2009-2010
SCREEN GEMS – Songs of Old Hollywood
Laurie Beechman Theatre
Written by Roy Sander
Bistro Awards
Sarah Rice is part of our theatrical history, having been the original Johanna in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on Broadway. In her entertaining new cabaret show of songs from or about "old Hollywood," it is evident that thirty years later her voice remains a ravishing instrument. What's more, this show gives her the chance to demonstrate a range of acting skills that Johanna did not permit. Her considerable talents combine most strikingly in Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's "Pirate Jenny." Not only is her acting commanding and her singing exemplary, she has modified Michael Feingold's English translation to create a version that has the grit of Feingold's but some of the lyricism of Marc Blitzstein's popular translation. The result is quite simply the best and most riveting rendition of "Pirate Jenny" I've ever heard. (OK, the connection with old Hollywood is a bit tenuous inasmuch as the 1931 film of Threepenny Opera was made in Germany, but doubtless Lotte Lenya paid a visit to Hollywood at one time or other).
About as far away from Brecht as one can possibly get is a lovely Disney segment: Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman's "The Age of Not Believing" (from Bedknobs and Broomsticks) and a medley of "I'm Wishing" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" (both by Larry Morey and Frank Churchill and both from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), all beautifully sung. Also in the anti-Brecht category is "He's So Unusual" (Al Lewis, Al Sherman, Abner Silver) a delightful novelty number from 1929 about a young man who clearly has no romantic interest in the singer in particular and, one suspects, in girls in general (he was "weak in his sheikin'"); Rice does it à la Helen Kane, who introduced it in Sweetie, and she's very funny.
Among the earliest selections in the show is a medley of "Hindustan" (Oliver G. Wallace, Harold Weeks, 1918) and "The Sheik of Araby" (Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler, Ted Snyder, written in 1921 in honor of Rudolph Valentino and The Sheik). The first time through, Rice does the latter song from the sheik's perspective as he tries to seduce the woman, then she sings it from the point of view of the object of his desire, who is clearly delighted that she gave in. Very nice. Speaking of giving in, eleven years later, Pola Negri introduced "Paradise" (Nacio Herb Brown, Gordon Clifford, from A Woman Commands), which was originally banned from radio play because the humming sections of the lyric were considered too arousing. Indeed, the song is overtly and rather startlingly sexual, but at the same time understated and elegant; Rice's performance is all of the above—and also charming, though if I may cavil, I think that stepping down into the audience mid-song is a distraction with insufficient payoff.
There are other impressive numbers, among them: a smoldering medley of "Temptation" (Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed), "Jalousie" (Vera Bloom, Jacob Gade), and "Revenge" (Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Harry Akst); and an exquisitely interpreted pairing of Meredith Willson's "My White Knight" and "Bill" (Jerome Kern, P.G. Wodehouse, Oscar Hammerstein II). In addition, Rice does original versions of a couple of songs that are an order of magnitude better than the versions that became popular hits: "The Song from Moulin Rouge" (music by Georges Auric, English lyrics based on French lyrics by Jacques Larue), and the lovely theme from Romeo and Juliet, "What Is a Youth?" (music by Nino Rota, lyrics by Eugene Walter); both are lovely and richly atmospheric.
Rice's patter is informative and amusingly sly. JoAnn Yeoman directed, and Rice and Seth Weinstein supplied the arrangements. The very good accompaniment is provided by Weinstein on piano (he also does a swell job as the wishing-well echo), Ritt Henn on bass, and Bobby Sher on percussion.
~ Roy Sander
Written by Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
October 17, 2009
For a guided tour through varied vintage movie melodies, Sarah Rice’s show is just the ticket. The aptly-named Screen Gems dusts off some antiques, including fairly unusual items like “He’s So Unusual.” This treatment and context given for this saucy little number once chirped by Helen Kane, the model for Betty Boop, is an example of the loving care given by informed curator Ms. Rice, who sure does adore the lore and the lure of the oldies. A tune treasurer, her knowledge-sharing remains interesting, not overly professorial. She’s comfortable and cozy wrapping her golden soprano in their sheet music and like a song plugger of yore, she sells you on their charms. And hers. I particularly enjoyed the historical digging. My only dig (of the other kind) is to say that, with thousands of songs, it seems a waste to include some not originally written for film.
From the many Disney scores, there‘s the refreshing choice, “The Age of Not Believing,” sung warmly and engagingly, with Snow White’s “I’m Wishing” as well (hidden pun), echoed by pianist Seth Weinstein (more interaction between the two seems in order). Gloriously sung, or held back, the showcase presents different sides of the radiant Rice voice.
~ Rob Lester
Written by Andrew Martin
NightLife Exchange
March 2010
RICE IS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS AT THE BEECHMAN
If the glorious gods that govern cabaret were to take the coloratura vocal stylings and elegance of Barbara Cook, merge them with the earthiness and humor of Baby Jane Dexter, and wrap the whole package in a unique bundle of sparkle, the end result would without question be Sarah Rice. A Broadway legend perhaps best known for creating the role of Johanna in the original production of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the revival of her acclaimed act Screen Gems: Songs Of Old Hollywood (which re-launched in early February and will run at the Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street through the end of April, on selected nights and times), is, quite simply, one of those evenings where one feels Beechman herself is looking down upon the room from the heavens and applauding with reckless abandon.
