Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938. We welcomed decaffeinated coffee, Nylon, LSD, Superman, Bugs Bunny and ballpoint pens. We also heard new tunes by Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, and Kurt Weill. Perhaps 1938 did not contribute the most familiar songs along the Great White Way, but in the pantheon of solid musical theatre, the year more than held its own, and so does Scott Siegel, producer and host of these entertaining evenings at Town Hall.

Broadway Musicals of 1938 again featured some of the leading performers on Broadway. Aaron Lazar, fiery in the current production of Les Miserables, was equally sizzling here with Sarah Uriarte Berry singing "It Never Was You" from Knickerbocker Holiday. In her crystalline tone, Berry poignantly delivered "Spring Is Here" (I Married An Angel). From the same show, Hugh Panaro delivered "I Married An Angel" with boyish charm. Barbara Walsh was a sophisticated standout with of "No, You Can't Have My Heart" from You Never Know.

With her own steamy flair and a little help from Scott Siegel as "Daddy," Shannon Lewis reprised "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," the tune that put Mary Martin on the theatre map in Leave It To Me. Another firecracker was Connie Pachl, belting "Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love" from Leave It To Me. Also upbeat, a novelty number, "The Dying Cowboy", from Girl From Wyoming performed by Martin Vidnovic, Hugh Panaro and Adam Lazar, neared the edges of overblown, but still contained real comic moments.

Unplugged renditions were sublime, including Lazar's Act One closer, "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (from Right This Way), Martin Vidnovic's "I'll Tell the Man in the Street," from I Married an Angel and Vidnovic's "September Song" (Knickerbocker Holiday). Also without a mike, Christiane Noll's "Falling in Love with Love" (The Boys From Syracuse), was splendid in voice, phrasing and interpretation.

1938 was also the year of Hitler's Kristallnacht and Anschluss. Broadway's reflections of the darker times were evidenced in songs like "Joe Worker" performed by robust Ray McLeod from Cradle Will Rock and Barbara Walsh's "Nickel Under Your Foot" from the same show.

Choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler stepped onstage to perform a joyous singing, dancing "Rick-a-Tinka Man" from Who's Who. Director Emily Skinner closed the show with "I'll Be Seeing You" (Right This Way), reprised a cappella by the ensemble. Supplying his usual top-notch musical support was musical director/arranger/pianist, Ross Patterson and his Little Big Band.

One last interesting point was that in 1938, Broadway featured only 98 shows, below the 100 mark, which had held since 1901. Wow, has that changed!

The Town Hall series continues on April 30 with The Broadway Musicals of 1959 and The Broadway Musicals of 1964, Part II in June.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
March 26, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org