BWW Reviews: Jane Kean Shines at the Colony

What a special evening this was! Entering the theatre we see a stage reminiscent of old Hollywood.  A grand piano is set on stage left, covered by a lovely scarf on which sits many framed pictures of Jane Kean.  On stage right sits a chair behind which there’s a table with more pictures.  Center stage we find what appears to be a 30s pink sofa.  On the back wall is a slideshow showing Jane's many faceted career photos.  And what a beauty she was… and still is!  And as warm and sincere as anyone who has ever come from Broadway and Hollywood! The show begins.

Entering and sitting at the piano is her musical director Ron Rose. After a brief introduction by Trent Steelman, the Colony's Executive Director, Jane Kean enters upstage right wearing a lovely black pants suit covered by a pink taffeta ruffled jacket. A lovely outfit for any age!

Jane begins by enlightening us on her career. Her stories are so interesting, and full of humor. She tells us about the time her mother asked her to do one song and a cartwheel for her bridge club. Jane calls herself the Lady Gaga of the Stone Age.

She explains how her father, the businessman,  wanted the family to move away with him, but her mother wouldn't have it. So she took the girls to New York where among other things she taught both her and her sister Betty how to 'second act' shows on Broadway. Jane claims she never saw a complete Broadway show until she was an adult. Her first song begins with a verse or song called "Remember That Halloween", which melds into "Show Biz", vocally displaying the show biz pro she is.

When she was a child, she sang a very cute song called "I Double Dare You". She sang it here with all the bravado of the 10 year old she was portraying.  She continued to entertain us with tales of her life which of course includes so many celebrities… e.g. Ed Sullivan, Lucille Ball, Darryl Zanick, Marilyn Monroe, Walter Winchell, and of course Jackie Gleason with Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, then her successor Sheila MacRae.

Her songs included the likes of "Take Me (Us) Back To Manhattan", "Losing My Mind" (Jane played Sally in The Road Company of Follies), "Wherever He Ain't" (she loves Sondheim), and "Before The Parade Passes By", among others.  And each song was preceded by another anecdotal story, which was part of her autobiography.  She tells us about her shows, her 'dates', her loves, and we feel we really know Jane Kean. 

She is so alert that she even reacts to the audience when she hears a random laugh, so we, the audience feel she is in our living room, and not on a stage… she is personal and endearing. A highlight of the evening were vintage video clips of the Kean Sisters on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Jackie Gleason Show among others. 

Among the celebs attending this special evening of theatre were Anne Jeffreys,  Nancy Dussault, Carol Arthur Deluise, Charlotte Rae, Carole Cook, Tom Troupe, Mary Jo Catlett, Miriam Nelson, Connie Sawyer, Ray Arnett, Toni Sawyer, and countless others.

After the performance Jane had a Questions and Answers with the audience and we found out even more about her.  What a charmer she is…and from the stories she relayed during the Q & A, she could easily create another complete show.  It wasn't just an entertaining evening, it was educationally entertaining as well. We also learned so much about all the people who interrelated with Jane Kean... and more about the Kean Sisters Act, and the breakup. But finally we listened to Jane as she told us of her 37 year marriage to Joe Hecht, and their relationship.  But being a widow has not stopped this fabulous woman at all.  Besides still performing, she has written a book based on her autobiography.  Will her talents never cease?  Let's hope not, for all our sakes.

-guest reviewer Stan Mazin