The year was 1959. The hula hoop was new, the Barbie Doll was new, and cabaret star Jeff Harnar was new. In celebration, Jeff, serving as artistic director for this May’s edition of the 92^nd Street Y’s Lyrics & Lyricists series, departed from its traditional focus on one lyricist at a time and, instead, delivered one of its most sparkling, most professional evenings in recent years: The 1959 Broadway Songbook.

Shows in theaters that year included Bells Are Ringing, Fiorello, Flower Drum Song. Gypsy, Jamaica, The Music Man, My Fair Lady, Once Upon a Mattress, The Sound of Musi, West Side Story and more – almost two dozen musicals and revues. Their lyricists: Hammerstein, Harnick, Harburg, Sondheim, Mercer, Lerner, Blitzstein, Walter and Jean Kerr, Meredith Willson and others.

Anchored with fine singing by Sarah Uriarte Berry, David Burnham, Sally Mayes, guest star Donna McKechnie, and Jeff himself doubling as host, the evening took the form of a faux-mini-musical, with many of the songs grouped in themed medleys. With musical arrangements and supervision by Alex Rybeck, and Paul Greenwood as musical director, the program emerged as an elegant production, neatly paced and warm-spirited. Hats off to Harner, whose continues to surpass himself as a winning performer and imaginative creative force.

Final program in the series: the weekend of May 31 to June 2, with Andrea Marcovicci as artistic director and host.

Peter Haas
Cabaret Scenes
May 3, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org