Theater Scene - The New York Pops: “Make It Big” - The NY Pops 31st Birthday Gala honors the musical contributions of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

The New York Pops: “Make It Big” - The NY Pops 31st Birthday Gala honors the musical contributions of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

By: Stewart M. Schulman

Photo by Richard Termine

Partners in life and partners in ‘crime’, musical collaborators Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman were honored Monday night at Carnegie Hall for their longtime creative partnerships on such musical hits as Hairspray, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Catch Me If You Can and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The evening was a Smash! (Smash, being one of their most recent collaborations—the TV series that followed the creation of a Broadway musical about the life and loves of Marilyn Monroe. A show which, for two deliciously ‘bitchy’ seasons, fascinated musical theater loving audiences from coast to coast.) Separately and jointly, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman have contributed to some of the greatest popular entertainments of the past 35 years—in film, theater, television and the concert world. The two men began their partnership (creative and personal) in 1979.

“Make It Big,” The New York Pops 31^st Birthday Gala celebration, also honored the leadership and mentorship work of corporate honoree Paul J. Massey, Jr., CEO and Founding Partner of Massey Knakal Realty Services, and featured a spectacular lineup of stars from both stage and screen. Under the dynamic baton of Music Director Steven Reineke, the roster of talent included over 230 musicians and guest artists, the largest cast ever in The Pops history, and the evening was a brilliant success!

Martin Short - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

It began with a big laugh as Martin Short made a grand entrance, gazed out at the sitting crowd and promptly insisted: “No no, everyone please be seated.” Followed by his rendition of “It Had To Be You” from When Harry Met Sally, throughout which he hopped, skipped, bumped, grinded, and shimmied his way around the stage. An orchestral arrangement of the lush, dignified theme song from The American President ensued. Then Carol Bledsoe, winner of the on-line guest conductor auction, led “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa from the podium as if she does it every day—while Maestro Reineke ‘back-seat conducted’ from the side. It got the audience clapping and the evening soared from there. Bravo Carol!

Andrea Martin - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

Christian Borle - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

Next, 14 year-old special guest tuba player Sarah Payne accompanied John Pizzarelli’s easy breezy buttery sweet jazz vocals on “A Wink and a Smile,” from Sleepless In Seattle. Then the fabulous Andrea Martin, with the adorable Camp Broadway Kids, offered up “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. After which the ever-charming Christian Borle (as Gomez) belted out “The Mamushka” from The Addams Family movie, while dancing a tarantella reminiscent of the late great Danny Kaye. Mid-way, Mr. Borle was joined by Mr. Short—dweebed-out as Uncle Fester. Needless it to say, these are two deliciously silly men.

Sophie Von Haselberg - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

Sophie Von Haselberg, Bette Midler’s daughter, standing in for her mom, (Ms. Midler regretted not being well enough to roast her long-time friends), said: “I’ve known these guys since I was a baby. They are truly my fairy godmothers!” Then, sounding so much like her mom, she read a beautiful poem she’d written for them, her voice cracking as she finished with: “Congratulations from your biggest fan!”

A smooth silken-voiced Matthew Morrison sang “Drifting.” Patti Lupone belted out “Grin and Bare It,” a good old-fashioned vampy ballad from The G-String Murders – a musicalization of a book by Gypsy Rose Lee, while a suave Will Chase and a sultry Jane Krakowski, got the house swinging with the duet “Here’s To Love” from the film Down With Love.

Ricki Lake, Nikki Blonsky, and Marissa Jaret Winokur - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

The crowd went crazy when the three Tracy Turnblads took stage. Marissa Jaret Winokur, Nikki Blonsky, and Ricki Lake, (respectively the original Broadway, original movie musical, and original John Waters Hairspray girls), performed “Good Morning Baltimore” as a trio, backed up by the Broadway Inspirational Voices. There was no keeping the crowd seated after that.

Jenifer Lewis - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

Aaron Tveit - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

The ageless and ever soulfully fabulous Jenifer Lewis set the stage on fire with “I Know Where I’ve Been” from Hairspray. Standing ovation! Aaron Tveit rocked the house with “Goodbye” from Catch Me If You Can. Standing ovation!! And Megan Hilty’s brassy big belting sound on “They Just Keep Moving The Line” from Smash, coupled with Katherine McPhee’s “Don’t Forget Me” from Smash—into a duet of “Let Me Be Your Star,” kept the audience screaming on its feet. Standing ovation!!!

Capathia Jenkins - Photo by Maryann Lopinto

How to top that? Ask Martin Short. His answer? “(Let A Big Black Lady) Stop The Show.” Which she did, when Capathia Jenkins sang that song from his 2006 Broadway show Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me. Brooks Ashmanskas joined Ms. Jenkins and Mr. Short, (clad as a 97-year-old Jewish composer), and literally stopped the show!

The amazing gala concluded with Laura Bell Bundy, Kerry Butler, Linda Hart, Jenifer Lewis, Corey Reynolds, Clark Thorell, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Broadway Inspirational Voices, Ronald McDonald House Rockin’ The House Band and Singers, Camp Broadway Kids, Kids On Stage Students, and special guest Sarah M. Payne, tearing down Carnegie hall with the energizing “You Can’t Stop The Beat” from Hairspray.

It was an evening of joy through music, put forth by an organization, The NY Pops, that changes lives through music. May The Pops live long and prosper and may they continue to change lives through music for a very long time. Happy 31^st!!

THE NY POPS 2014 – 2015 SEASON:

Friday, October 24, 2014 at 8:00 PM

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE: THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES