Cabaret Preview: Ben Watts' "Wonderful Enough" at the Kranzberg, May 30, 2015

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Cabaret, according to local cabaret pro Ken Haller, is the art of telling stories through song—which means it's a form of theatre. A well-constructed cabaret act is ultimately a kind of one-act play, which is why actors—who have the advantage of understanding dramatic form—often create some of the best cabaret.

Which brings us to "Wonderful Enough," the cabaret debut by local actor Ben Watts this Saturday, May 30, at the Kranzberg.

I first became aware of Mr. Watts' talent back in July of 2009 when we both appeared in Stray Dog Theatre's "Rocky Horror Show" (him as Riff Raff, me as the Narrator). He had an obvious gift for comedy and a clear, high tenor voice that had what the late Anna Russell once referred to as "a good cutting edge"—very helpful given the then-primitive state of Stray Dog's sound system (it has since gotten a lot better). His performance as Prior Walter in Stray Dog's "Angels in America" in April of 2012 demonstrated that he could handle dramatic material as well.

Carol Schmidt

Over the last few months, Mr. Watts has been making regular appearances at The Cabaret Project's open mic night at the Tavern of Fine Arts (which I host), where he has demonstrated that he can sell a ballad as well as a novelty number. You'll find plenty of both in his show this weekend, and if the rehearsal I attended on Tuesday is any indication, his performances will be solid.

I came in towards the end of the run through, so I missed some (but by no means all) of the comedy numbers. The set of ballads I saw, though, was pretty impressive. It began with a blues-infused "St. James Infirmary" (complete with a bit of Leon Redbone vocalise) before moving on to Kurt Weill's world-weary "Barbara Song" (from "Threepenny Opera") and finally a beautifully operatic arrangement by music director and pianist Carol Schmidt of Jim Steinman's "Total Eclipse of the Heart."

Tim Schall

At that point, a break in the mood was required, and I got one in the form of Cole Porter's classic "Let's Do It"—introduced with a short and very funny monolog about the trials of gay dating in the 21st century.

I don't want to go into too much detail, since part of the fun of a cabaret show lies in the element of surprise. So I'll just say that if what I heard Tuesday is any indication, "Wonderful Enough" will be a welcome debut, and an important addition to the ever-expanding cabaret scene in St. Louis. Mr. Watts, Ms. Schmidt, and director (and local cabaret pro) Tim Schall appear to have put together a very solid evening with a well-balanced song list that cuts across multiple genres.

Ben Watts' "Wonderful Enough" is this Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m. at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit the show web site.

Cabaret Review: Meghan Kirk hits all the right notes at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival

Who: Meghan Kirk
What: The Story Goes On
Where: The Gaslight Cabaret Festival at The Gaslight Theatre, St. Louis, MO
When: March 20, 2015

St. Louis' own Meghan Kirk has been appearing at the Cabaret Project's monthly open mic night (which I host) for around a year now. I've been impressed as hell with her work there, but haven't been able to get to one of her shows until this past Friday, when she presented a revised version of the show she premiered at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival last fall.

I'm glad I finally did; she's a tremendously talented and charismatic performer—a classic singing actress with solid vocal technique and the acting chops necessary to inhabit a lyric.

As Ms. Kirk said at the very beginning of her show—right after a charmingly flirty romp through Kander and Ebb's "Don't Tell Mama"—she's a dyed-in-the-sequins musical theatre geek. No surprise, then, that her song list is heavily weighted towards numbers originally written for the stage, from Kern and Hammerstein's "Bill" to Jeff Bowen's " A Way Back to Then" from that ultimate insider musical theatre send-up, "[title of show]" (2006). But she also made room for recent cabaret hits like Heisler and Goldrich's "Taylor the Latte Boy" and a clever Beatles medley that crams a surprising number of the Fab Four's hits into an remarkably short time span.

