Rosemary Loar
Everything’s Coming Up Rosie
Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, November 13, 2019
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Eliza Doolittle, Rose Hovack, Norma Desmond, Mame Dennis, and the Grinch all showed up one evening at Don’t Tell Mama to sing their songs, but given the limits of stage space they agreed to all be represented by one remarkable performer—Rosemary Loar. With a voice that ranges from classical soprano to swinging dame and an engaging sense of humor, Loar offered an evening of “every song I’ve done in a show…. or should have” and then quickly reassured the audience with a sly smile, “it’s okay, I’m not bitter.”
The evening offered an interesting mix of songs performed as they are in their original shows (“I’m changing character”) and those she dubbed “out of school versions.” The latter included a swinging “Almost Like Being in Love” and an R & B arrangement of “What I Did for Love,” both artfully constructed by music director Frank Ponzio and herself. There was also a wonderfully Eartha Kittish rendition of “One of a Kind” (Mel Marvin and Albert Hague) from How the Grinch Stole Christmas and a gentler than usual but highly effective “Shine It On.”
Even more impressive were her recreations of roles she had played. Despite her slightly mocking attitude to the reinventions, her renditions of “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “With One Look,” and “If He Walked Into My Life” were filled with dramatic details of the very different women she brought to life, if only in brief segments. She brought a shimmering operatic tone to her version of “Tonight” and a dynamic transformation into the ultimate stage mother for “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.”
In addition to Ponzio, fine musical support was provided by bassist Tom Hubbard. The entire production was guided by the tasteful touch of director Barry Kleinbort. The program may not have been typical Loar with less emphasis on the jazz side of her talent, but it was a joy to experience.
