Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Andy Einhorn and company give a heartfelt salute to Jerry Herman in YOU I LIKE

• By drediman
• February 5, 2021
• No Comments

Last night, glass of wine in hand, I had the pleasure of sitting back and enjoying You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman, Pasadena Playhouse’s entertaining and balanced salute to the late, great Jerry Herman, who sadly passed away in 2019. Conceived, written, and hosted by music director Andy Einhorn (who conducted the smash hit, Bette Midler-led revival of Hello, Dolly! on Broadway), the evening – which is available for on-demand streaming through February 7 – is a heartfelt and occasionally moving love letter to one of the marquee composers/lyricists of Broadway’s golden age. Indeed, it’s hard to think of musical theater without Mr. Herman’s vibrant contributions, which include, in addition to the aforementioned Dolly, Mame and La Cage aux Folles.

I’m happy to report that I had a smile on my face throughout the 80-minute tour of Mr. Herman’s career. One of the primary pleasures of You I Like is the gentle presence of Mr. Einhorn, who makes for a knowledgeable, enthusiastic guide. Despite his effusive endorsement of Jerry Herman as a songsmith (particularly as a lyricist) and human being, Mr. Einhorn manages to keep his overview of Jerry Herman’s life and songbook succinct and efficient. Thankfully, he spends just as much time basking in the tuneful familiarity of the aforementioned hits as he does in the lesser known riches of shows like Dear World, Mack and Mabel, and The Grand Tour. Aside from narrating, Mr. Einhorn also provides the evening’s spirited musical accompaniment on the piano, supporting a versatile cast of five (Mr. Einhorn also occasionally chimes in to sing a song or two), who invariably interpret the songs with joy and intimacy.

Having watched Signature Theatre’s Simply Sondheim just the prior evening, it’s fascinating to contrast the two (both are exquisitely filmed, however). Most notably, missing from Signature’s tribute is an overarching narrative voice. In lieu of an emcee, the Sondheim revue simply lets the master’s compositions (albeit, skillfully re-arranged to fit the show’s purposes) speak for themselves in numbers that unfold conversationally and organically – a smart idea, given that most Sondheim songs play like dramatic scenes. You I Like, on the other hand, registers more like traditional cabaret, in which performers alternate taking center stage with Mr. Einhorn’s charming banter. This is perhaps a function of the kind of songs Mr. Herman wrote, which exuberantly celebrate the imminent qualities of the moment (as opposed to dramatize a progression of moments, as Sondheim is wont to do).

RECOMMENDED

YOU I LIKE: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF JERRY HERMAN
Theater / Musical Revue / On-Demand Streaming
Pasadena Playhouse
1 hour, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Through February 7