We all know about “April showers,” but for some of us, it’s been a bit ridiculous. However, we’re still forging ahead with songs from some of the shows that opened this soggy month on this week’s Dress Circle (4/7 7:00 p.m.)
We’ve planned a playlist that begins with a show that opened in 1910 and travels through to one that’s opening this year for a 114-year span!
That early show was an “opera” by Edwards and Browne titled “Molly May.” We’ve got a song by one of its original cast members, Grace LaRue. Our 2024 opening, one of nine this year – a banner year, is a musical about Tamara Lempicka simply titled “Lempicka.” We’ve got one of three songs from an advance digital “suite” for this show.
As always, our mix includes a combination of well-known, better-known, and lesser-known works, so there should be something familiar and new for everyone.
The better-known musicals include revivals of “Peter Pan” and “South Pacific,” and original casts of “The Producers” and “Jekyll & Hyde.” More recent, but perhaps not as well-known shows include “The Wedding Singer,” “The Addams Family,” “Light in the Piazza,” and “Fun Home.”
Those you may not know but offer some wonderful performances include two “compilation” shows: “Jelly’s Last Jam,” featuring music mostly by Jelly Roll Morton and “Nice Work if You Can Get It” featuring songs by George & Ira Gershwin.
We’ll round out the program with songs from some long-forgotten shows by Dietz and Schwartz, “Inside U.S.A.” and Harold Rome, “Call Me Mister.”
With all of the rain we’ve been getting, we’re sure to have an abundance of May flowers, and, of course, a program of songs from some of the musicals opening in May.
