A Tribute to Johnny Mercer--live performance of the Chicago Humanities Festival

Full disclosure, I used to work for the Chicago Humanities Festival. That said their programs can be stodgy, overly academic, and humorless. Those problems were on display in the festival's cabaret presentation last night--A Tribute to Johnny Mercer.

I didn't know much about Johnny Mercer, and the only song title I could name before walking in the door to this performance was Autumn Leaves. I still don't know much about the man, although I do realize that he had a hand in many more songs that I knew--Come Rain or Come Shine, Fools Rush In, Jeepers Creepers, Hooray for Hollywood, Satin Doll.

All of these songs and thirty others were presented in whole or part by five performers--singers Klea Blackhurst and Stephanie Morse, and pianist/singers Billy Stritch, Steve Ross and Charles Cochran. The song selections and connective narration were done by Barry Day--co-author of The Complete Lyrics of Johnny Mercer. Mr. Day was the host of the evening as well.

Okay, 36 songs sounds like a lot--and it was--but not from a length standpoint. The songs were short enough and narration between brief enough that the one-act performance didn't feel too long. However, hearing Mercer's songs back-to-back-to-back-to--you get the point--you realize that his compositional style didn't vary a whole lot. Most of the songs sounded exactly alike; Mr. Mercer wrote songs for crooners, and I would have loved some more up-tempo selections or arrangements to break up the monotony.

There were other issues I had with the performance, but let's just leave it at that.

A Tribute to Johnny Mercer
Created and directed (?) by Barry Day
With performers Klea Blackhurst, Steve Ross, Billy Stritch, Charles Cochran, Stephanie Morse
This one a one-night only event.

Sondheim: a Celebration at Carnegie Hall

Has any musical theater composer been the subject of more special concerts during his life-time than Stephen Sondheim? Doubtful. I wonder why that is?

I believe he appeals to performers, who enjoy the opportunity to sing his songs with orchestra. I don't dislike his music, but I won't be lining up to sing it with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia this summer (even if they ask me to have done, which they should have asked me to have done). I get that his shows are creatively formatted and explore more contemporary human situations in a more modern setting. He probably also appeals to anyone who appreciates clever, urban word-play--which I do.

Still, so many Sondheim revues/evenings/tributes/galas/concerts/acts? Well, I don't have any more lined up for the remainder of my Year, and gratefully Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall from 1992 is a good tribute concert on which to end my Sondheim thinking.

Firstly, while I groaned when Bill Irwin walked onto stage after the overture, he turned out to be really funny. I hate clowns, but this was a hysterical take on the "fake stage manager" routine. Of course, I'm a fake stage manager myself, so I'm biased.

I mourned the late Jerry Hadley and Madeleine Kahn, both of whom do their songs very well. Liza Minnelli was fantastic in her songs, both of which were new to me. I thought Liza Minnelli was very good. Glenn Close was not quite at the level she was at in the Lloyd Webber tribute I listened to last week. Betty Buckley was miscast singing "Children will Listen". I didn't care for the Tonics.

While I have heard most of this music before, just about everything from Merrily We Roll Along and Assassins was new to my ears.

Perhaps I do need to look for a little more Sondheim.

Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Staged in 1992
Released on video in 1993
(Amazon says this is a two-disc set and Netflix sent me only one disc that seems to contain a compilation of what is on the two-disc version. What gives?)

Cast: Bernadette Peters, Billy Stritch, Liza Minnelli, Glenn Close, Betty Buckley, Patti Lupone, Mark Jacoby, Dorothy Loudon, Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber, Bill Irwin, Jerry Hadley,