Review: GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING at Quality Hill Playhouse

Engaging musical revues are familiar fare at Quality Hill Playhouse, but the current offering, "A Grand Night For Singing," distinguishes itself by virtue of its 1993 Broadway run. QHP Artistic Director Kent Barnhart has taken a break and handed the management reins over to Rick Truman (Director), Lenora Remmert (Musical Director), and Christina Burton (Choreographer).

"Grand Night" recalls the musical works of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The Rodgers and Hammerstein 20 year partnership, from about 1940 until Hammerstein's death in 1959, created ten major works while defining a genre. This 1993 look back bares the stamp of Broadway Director Walter Bobbie. Bobbie avoids a seductive trap by building this revue with some of Rodgers and Hammerstein's lesser-known compositions. The best-known R&H music is omitted.

A cast of three women and two men share 36 R&H tunes. Choreographer Christina Burton uses every available inch on the small Quality Hill stage and creates dance routines that squeeze maximum entertainment value of out every tune.

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote in a time before wireless amplification and many of their best-known anthems are written for semi-operatic voices. Times, technologies, and singling styles have evolved. Modern singers and Director Truman have the ability to re-imagine the music and add nuance to performances.

Alto Jessalyn Kincaid is that performer perfect for the female comedy lead that lives in the best of the R&H shows. Her likeable energy fairly bounces off the stage when she announces "She Is In Love With A Wonderful Guy, or "The Gentleman Is A Dope," and then explores "A Hundred Million Miracles."

Tenor Taylor Avazpour demonstrates how the M&H songbook works for a more sensitive singer then originally envisioned. Taylor's precise tonal quality and ear for harmony works great for "What Do You Do With A Problem Called Maria," "Love, Look, Away" from Flower Drum Song, and "When The Children Are Asleep" from 1946's Carousel.

Sarah LaBarr's spot-on soprano becomes the "Girl Who Can't Say No," translates Carousel's known male love song into a female solo "If I Loved You."

Baritone Robert Hingula has the strong baritone of a standard R&H male lead. He convinces in "We Kiss in A Shadow," sing comic lead "Honey Bun" from South Pacific, and a shows a tender side with "My Little Girl" from the huge, six minute, "Soliloquy," from the Act I closer of Carousel.

Every so often audiences meet a talent like Alison Borberg who has mastered the knack of connecting with her audiences individually. Allison is this cast's classically trained soprano with the special sauce. She effectively delivers the rarely performed "So Far" from 1948's Allegro and sets the mood for the evening. Later, the audience learns "It might As Well Be Spring" and "Something Wonderful" from the King and I.

One of the nicer things about freeing these songs from their original context is the ability to shift them in time and style. "Honey Bun" becomes a 40's swing tune and "Kansas City" becomes animated jazz.

"Grand Night" is a pleasant and enjoyable evening at the theater. It continues its run until May 22 at the Quality Hill Playhouse. Tickets are available at the theater website www.qualityhillplayhouse.com or by telephone at 816-421-1700.

Photo Credit Larry Levenson / Quality Hill Playhouse

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