Ms. Kirk knitted all this together with memories of her life, family, and multiple careers as a performer and flight attendant on private jets. That "this is my life" approach can be risky—your audience might not find your personal story as interesting as you do, after all. But Ms. Kirk kept the anecdotes short, entertaining, and focused on the task of providing context for the songs, so her patter never degenerated into the kind of self-referential navel gazing that sometimes accompanies the approach.

Of particular importance were her memories of her grandfather, a former professional singer whose fondness for music of the stage and screen colored her childhood. Family Christmas gatherings, she recalls, were more not so much about carols as about selections from "Oklahoma." This sets up a touching moment towards the end of the show when she sings a duet version of Sondheim's "Love, I Hear" (from "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum") with the digitally remastered voice of her late grandfather, culled from private recordings he made in the 1960s.

That's the sort of thing that could have been overly precious, but Ms. Kirk's good taste and professionalism kept it real and made it the emotional heart of the show.

Guest stars can also liven up an act, and Ms. Kirk had two very strong ones this time. Local singer and choreographer JT Ricroft joined her for an engaging run through Kern's "I Won't Dance" (with the Dorothy Fields lyrics) and guest pianist Dan Duffy took over the baby grand from Carol Schmidt for Jason Robert Brown's always welcome "Stars and the Moon" (from the under-rated "Songs for a New World").

Speaking of Ms. Schmidt, her arrangements fit Ms. Kirk's voice and persona as perfectly as the singer's shiny low-cut gown fit the rest of her, and her backup vocals added lovely touches, most notably in a medley that mixed "Leaving on a Jet Plane" with Joan Baez's highly personal "Speaking of Dreams." And Ms. Schmidt's pianism was impressive as always. Ben Wheeler provided a solid musical foundation on acoustic bass.

Meghan Kirk's skillfully crafted and thoroughly enjoyable show was part of the spring edition of The Presenters Dolan's Gaslight Cabaret Festival, which continues through April 11 at the Gaslight Theater in the Central West End. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 29, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

Carol Schmidt

The Garden of Life Spiritual Center presents Celebrate Me Home, a contemporary holiday cabaret concert, on Sunday, December 1, at 1:30 PM. The featured singers are Michele Isam, Connie Fairchild (both formerly with popular St. Louis group Fairchild) and Tim Schall, with Carol Schmidt on piano and Rice Vice on bass. The program includes contemporary holiday favorites from the worlds of jazz, pop, and R&B, as well as instrumental selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. The Garden of Life Spiritual Center is at 9525 Eddie and Park Road in Crestwood, MO. For more information: 636-489-8472.

My take: I know and have worked with just about everybody connected with this show at one time or another. They're great singers and entertainers and the song list looks like fun: Kenny Loggins, Otis Redding, Amy Grant, John Bucchino and even some instrumental Tchaikovsky. Looks like a good way to start the holiday season to me.

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 through Sunday. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: The play is based on a remarkable true story of a spontaneous truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land during Christmas of 1914. In some areas it lasted only one night while elsewhere it lasted until New Year's Day. While it was in effect, soldiers laid down their arms, shared Christmas carols (as well as food and drink), buried each others' dead, and even played soccer. Playwright Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da where the play was developed, wanted to tell the story in the words of the real soldiers who experienced it. "I created the drama," he relates, "primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Dennis Corcoran says "this complex piece of musical theatre comes off as a beautifully, simply performed tribute to a poignant moment in the horrors of war."

TPTBT (The Place to Be Tonight): Wednesday, May 15

Michelle Collier

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Who: The Cabaret Project and 88.1 KDHX
What: Cabaret Open Mic Night First Birthday Party
Where: The Tavern of Fine Arts
When: 7-10 PM

Carol Schmidt

Why:  A year ago Cabaret Project Poobah Tim Schall, pianist and music director Carol Schmidt and I decided that the Tavern of Fine Arts was the ideal place for a regular open mic night that would give local singers a chance to try out new material or polish existing songs.  We hoped it would offer cabaret veterans a chance to expand their range of material as well as bring give new singers a chance to get some experience in front of an audience in a welcoming environment.  One year later it has all exceeded our wildest expectations.  Join us, along our special guest, MAC Award-winning singer Michelle Collier (who brings her show A Tribute to the Hollywood Blondes to the Bistro on Thursday), for an evening of fun, songs, surprises, and free birthday cake.

