Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The songs of WONDERFUL TOWN are effervescently showcased in the musical’s 70th anniversary concert at 54 Below

• By drediman
• June 23, 2023
• No Comments

Earlier this week, I found myself at 54 Below celebrating the 70th anniversary of the 1953 musical Wonderful Town. Although arguably the least known of composer Leonard Bernstein’s trilogy of “New York” musicals — On the Town and West Side Story are the other two entries — its effortlessly giddy score (which features lyrics by the irrepressible writing team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green) captures the city’s coiled energy and restlessness as distinctly as those two aforementioned classics.

Hosted warmly and intelligently by musical theater enthusiast Rob Schneider (whose lovingly mounted J2 Spotlight revivals of forgotten musicals have tickled musical theater completists) and featuring expert music director Michael Lavine on keys, the effervescent one-night-only concert was a love fest through and through. One great aspect of the evening was how zealously it leaned in on the score’s inherent theatricality, thereby providing the audience with a sort of abridged pseudo-staging that leaned in on storytelling and character-building. Even larger production numbers (e.g., “Conga”, “Swing”) were impressively squeezed onto 54 Below’s tiny stage.

For this anniversary concert, Schneider has assembled an excellent cast of stage and cabaret veterans, including the likes of Karen Ziemba, Erin Davie, Amanda Green (her father Adolph Green penned the lyrics!), Sean McDermott, Seth Likes, and Janine LaManna. Highlights included Ms. Ziemba and Ms. Davie’s pitch perfect rendition of “Ohio”, Mr. Sikes’ energized “Swing”, Amanda Green’s droll delivery of “One Hundred Easy Ways”, and the rare opportunity to hear one of the show’s cut song “Story of My Life” (sung beautifully by newcomer Hilary Cole).

RECOMMENDED

WONDERFUL TOWN: 70TH ANNIVERSARY ALL-STAR CONCERT
Cabaret
54 Below
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Closed