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NY Pops – 32ndBirthday Gala – The New Golden Age
by Stewart Schulman From their early years working in the Pittsburgh theater scene to their luminous careers on Broadway and beyond, brother and sister Rob and Kathleen Marshall have managed to dominate the musical theatre scene for over 20 years. With collective directorial and/or choreographic contributions to such musical hits as Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Damn Yankees, She Loves Me, Cabaret, Wonderful Town, Kiss Me Kate, Pajama Game, Anything Goes, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and the TV or film musicals of Chicago, Nine, Into The Woods, The Music Man, Victor/Victoria, Cinderella and Annie,” (to name only some), these remarkably gifted siblings from Pennsylvania have managed to maintain a level of creative excellence easily equaling their venerable counterparts from The Golden Age of Theater. In fact, it was their impressive body of work, which inspired the NY Pops to fashion its “32nd Birthday Gala” around their laudable artistic achievements and honor them by titling its tribute concert evening to the Marshalls as “The New Golden Age.” Maestro Steven Reineke culled the evening’s song selections from an eclectic array of composers and lyricists whose work the two ‘Musical Honorees’—whether choreographically or directorially—have put their unique stamps on. (Music that has over the last 100 years become known in the lexicon as being part of The Great American Songbook.) Mr. Reineke then hired some of the most exciting musical theater artists working today to perform these iconic works—creating an evening of showstoppers.
Alan Cumming, (in a pale pink summer suit), took stage at Carnegie Hall, opening the show with a bang with “Willkomme”, from Cabaret, during which he gave a nod to the evening’s Corporate Honorees: Carrie and Tedmund Pryor, and Greenwich Harbor Partners. At the point in the song when the emcee says: “In here everything iz beautiful! The orchestra” and “ze cabaret girls are beautiful,” he added “even ze Corporate Honorees are beautiful!” A big laugh followed and the black-tie-clad audience sat back enjoying the star-studded 90-minute show that followed. Veteran showman Victor Garber ‘sold-it’ with Those Were the Good Old Days from “Damn Yankees”—complete with the original false ending and reprise. A ‘hot’ and scantily clad Rachel York, backed up by four buff male dancers, who lifted, dipped and threw her all about as she seductively wailed low and high notes on Le Jazz Hot from “Victor/Victoria,” wowed with choreography by Joshua Bergasse.
And Brian Stokes Mitchell delighted with his rich buttery baritone on Where is the Life That Late I Led? From “Kiss Me Kate.” The Camp Broadway Kids filled both the stage and the aisles of the great hall harmonizing and dancing adorably on Seventy-Six Trombones from “The Music Man.”
Laura Benanti, in a stunning white satin and sequin evening gown, used her flawless vocal instrument to offer up a poignant rendition of Unusual Way from “Nine,” belting out some climactic high notes that thrilled.
And a lithe Sutton Foster, in white top and black pants, reprised her Tony-winning Anything Goes from “Anything Goes,” sustaining a stratospheric final high note that exhilarated the crowd. Margo Seibert and James Snyder harmonized gloriously on Out of Darkness from “Ever After,” a new musical Ms. Marshall is currently directing at Paper Mill Playhouse. There were two musical selections performed solely by the 78-piece Pops orchestra. Both were movie themes from films Mr. Marshall directed. The first, Themes from “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” by Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt, evoked the adventurous spirit of sailing on the high seas. The second, Sayuri’s Theme, by John Williams from “Memoirs of a Geisha,” was introduced by Ken Watanabe, that film’s star, and featured a hauntingly beautiful cello solo by NY Pops principal cellist David H. Heiss. Maestro Reineke’s subtle arm movements, as he conducted this selection, were reminiscent of the gentle descent of a falling cherry blossom. Mr. Reineke explained, prior to the first of these two selections that the NY Pops, as part of its cultural and educational outreach, has a program providing “middle-school students access to professional performance from the first audition to the final bow.” PopsEd had prepped 20 of these student finalists to be able to perform live with the incomparable NY Pops orchestra at the Gala that night. Surely this was one performance these young artists will never forget. During another musical number which underscores the great work the NY Pops does in its outreach programming, the ever-charming Rob McClure led four of the Children of Ronald McDonald House New York in a delightful rendition of You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile from “Annie,” which got the whole crowd clapping along. Together, the Pops and Ronald McDonald House “bring musical expression to pediatric cancer patients and their siblings.” Rounding out the Pops’ vitally important outreach work is the Pops Kids in the Balcony program, which invites students from New York City schools in all five boroughs to Carnegie Hall to witness incredible concerts such as this one. Students from some 28 NYC schools got the opportunity to cheer on the amazing orchestra and guest performers that night.
During the concerts’ second half, surprise guest artist, opera star Renee Fleming, performed “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess without amplification and filled the venue with her impeccable soprano voice.
A radiant Kelly O’Hara, so elegant in a black and white flowing gown, shared her own vocal perfection on “Someone to Watch Over Me” from Nice Work If You Can Get It. And Rachel York returned in a silver sequined gown to sing “Children Will Listen” from Into The Woods.
The crowd went crazy when Bebe Neuwirth followed, looking as fit as ever in a short tight black dress and red shoes, and belted out “All That Jazz” from Chicago, while performing some original razzle-dazzle Fosse moves.
But it went even crazier when Queen Latifah took stage next, in a magnificent one shoulder white dress, singing “When You’re Good to Mama,” also from Chicago. And the audience kept on cheering as Alan Cumming closed the show with his rendition of “Cabaret” from Cabaret, and roared to its feet as he was joined for one final chorus by the entire company It was an electrifying evening honoring two of the entertainment world’s finest, starring some of Broadway’s finest performing works by some of the greatest composers and lyricists of all time. The New Golden Age was an evening with heart and soul and it took your breath away. Happy 32nd Birthday, NY Pops!! Announcing The New York Pops
2015-2016 Carnegie Hall Season: 
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