And, yes, I will probably do some Tom Leher songs.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 21, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

The Bistro at Grand Center presents A Cabaret Evening featuring Shirely Aschinger, Kevin Cherry, Kari Donovan, Erica Perlow and Charlene Reimann with music direction by Carol Schmidt on Saturday, March 23, at 8 PM. ”This original evening of songs - some you will know, some that will be new to you - will entertain and touch you.” Tim Schall directs. The Bistro is at 3536 Washington Blvd in Grand Center. The showcase is the finale of an eight-week cabaret performance workshop taught by Tim and Carol, so you know it's going to be polished. For more information: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/351510.

Peabody Opera House presents A Chorus Line Thursday through Sunday, March 21-23. Well, who doesn't like A Chorus Line? And, as I have said before, the Peabody is one of the best places in town for musical theatre. For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

Union Avenue Opera presents La Vie de Bohème on Saturday, March 24, at 7 PM. It's an evening of dinner, drinks, and entertainment by UAO artists and takes place at Dressel's Pub, 419 N. Euclid in the Central West End. Union Avenue has an impressive track record of producing quality opera in a difficult space. They deserve our support. For more information: unionavenueopera.org.

Held over:

Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical Next to Normal Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 23. "From the composer of High Fidelity comes the most adult, most mature rock musical to hit Broadway in decades, an unrelentingly intense, brutally honest – and often, darkly funny – story about a bipolar woman and the family that grapples with her illness, all set to a hard driving rock and roll score that explodes with raw, searing emotion. Rolling Stone called it 'the best new musical of the season – by a mile.'” I saw the national tour of this show at the Fox in April of 2011 and was very much taken with it. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Laura Kyro praises "the amazing acting and singing by all members of the cast." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Venus in Fur through March 24. “Vanda is determined to land the lead in Venus in Fur, a new play based on a classic erotic novel. Her emotionally charged audition for the playwright/director unexpectedly becomes an electrifying and dangerous game of cat and mouse that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, seduction and power, love and sex.” Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. As I note in my review for 88.1 KDHX, the script could do with a bit of trimming but "overall it's a classic example of the 'well-made play' a la Terrence Rattigan or J.B. Priestly." Performances and direction are first-rate.

The Fox Theatre presents the drama War Horse through March 24. "A heartwarming drama about the unlikely bond between a hoarse and his young master, War Horse also boasts itself with its marvelous horse puppets intricately crafted by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company. No play in Broadway has ever roused audiences’ emotions with such vivid and lifelike imagery and stimulating scenic designs and a story that reminds us that unwavering dedication, bravery and friendship is timeless and universal other than this modern theatrical masterpiece." The show is also a powerful indictment of the insanity and brutality of mechanized warfare. We saw this in London last fall and were very much impressed. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Steve Callahan describes War Horse as "visually and aurally stunning." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

TPTBT (The Place to Be Tonight): Monday, March 18

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Who: The St. Louis Theater Circle
What: St. Louis Theater Circle Awards
When: Tonight at 7 (optional buffet dinner starts at 5:30)
Where: The Florissant Civic Center Theater
Why: The awards recognize outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theatre as judged by local theatre critics who are members of the Circle. That includes yours truly, as you might have guessed. The ceremony is preceded by an optional buffet dinner at 5:30 PM from With Love Catering and takes place at the Florissant Civic Center Theater. Tickets for both the ceremony ($10) and the buffet ($15 additional) are available at the door. Music for the ceremony will be provided by pianist and Webster University faculty member Carol Schmidt, who is also the music director for the monthly cabaret open mic night at Tavern of Fine Arts (which just happens to be this Wednesday).

