Review: A NIGHT ON THE TOWN, a New Series Begins at Musical Theater Heritage

A Night on the Town quickly turned into a fabulous night on the town as Kansas City crooner Molly Hammer took the stage. Tim Scott directed the new series from Musical Theater Heritage (MTH), which is sold-out through the end of the production. A Night on the Town named to honor the "A Night on the Town" nationally syndicated radio series, with Executive Director George Harter, premiered Thursday night, February 12 at the Musical Theater Heritage in Crown Center.

Producers Chad Gerlt and Tim Scott will work with a selection of local vocalists to create well-paced, memorable performances at the theatre. "The concept of the new series is to provide one of Kansas City's premier vocal talents the opportunity to develop their own individual showcase." If the inaugural production is an indication of what is to come, MTH will have another enormous hit to join their regular season of plays and Musical Monday. The Musical Monday series is so popular that in 2015 MTH added Tuesdays to the performance calendar.

MTH recently announced the professional theater company has signed an exclusive lease with the 243-seat Off Center Theatre in Crown Center. Previously the theater had been leased on an as-needed basis by MTH since 2008. The theater has been renamed Musical Theater Heritage at Crown Center and though it will continue to be leased to other theater groups it has become the home of MTH.

For A Night on the Town the theater is transformed to a smaller event venue with low intimate lighting designed by Shane Rowse, limited seating (tables and chairs on the stage), and tableside cocktail service. The romantic cabaret style setting adds to the allure of the solo performance of the star of the show.

Musical Director Jeremy Watson, on piano, Julie Danielson, on bass, and Tod Barnard, on drums accompanied Molly Hammer for the first production of the new series. Hammer who has appeared in numerous venues in the Kansas City area christened the series like a fine bottle of champagne christening a new ocean liner. Her opening night performance, was one of the best I have been privileged to attend, not only delighted the audience with wonderful vocals, but also gave them an insight into who Molly Hammer is.

Hammer explains that though she has extensive experience on the musical theatre stage part of her training came when she portrayed Patsy Cline in Amana, Iowa for five years. She seldom performs Patsy Cline songs now a days (she performs at several jazz clubs now), but admits the experience helped to train her to hit the high notes that can be so difficult. On Thursday night, she gave the audience a look into the past as she performed a medley of Patsy Cline hits. It is easy to understand why her appearance as Cline lasted for five years; she performed so magnificently that if you closed your eyes you almost imagined that it was Patsy Cline singing on stage.

Hammers performance was powerful, whimsical, sultry and sensual as she performed such songs as Carole King's "Beautiful," Dinah Washington's "My Man's an Undertaker"and "Peel Me a Grape" among others. She next performs at the Chesterfield in the Alamo Drafthouse on February 20.

The next performance of A Night on the Town, scheduled for May 7 through May 9, features Alison Sneegas Borberg. Purchase tickets for the May performance by calling the MTH box office at 816-221-6987 or visit the Musical Theater Heritage website. Photo courtesy of Musical Theater Heritage.

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