by Deirdre Donovan

                   

Scott Siegel returned to Town Hall on June 19^th to host his signature series, “Broadway by the Year.”  Presenting Big Names like Alice Ripley, Christiane Noll, and Brandon Uranowitz plus a few rising stars, the event was next-to-perfect.

 

Now in its 17^th year, “Broadway by the Year” (BBTY) has become one of the theatrical fixtures at Town Hall.  This beloved series focuses on the well-known--and lesser-known--songs sired on the Great White Way by various artists.  Over the years, Scott has created star-dusted programs that chronologically index Broadway songs and contextualize them with their original musical.  His June show spotlighted melodies from the past decade, spanning from 2007 to the present-day.

 

In spite of the day’s heavy rain storms, the auditorium was packed with Broadway music-lovers and Siegel-ites.  Siegel first introduced the veteran actress Christiane Noll, who sang the fanciful “Pure Imagination” from this season’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Noll charmed the audience with her rendering of this confection.  However, it was her duet later in Act 1, “A Christmas Song,” with Jamie LaVerdiere (her real-life husband) that truly pulled in the audience.  Standing side-by-side in knit caps, Noll and LaVerdiere playfully delivered the set, their voices harmonizing like the red-and-white stripes on a peppermint candy stick. 

 

                  

The real wow, however, was the penultimate number in Act 1, in which Noll, LaVerdiere, and Rianna LaVerdiere (their real-life daughter) joined voices in “When I Grow Up” from Matilda.  Yes, one could witness in real time just how showbiz parents pass on the baton to their offspring.  And, yes, young LaVerdiere practically stole the show with her spunky performance here.

 

 

While this family affair was a definite highlight, there were other standouts.  Alice Ripley steamed up the stage in Act 1 with “Fever” from Million Dollar Quartet.  Indeed, the emotional temperature in the auditorium rose as Ripley slowly crooned the opening lines from the song:  “Never know how much I love you / Never know how much I care. . .”

Say what you will, this star not only can give psychological depth to a melody (think of her Tony award-winning performance in Next to Normal), she can sizzle on stage as well. 

 

 

Chelsea Wheatley added a different tempo—and romantic texture--to the show when she delivered “I’m Changing my Major to Joan” from Fun Home.  Wheatley frankly sang about love in the 21^st century and the fact that some young women can get smitten by somebody from the same-sex.  In any case, this set was all about one’s sexual destiny--and sounded totally au courant.

Uranowitz proved that he had range, and a touch of the monster in him, as he disappeared into the lonely persona of Shrek in “Build a Wall.”  Most recently seen and heard in the 2016 revival of Falsettos as Mendel (it snagged him Tony and Drama Desk award nominations), Uranowitz will soon return to Broadway in the Prince of Broadway.  So stay tuned.

 

 

Tap dancing, anyone?  Well, hoofer Luke Hawkins furiously tapped every which way across the stage in “Fascinating Rhythm” from Nice Work If You Can Get It.  Hawkins, who also choreographed the number, closed out Act 1 with the force of an exclamation mark.

 

 

The curtain-raiser for Act 2 was “I Will Survive” from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, with Scott Coulter belting out the simple but powerful message suggested by the song’s title. Coulter’s performance was adrenaline-inducing and altogether persuasive.  Anybody listening to his interpretation of the piece couldn’t help but feel that human beings are capable of transcending whatever dirt (romantic and otherwise) life dishes out.

 

 

Erin Davie’s rendition of “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen was altogether poignant.  Even if you haven’t yet seen this Tony award-winning show, Davie contextualized the song with his theatrical savvy and conjured up the protagonist’s situation in a nanosecond.

 

Ripley returned to the stage with two heart-felt numbers:  “You Learn to Live Without” from If/Then and “I Miss the Mountains” from Next to Normal.  Ripley delivered the goods with both, as more than a few audience members reached for their tissues. 

 

                                                  photos by Genevieve Rafferty for Times Square Chronicles.

 

Scott wrapped up the presentation with “Puttin’ on the Ritz” from Young Frankenstein, done as an ensemble piece with crisp choreography by Danny Gardner.  Although Scott has presented many BBTY concerts with glittering moments, this Rockette-style finale was tops and executed with incredible pizzazz.

 

Before the lights went down, the always-gracious Siegel acknowledged the musical contributions from the onstage Band (Ross Patterson/piano, Randy Landau/bass, Jamie Eblen/drums).  Following this, the audience ever-so-reluctantly exited the auditorium into Times Square. 

 

One performance only, June 19^th.

Town Hall, 123 West 43^rd. Street (between Sixth Avenue and Broadway), Manhattan.

For more information on Scott Siegel’s “Broadway by the Year” series and his upcoming shows, visit www.siegelpresents.com

Running time:  approximately 2 hours with one intermission.