Once again, summer came early with two heatwaves already and a third one looming in the next week. To cool things down a bit, we’re turning to the musicals for songs about “summer” on this week’s Dress Circle (6/28 7:00 p.m.), and we’ve been able to cull together fourteen pieces even though, oddly enough, there aren’t as many songs about summer as you might have thought.
We had some fun with the playlist this time. Although we’ve included some of the shows that are better-known like “Grey Gardens,” “Spring Awakening,” and “Mamma Mia!”, we also included songs from some shows that have fallen by the wayside like “Seventeen” and “The Littlest Revue.”
We’ve turned to studio cast recordings for songs from a lesser-known version of “The Secret Garden” that features Barbara Cook as Martha and a musical version of Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” that comes from a recording of songs from three lesser-known but interesting works.
Antonin Dvorak’s music will be heard in the title song from a London musical that starred Sally Ann Howes entitled “Summer Song” as well as another song from a London show, “Ace of Clubs” by Cole Porter.
Just for a bit of abject silliness, we’ve added songs from “Forbidden Broadway” that showcases those summer blockbuster films in a charmingly irreverent way and the always welcome “Oil City Symphony” for a romp of a “Summer Medley.”
There’s even a cut number from a failed musical by Bock and Harnick that features the composing team performing it.
Of course, we’re including the song that came to mind first, and that’s “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess.”
With everything said, we hope you’ll join us in the comfort of your air conditioned home this Sunday for a musical look at summer.
