June 2000 I Out in the Mountains |33 A Gay Musical Revue: Out On Broadway & Sondheim Tonight REVIEW BY ROLAND F. PALMER it isn’t often you find musical theater in which an all—male cast sings Broadway songs written by songwriters who were themselves gay or bisexual (well, unless you count a gay men’s health club shower, which we won’t). lt’s even harder to find a recording of such a show... that is, until now. New Line Theatre’s Out On Broadway is just such a find. Out On Broadway debuted at the New Line Theatre, an alternative musical theatre compa- ny in St. Louis, in March, 1996. After a suc- cessful first run, it returned to this same theatre in August, 1996. This CD was recorded there on October 11 — National Coming Out Day — and 12, 1996. Tracy Collins, Tim Kent, and Scott Miller were the masterminds behind the show. Collins also starred in the show, while Miller accompa- nied on piano. What makes both the show and Flew line liiaatre‘s 1 4- 0 ON BROADWAY Ollifilllal ST. l.{llliS (AS? llfifilliliilfi the recording unique is that the songs are sung from a gay perspective, which may well have been the way the songwriters originally imag- ined them. ' The CD contains 19 songs from a wide vari- ety of shows, including classics such as Girl Crazy, South Pacific, and The King and I. There are also selections from more modern shows, like Chicago, Dick Tracy, and Les Miserables. Chris Brenner, Tracy Collins, Eddie Webb, Quenten Schumacher, and Keith Thompson unite in spirit and song to bring out the emotion and humor in each of these songs. Two members of the cast really stand out on this recording. The first, Quenten Schumacher, brings a fresh perspective and modern com- mentary to “Happily Ever After” (Once UponA _Mattress) and lyrically defines bitchiness in “Bosom Buddies” (Mame). The second is Eddie Webb, whose rich, resonating voice is perfectly suited for the ballads “Sleepy Man” (The Robber Bridegroom) and “We Kiss In A Shadow” (The King And I). As you may well imagine, Stephen Sondheim wrote seven of the songs featured on Out On Broadway. if you’re like some and can- not get enough Sondheim, you may also want to check out the 2-CD set Sondheim Tonight. This is a live recording of a gala concert cel- ebrating his music. The concert was performed on May 17, 1998, at the Barbican Centre in London by performers from around the world. The concept for this event was devised and directed by Hugh Woolridge. Woolridge brought together David Firman and Charles Prince to conduct the City of London Philharmonic. Add to this an all-star line up of speakers and performers and you have an unforgettable evening. As in many live recordings, the sound quali- ty isn’t always the best it could be. However, it is usually during the speeches that you will notice this difference. ' The CD contains music that spans Sondheim’s career, and 1 must admit, had pieces I’ve never heard. It includes “Variations On A Theme,” written in 1947, and “A Very Short Violin Sonata,” penned in 1951. There are also a number of arrangements that were either first performances or their first British perfonnance. One of these is a new arrange- ment by Chris Walker called “Sondheim Overture.” This piece is wonderful for those who like the challenge of naming all the pieces played in a medley... There are some amazing performers featured on this CD. Woolridge was able to reunite Millicent Martin, Julia McKenzie and David Kernan, who performed together in Side By Side By Sondheim years ago. Len Cariou per- formed “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd,” which he performed on Broadway in 1976. Possibly the most unique piece on the CD, and the one that makes it a treasure for me, “possums,” is Dame Edna Everage performing “The Ladies Who Lunch.” Other performers on this CD include Clive Rowe, Maria Friedman, Michael Ball, Liz Robertson, and Cleo Laine. Woolridge really did T his research when choosing the pieces for this concert. By com- bining songs many of us know and orchestral and classical soloist pieces most of us may never have heard, he makes this CD collection a great experience for all who listen. Even if you have numerous other Sondheim CD5, and especially if you are just looking to start your collection, you should check out Sondheim Tonight. Roland Palmer lives in Hinesburg. Coming Up: A Little Night Music—music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler. This ultimate romantic comedy has more twists and turns than a modern soap opera! Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score. JUNE 22-25, 28-JULY 2, JULY 5-9 Camping with Henry and Tom by Mark St. Germain. 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