Review: The ASA Honors Betty Buckley With NEW WAYS TO DREAM Concert at Merkin Hall

Broadway legend Betty Buckley (often referred to as Betty Lynn Buckley by close friends) once appeared in a musical in which her character was referred to as "the greatest star of all."  Although the Tony Award winner did not originate the role of Norma Desmond, either on Broadway or in The West End, her performance in the lead role of Sunset Boulevard forever bound her to the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.  Ms. Buckley is vividly remembered in the role, and songs from the score seem to be her sole property, even though many others sing them.  So it was not a far stretch of the imagination for the American Songbook Association to name their recent concert honoring the great American actress NEW WAYS TO DREAM, just as it is not a far stretch of the imagination to actually call Betty Lynn Buckley "The greatest star of all."  

And on Monday night, that is exactly what the audiences of New Ways To Dream got.

The American Songbook Association gives out a Lifetime Achievement Award each year.  The organization that works tirelessly, under the guidance of Carolyn Montgomery, to preserve and present the catalogue that makes up the standards that people sing, as well as provide opportunities for students, senior citizens, and others to enjoy that music, chooses an honoree that they feel represents their mission statement.  This year, the recipient of that award was Betty Buckley, who invited some of her favorite entertainers and closest friends to participate in the proceedings, either with a musical number or a memory from their individual friendships with the star of CATS, Triumph of Love, and 1776.  As friends and fans filled every single seat at Merkin Hall, the concert hosted by Seth Rudetsky (who the ASA presented with the Bill Sensenbrenner Dream Maker Award) was a parade of celebrities, artists, and storytellers for whom the crowd cheered and cried.  

Among the roster of artists for the evening were Mystery of Edwin Drood castmate Howard McGillin, The Old Friends co-star Veanne Cox, Drood creator Rupert Holmes, Sunset Boulevard leading man Bryan Batt, and Pippin creator Stephen Schwartz, who did the honors at the end of the evening.  Delightful, humorous, and touching stories were shared by friends like Kurt Peterson, Marsha Mason, and Ellen Burstyn, whose breakdown of all four of her trips to see Sunset Boulevard left the audience laying in the aisles.  Particularly special reminiscences came from 1776 co-star Paul Hecht, and fellow CATS legend, the great Ken Page, who performed one of the evening's highlights, a medley of Memory songs.  It was a right and proper tribute to one of the treasures of the industry, culminating in an appropriately emotional acceptance speech from the leading legend herself, followed by performances of songs by Stephen Schwartz and Jason Robert Brown that left all the evidence on the stage of why Betty Buckley is so very beloved and respected.  It was a night that the audience is certain to remember as one of the good ones, one of the nights that make living in New York City essential.

Broadway World Cabaret congratulates Betty Buckley on the tribute and the concert, and wishes all the fine folks at The American Songbook Association much continued success with their important work.

Visit the American Songbook Association website HERE.

THIS is the Betty Buckley website.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

Apologies to Jason Robert Brown, who accompanied Betty Buckley on her final number but who does not appear in these photos; we were unsuccessful at grabbing a good shot of him for this article.

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