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 29, 2012

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

The Fox Theatre presents Blue Man Group through December 2. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Em Piro describes it as "a fun show, with just enough provocation to be culturally relevant." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

Carol Schmidt

The Garden of Life Spiritual Center presents A Jazzy Christmas Cabaret featuring vocalists Deborah Sharn and Tim Schall Sunday, December 2, at 1:30 PM. Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director for the show, which also features Ric Vice on bass. Deborah and Tim can always be counted upon for satisfying performances and Carol is one of the best cabaret music directors around in my opinion. The Garden of Life Spiritual Center is at 9525 Eddie and Park Road. Tickets are $10 (children under 12 free) and available at the door with cash or check.

HotCity Theatre presents Charles Busch's comedy The Divine Sister November 30 through December 15. "This hilariously irreverent tale tells the story of an indomitable Mother Superior (played 'in-drag') trying to cope with a young postulant experiencing 'visions', sexual hysteria among her nuns, a Da Vinci Code style mystery, and a 'well-endowed' former flame intent on luring her away from her vows." Busch's lunatic sensibility is always worth seeing, and this should be a nice antidote to all the Christmas Carol and Nutcracker performances we get around this time. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Foreigner November 28-December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. "In this wild and wacky comedy, Charlie Baker needs to get away, and his friend Froggy knows just the place - his favorite little fishing lodge in rural Georgia. To get Charlie some much needed peace, Froggy convinces the locals that his friend doesn’t understand English. But the plan backfires when all the lodge’s inhabitants start revealing deep secrets and diabolical plans in front of their quiet foreign guest." It has been a few decades since the Rep did this fast-paced and somewhat political comedy. Sadly, the satire of Southern bigotry is still relevant. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Union Avenue Opera presents The Mini Ring, a free “family opera” based on Wagner's Ring Cycle, on Friday, December 1, at 1 PM. The performance takes place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. Anna Russell still has the best condensed Ring ever, but I expect this would be a good way to introduce younger audiences to Wagner's complex universe. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

Held over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Imaginary Jesus through December 2 at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. "This hilarious, faced-paced show follows Matt on his journey to discover the true face of Jesus. Along the way he makes friends with St. Peter, a talking donkey and a modern Magadalen; while facing down 'Magic Eight-Ball Jesus,' 'Social Justice Jesus,' 'Legalist Jesus,' and 'King James Jesus' just to name a few." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert Mitchell says this "hilarious look at a young writer's spiritual quest for the perfect personification of his personal Jesus" boasts a "star-studded cast" that's "filled with some of the best, and the funniest that STL has to offer." For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

Influential women

"Women Under the Influence" L-R: Carol Schmidt, Michele Isam, Debbie Schuster, and Katie McGrath

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Ask most folks what kind of music they associate with cabaret and you’ll likely get some mix of “great American songbook” and “show tunes”. No surprise there; the Golden Age of American songwriting is, in fact, well represented on the small stage. Tim Schall’s entertaining and informative Rodgers and Hart Songbook from a couple weeks ago was a classic example.

But the cabaret tent is a big one, and in just the past year here in St. Louis alone we’ve had shows based on such diverse sources as contemporary country (Jeff Wright’s Southern Roots), 1950s and ‘60s TV themes (Ken Haller’s The TV Show), and turn-of-the-last-century vaudeville (my own Just a Song at Twilight).

I bring all this up because on Monday (November 12) I had the pleasure of sitting in on a rehearsal by a new quartet, Women Under the Influence (three of the members of which I’ve worked with on stage in the past), that also takes its inspiration from performers whose work is not particularly well represented on the cabaret scene: the girl groups and soul sisters of the 1960s. Pop and R&B classics like “Met Him on a Sunday,” “He’s So Fine,” “Come See About Me,” and “He’s a Rebel” make up most of the set list, but there are also a few nods to contemporary stars like Adele (“Rumor Has It”), Rhiana (“Take a Bow”), and even Dolly Parton (“Jolene”).

