Review: WHAT THEY DID FOR LOVE a Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch and Burt Bacharack

What They Did For Love: The Songs of Marvin Hamlisch and Burt Bacharach continues at the Quality Hill Playhouse, 303 W. 10th, through May 17. J. Kent Barnhart, Producing Artistic Director of the Playhouse, accompanies Melinda MacDonald, Tim Noland, and LeShea Wright, on piano and vocally. Barnhart emcees the production displaying his wit and sense of humor as he reveals often little known history about the songs and their creators.

Act I is devoted to the music of Marvin Hamlisch who was born in June of 1944 and died August 6, 2012. He is only one of twelve people to win a Grammy, Oscar, Tony, and Emmy award and only one of two people to win all four awards and a Pulitzer Prize. The other winner is American composer Richard Rodgers.

Act I opens with Barnhart on piano, Brian Wilson on bass, and Ken Remmert on drums playing the theme from the movie The Sting, which Hamlisch adapted for the movie from Scott Joplin's original score. The vocalists join the band singing, "They're Playing My Song" from They're Playing Our Song.

Tim Noland is magnificent as he begins to sing "The Last Time I Felt Like This" from Same Time, Next Year. As he sings the final bars of the song, he demonstrates what a great talent he has, much to the delight of the audience. Noland has appeared at the Playhouse in Rhapsody in Gershwin, Great Big Broadway, and Sh-Boom Sh-Boom among others. He was a member of the cast for the first show produced at Quality Hill, The Melody Lingers On.

A song in Act II best describes the performance of LeShea Wright, "Nobody Does It Better" from the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. She has a fantastic voice, which I hope to hear soon and often. Wright got her professional start in performing arts at Quality Hill in 2006 performing in Christmas in Song. She has been a back-up singer for Trace Adkins, Janelle Monae, Jason Sims, and Chrisette Michele.

Born in 1928 Burt Bacharach has won six Grammy's and three Academy Awards over the span of his career. Hal David wrote most of the lyrics for Bacharach's songs. Carole Bayer Sager joined Bacharach, Christopher Cross, and Peter Allen with Arthur's Theme, "The Best That You Can Do" for the movie Arthur. Bacharach and Sager also worked together on "That's What Friends Are For" from the movie Night Shift. Bacharach wrote hits for Dusty Springfield, Bobbie Gentry, Tom Jones, Herb Alpert, and The Carpenters among others.

Melinda MacDonald performs a breathtaking rendition of "Close To You." She delivers the vocal with a come-hither that charmed the audience. MacDonald performed a second song from Ian Fleming's James Bond movie Casino Royale, "The Look of Love." She previously appeared at Quality Hill in All Sinatra, Rhapsody in Gershwin, Cabaret Swings, and Your Hit Parade among others. She has appeared with Spinning Tree Theatre, Starlight, and Kansas City Repertory Theatre among others.

What They Did For Love: The Songs of Marvin Hamlisch and Burt Bacharach runs through May 17. Purchase tickets by calling the box office at 816-421-1700 or online at the Quality Hill Playhouse website. Photo courtesy of Quality Hill Playhouse.

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