Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Maury Yeston’s career is zestfully, economically represented in ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE THEATER at the York

• By drediman
• December 16, 2019
• No Comments

Justin Keyes, Greg Jarrett, Mamie Parris, Benjamin Eakeley, Alex Getlin, and Jovan E’Sean in “Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Songs of Maury Yeston”, courtesy of the York Theatre Company. Photo by Carol Rosegg.

Although his musicals have won more than their fair share of awards over the years (quite a slew of Tonys were accumulated between Nine, Grand Hotel, and Titanic alone), Broadway composer/lyricist Maury Yeston still strikes me as being somewhat under-appreciated by both the theater community and the theatergoing public. Despite his penchant for ravishing melody and inspired, period-perfect musical pastiche, Mr. Yeston has yet to receive the kind of fawning tributes that have validated the careers of his contemporaries Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Kander & Ebb, and even Maltby & Shire.

Happily, we finally have a tributary revue that encapsulates Mr. Yeston’s notable career entitled Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Songs of Maury Yeston, courtesy of Off-Broadway’s York Theatre Company. Interestingly, the production has been directed by Gerard Alessandrini, who most of us know as the mastermind behind the beloved Broadway spoof series Forbidden Broadway (by the way, the series’ latest edition, continuing its life after a successful run at the Triad, will be the next show in the York’s season). Not surprisingly, Mr. Alessandrini has given the Yeston songbook a scrappy, economical, but zestfully performed 75-minute treatment which heavily focuses on material from Nine and Grand Hotel (although I would have liked to have heard more from Titanic‘s majestic score), as well as occasional renditions of lesser known songs.

Mr. Alessandrini has intelligently cast the show with beautifully-voiced performers – two women, three men – who have the uncanny ability to effortlessly move between ensemble and soloist. Generally, the two women (versatile veteran Mamie Parris and stunning newcomer Alex Getlin) fare better than the men, particularly young Ms. Getlin, whose glorious, distinctive voice I predict will be one for the ages. The men (Benjamin Eakeley, Jovan E’Sean, and Justin Keyes) do a serviceable, amiable job of showcasing Mr. Yeston’s body of work, but they lack the natural star-power of their women counterparts. In summary, Anything Can Happen in the Theater is a bright, tightly-staged reminder/taste of Mr. Yeston’s immense talent and bold imagination. I hope to hear more from him.

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ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE THEATER: THE SONGS OF MAURY YESTON
Off-Broadway, Musical/Revue
The York Theatre Company
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Through December 29