This isn’t just a nostalgia trip, though. The essence of cabaret is the way in which the artist puts his or her own stamp on the music and makes it into something new. The members of WUI—Carol Schmidt and Michele Isam of “Jasmine” fame, along with local cabaret stars Debbie Schuster and Katie McGrath—are well-established performers with their own unique styles. Carol is pianist and music director for the show, with Michele filling in on other instruments (percussion and harmonica at the rehearsal I attended). They’re making all of those tunes their own—with tight vocal harmonies and even a bit of swingin' '60s choreography—and, in classic cabaret style, telling a story in the process.

By artfully arranging the songs, WUI’s show moves from the first crush, through true love, down into betrayal and back up into independence. It’s could be the story of one woman or of late 20th century women in general. It might even be a little of both. WUI are creating a space for ambiguity there, and ambiguity is where art lives.

The Women Under the Influence show is being produced by singer Robert Breig's Mariposa Artists (the increase in local cabaret producers is a positive trend I may address in a future post) and will be presented this Saturday, November 17th, at 8 PM in the Showroom at Joe Buck’s Restaurant at 10th and Clark downtown. The space, I’m told, seats around 120 in a very “night clubby” ambience. And, of course, the bar and restaurant are there for your dining and drinking needs.

Tickets are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/281908. There’s even a good cause involved; a portion of the evening's proceeds will be donated to Places For People, whose mission is “[t]o provide innovative and effective mental health services to people in need while creating a system of care that promotes personal recovery.”

It’s just another reminder that there’s a lot more to the cabaret scene than one might suppose. It’s why I love going to cabaret shows; you never know when you’re going to encounter something new and surprising. And who doesn’t like a good surprise?

Southern exposure

Jeffrey M. Wright: Southern Roots
The Presenters Dolan at The Kranzberg Center, St. Louis
April 13 and 14, 2012

[Full disclosure: I have worked on stage with Jeffrey M. Wright, Carol Schmitt, and Tim Schall in the past.]

Call it nostalgia or simple habituation, but the fact is most of us have strong emotional attachment to the music with which we grew up. It’s no surprise, then, that those of us who are cabaret performers often return to the soundtrack of our childhood when we think of material for a show.

St. Louis actor and singer Jeffrey M. Wright’s Arkansas childhood was filled with the sounds of Nashville country and crossover music, as well as Southern rock. His Southern Roots show was a celebration of that heritage, with songs ranging from mainstream hits like “Wichita Lineman” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” to country rock classics like Elvis Presley’s 1969 hit “Rubbernecking” and newer songs like Sara Evans’s “Suds in the Bucket” from 2004. It was a tremendously enjoyable evening of material not often heard in a cabaret context and a reminder, once again, that the cabaret tent is large enough to encompass a range of music styles that goes well beyond the Great American Songbook.

Mr. Wright is a very engaging and polished performer with a fine light baritone voice. He was at his best in songs like “Southern State of Mind” and “I’m Still a Guy” where he could bring the full force of his charm to bear, but that didn’t stop him from capturing the rueful subtext of Trisha Yearwood’s “The Song Remembers When” or finding a somewhat surprising angry edge to a countrified voice and guitar arrangement of “One For My Baby”. Overall I’d say the choice of material in Southern Roots gave Mr. Wright a chance to expand his dramatic range that he probably doesn’t get that often in his theatrical work. Which is, of course, one of the reasons some actors enjoy cabaret so much in the first place.

Carol Schmitt’s inventive arrangements, stylish piano work, and backup vocals demonstrated once again why she has become such a popular music director for local singers. Guitarist Steve Schenkel added just the right amount of country seasoning to the mix, along with some impressive solo breaks. And director Tim Schall’s hand could be seen in the show’s pacing and dramatic shape.

