A Musical Showcase

A musical revue involving some 50 songs stretching over eras from Give My Regards to Broadway to modern Dreamgirls is a tall order for any company but this club sailed through maintaining their high standards throughout. Good strong singing and well rehearsed routines characterised the show. The club showcased  not only the musicals but also their talents. Unifying the whole was the storyline of young Tony scoffing at his Grandma's choice of music, being introduced to a wealth of music by a New York ticketeer and being brought to appreciate their wonder and joy. The first group of songs introduced the notion of showbiz with favourites like Comedy Tonight and There's no Business like Show Business before moving into selections from West Side Story, where soloists Allan Cochrane and Gillian Black brought Maria and Somewhere to life; then to Mary Poppins with a well performed Chim Chim Cher-ee and well sung songs Spoonful of Sugar (Anne Morrison) and Feed The Birds (Elaine Paterson with Anne Morrison); and to Rodgers & Hammerstein with moving numbers So in Love (Roland Russell and Anne Morrison) and If I Loved You. Closing the first half with a change of pace and energy  were Motown, The Musical and Beautiful. The second half opened with youngsters showcasing their talents in It's a Hard Knock Life and Consider Yourself while the young soloist Andrew Docherty sang Electricity with wonderful voice control. He was followed by Roslyn Bayley who sang a haunting Castle on A Cloud. A medley from Frozen and Wicked came before the penultimate selection from Les Miserables which entertained with lovely harmonies and heartfelt solos - I Dreamed a Dream (Elaine Paterson) and On my Own (Lorna McGowan)  interspersed with the comedic and well delivered Master of the House. The last selection from Dream Girls featured Emma Rodger, Carlie Slamin and Gillian Black which climaxed the show. Memorable were the choral arrangements for songs like Tonight, and Supercacalifagilisticexpialidocious, the carefully choreographed tableaux, and colourful, quick changes of costume.  Effective lighting and projections of appropriate background scenes added to the ambiance and spectacle. The evening flashed by. Congratulations to all.

Thanks to Elizabeth Donald, Regional Representative NODA District 3 for providing this report.

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