RECOMMENDED
Broadway Holiday
creation & musical direction by Neil Berg
Geffen Playhouse
through January 2, 2011
New York veteran Neil Berg is well known for his acclaimed musical revue 100 Years of Broadway, and in this version, now @ the Geffen, five glorious singers perform a combination of Broadway standards and Christmas tunes, mostly made famous in shows or films.
Great talents Carter Calvert, Rita Harvey, Marc Kudisch, Jeffry Denman and Ivan Rutherford sing solo and together with Berg at the piano, Roger Cohen on drums and Mickey Hachey on bass.
Highlights include: "Give My Regards to Broadway", "Cell Block Tango", "Bring Him Home", "Singing in the Rain", "Rich Man", "Memory", "Think of Me", a very delightful "Oh Hanukkah/Oh Christmas Tree" medley with Kudisch and Denman strutting their wonderful stuff, and "Phantom of the Opera" sung exquisitely by Harvey. Christmas tunes from shows include: "Hard Candy Christmas" from Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Meet Me in St Louis, "White Christmas" and "We Need a Little Christmas" from Mame.
Stage setting of giant Christmas trees against a full backup screen used for projections throughout is designed by Patrick Keough and seasonally pretty.
This is a very enjoyable evening of song with some exceedingly talented folks, that is laid back and bound to please, as long as you don't expect anything out of the blue. I liked it a lot but would have appreciated a surprise or two.
4 out of 5 stars
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