After the Ball is Over

Photo by Gerry Love

When somebody says goodbye to me
I’m sad as I can be.
Not so with this loving Romeo
He seemed to take a lot of pleasure saying bye-bye to his treasure.
- Gus Kahn, “Toot, Toot, Tootsie! (Goo’ Bye)”

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I wouldn’t say that it was a lot of pleasure saying good-bye to my one-man show Just a Song at Twilight, which just concluded an immensely satisfying two-week run at the Missouri History Museum on October 16, 2011 under the aegis of the West End Players Guild. The show was actually a great joy to perform and, judging from audience response, to watch. So while I’m glad to have my evenings back again, it’s hard not to feel a bit of a let down knowing that I won’t be putting on that top hat, white tie, and tails any time again in the foreseeable future.

But then, if you read the excellent blog post by West End’s indispensible president Renee Sevier-Monsey on the ephemeral nature of theatre, you won’t be surprised to learn that. No matter how strong the sense of accomplishment that goes along with a good show, all of us followers of Thespis know that, sooner or later, the ball will be over and it will be time to move on.

Before the dancers leave and the stars are gone, though, I’d like to offer a little background and some tips of the top hat to many of the folks who made Just a Song at Twilight possible. Because if there’s one thing that’s true about a one-man show, it’s this: it takes way more than one person to make it work.

First, thanks to my graphics designer Marjorie Williamson. She’s responsible not only for that classy poster (which also graced the cover of our program) but also for assembling the “lantern slides” (actually a PowerPoint deck) that I used within the body of the show to illustrate the songs and stories. We both spent hours combing the Internet for images, but the final product wouldn’t have looked as good as it did without her expertise.

Thanks to Renee Sevier-Monsey for wearing multiple bonnets as my house manager, lighting designer, and set designer. The lights nicely delineated the playing area without spilling on to the projections and the set was simple but inspired. There wasn’t much to it – just an art deco floor lamp (a “practical”, which means it could be turned on and off like a real lamp) in front of which was a nightclub table and two chairs set with two glasses of wine, a period-looking shawl, and a cigarette case. The idea was that the couple had just stepped out to the dance floor and might come back at any moment. It set the tone perfectly.

Thanks to my director Tim Schall for the cool tweaks he made to the show in tech week. Tim worked closely with me to develop the original cabaret version of Just a Song at Twilight. This time around he was only able to be on hand for one rehearsal, but his input at that rehearsal had a great impact on the final look of the show. The little “framing sequence” that began and ended the show to the tune of “Love’s Old Sweet Song” was his idea (and it was Renee’s set that inspired it).

Thanks to actor, singer, dancer and choreographer and long time friend Cindy Duggan for my dance moves. I’m not a dancer (unless you count all those years of aerobics and Zumba at the “Y”), but Cindy came up with some stuff that made me look good.

Thanks to my old friend Lynn Rathbone – a gifted actress and smart director – for her input and also to my fellow West End Board member Sean Ruprecht-Belt for his notes at our dress rehearsal.

Thanks to Neal Richardson of the Webster Conservatory for the great arrangements and charts. Neal (who is also a fan of the songs of the Vaudeville era) was deeply involved in the creation of the original version of the show and played piano for both the March and July 2010, performances at the Kranzberg Center. This time around his commitments to the Conservatory made that impossible (he’s the music director for their November production of Carousel), but his spirit was still very much in evidence.

And last but by no means least, thanks to my music director and pianist Carol Schmidt. When Tim learned that Neal wasn’t available, his first suggestion was to ask Carol to step in. It was a suggestion with which I heartily concurred. I had worked with Carol on the now-defunct Moonglow and Cabaret at the Café series, so I already knew she was not only a technically proficient music director but a lively and inventive performer as well. Her imagination kept the show fresh right up to the final performance. We always found something new and interesting to do with the show during our nightly sound checks.

I could go on at great length about the process of turning a small-scale cabaret act into something more like a staged Ken Burn documentary and my actually do so in a future post, but for now I’ll just say that the warmth and enthusiasm with which you, our audience, received our show each night made all of that effort worthwhile. Feel free to stay in touch with me here and on the West End Players Guild blog. Share your thoughts on the music and the performers of the Vaudeville era.

The ball may be over and dawn may be breaking, but the dance goes on.