From the opening strains of "At The Moving Picture Ball" coupled with "The Vamp," and a delightful array of anecdotes about such silent film stars as Theda Bara ("Her favorite thing in the whole world was to stay home and make cabbage soup"), Mary Pickford ("She was rather like Shirley Temple meets Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?") and Rudolph Valentino ("He was the only star in the world to have both candy AND condoms named after him"), Rice hits her stride with a medley of "The Age Of Not Believing," "I'm Wishing" and "Someday My Prince Will Come." Once firmly flying high in this particular holding pattern, from there the evening soars to the skies on an unequaled trip that takes us through a coupling of "Hindustan" and "The Sheik Of Araby," the Helen Kane hit "He's So Unusual," sprinkled with the appropriate Noo Yawk accent and boop-boopy-doops, and a true standout, "Paradise," originally made famous by Pola Negri, and which could not be more captivating on every level. A three-song medley of "Temptation," "Jalousie" and "Revenge" is actually trumped in spite of itself by a delivery of Kurt Weill's "Pirate Jenny," so breathtaking and definitive that Rice has virtually claimed the song as her own for now and time immemorial, and by the time she eases into the "Italian Street Song" from Victor Herbert's Naughty Marietta, she has transformed herself before our eyes into a Nordic Saraghina, who wouldn't be out of place in Fellini's legendary film 8 1/2.
After a guest appearance by the brilliant chanteur Frank Basile (currently also loaning his musical talents to the Twyla Tharp-Frank Sinatra composition "Come Fly Away" on Broadway at the Marquis Theater) on a duet of the title number from The Desert Song, by Sigmund Romberg, Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein, the surprises continue to unfold as Rice unleashes an impeccable rendering of the Yma Sumac chestnut "Taka Rari," in which she somehow manages to assume an authentic Peruvian mountain dialect besides all of the requisite and flawless vocal sounds. As if none of this is enough, her eleven o'clock number is a coupling of Meredith Willson's "My White Knight" with "Bill" from Show Boat, impressive enough to cause the audience to momentarily stop breathing. And by the time Rice brings the evening to a close, with a singularly unique version of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini's "Moon River," the crowd gathered is not merely her fans but a worshiping cult.
Equally remarkable are the musicians Rice has gathered for this evening. John DiPinto is simply superb on both piano and synthesizer (and possibly never more so than on "Temptation"), the indomitable bassist Ritt Henn is in top form (and especially on "What Is A Youth?" from the 1968 Zeffirelli film of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) and Bobby Sher's multi-layered percussion is absolutely scrumptious at every turn. Director JoAnn Yeoman should be extremely content with such effervescent handling of the evening, as should Seth Weinstein for the splendiferous musical arrangements he co-created with Rice.
There are no words left to speak. Whether Sarah Rice makes her next appearance in Screen Gems or an entirely new cabaret vehicle, one simply must run and not walk to see and hear the power and the glory that will surely be her performance.
~ Andrew Martin
Written by Suzanna Bowling
Times Square Chronicles
March 2010
Sarah Rice Heats up The Stage!
Sarah Rice, the original Johanna in Sweeney Todd was the idol of sopranos after she gloriously sang “Green Finch and Linnet Bird.” Now, she celebrates her idols in Screen Gems at the West Bank Cafe/Laurie Beechman Theatre at 407 West 42nd Street.
For lovers of the silent and not so silent past, this is a gloriously sung tribute. During most sopranos’ performances, audience members are so besieged with high notes that border on shrill that they pray for the lower register. However, Rice’s sumptuous bell tones have you wishing for more and more you get. Her voice sounds simply effortless, and her unforced warmth has the dulcet tones of a mother singing, just for you.
Disney favorites "I'm Wishing" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" are prime examples. And not only can she sing; she can act, too. Beginning at the top of the show Rudy Valentino, Mary Pickford and Theda Bara entertain us. "He's So Unusual." Originally sung by Helen Kane and later by Cyndi Lauper, the song is the straight girl’s ode about a guy who’s just not that into her or most likely any girl. Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's "Pirate Jenny," is a haunting tour de force that has me wondering why Rice hasn’t been cast as the Beggar Women in Sweeney Todd. “Temptation, Italian Street Song” and Yma Sumac’s “Taki Rari” showed a sense of humor and vocal gymnastics that Rice makes appear effortless. Her musicality is accented with tambourines, maracas and castanets.
Guest star Mark Watson joined Rice for “Wanting You” and their chemistry was reminiscent of Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel, the original stars of Kiss Me, Kate. For those of you who miss a true soprano Sarah Rice is sure to please. You can catch her April 2nd and 26th at 7:00 pm; and Friday, April 30th at 8:00 pm. On Piano and wishing well; John DiPinto shined as did Ritt Henn, on Bass and Bobby Sher on Drums.
~ Suzanna Bowling
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