors' Summit production is a fast-paced performance with seamless transitions. Four actors/singers are backed by an excellent four-member band, led by music director/pianist Marc Baker, obviously a consummate musician.<BR>
<BR>
Baritone Greg Violand is the anchor in this musical production, as a soloist, in duets and in ensemble numbers. He's the most accomplished singer of the four, having sung with Cleveland Opera Company and in a number of Northeast Ohio musicals. The rest of the singers have generally enjoyable voices.<BR>
<BR>
The charming Violand excels in the lovely <I>We Kiss in a Shadow </I>and as the lead singer in <I>Honey Bun, </I>one of the most delightful numbers of the evening.<BR>
<BR>
Here, he begins with a cute verbal disclaimer to this song that extols a woman's great figure: `No offense to anybody. It was the times, you know.''<BR>
<BR>
In this bouncy, jazzy number, the rest of the cast serves as a girl backup band, dancing and miming playing instruments.<BR>
<BR>
Other lively songs include <I>That's The Way It Happens </I>with MaryJo Alexander, Violand and Wayne Turney and the ensemble's perfectly polished show stopper, <I>Kansas City. </I><BR>
<BR>
Alexander and Maryann Nagel also offer a lot of fun in the jazzy, lounge-style I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a <I>My Hair. </I><BR>
<BR>
Too often, alto Nagel and tenor Turney sound a bit forced and flat. That pairing makes their duet, <I>Shall We Dance, </I>one of the show's weakest numbers.<BR>
<BR>
All of these cast members are good actors, though. They offer very honest emoting in Alexander's tender <I>Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful </I>and Turney's painful <I>Love, Look Away. </I>Director Neil Thackaberry has added a number of niceties to the show, including plenty of cute patter between numbers. There's a good flow of actors from different entry points into the stage area, and choreography is simple yet effective.<BR>
<BR>
Costumer Alexander presents a beautiful array of gowns for both her and Nagel, adding great elegance to the show. <BR>
<BR>
Rodgers and Hammerstein lovers will want to tap their feet and hum along with some of this revue's best-known numbers. The actors all look starry-eyed in their finale, <I>Impossible/I Have Dreamed, </I>which features beautiful four-part harmony.<BR>
<BR>
<I>Theater critic Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at <A HREF="mailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com">kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com</A></FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000080" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">.</I> <BR>
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