If there was one thing that the Lyric Theatre Singers wanted to prove with their musical revue show "Forever Broadway", is that songs that were first introduced in musical productions on the Great White Way decades ago have the power to be endurable, easily recognizable and continually entertaining.
And in that respect, they have succeeded in a big way.
The show, which plays for a limited run at the D.B. Clarke Theatre, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. in downtown Montreal, until June 14, pays tribute to 90 years of selected Broadway musical tunes that have become song standards. From "No, No Nanette" to "Fiddler on the Roof" to "Ain't Misbehavin'" to "Avenue Q", the Lyric Theatre Singers delivered a highly entertaining repertoire -- through ensemble chorale performances and energetic medleys from such shows as "Mary Poppins", "Little Shop of Horrors" (and even the short-lived, much-lamented NBC series "Smash") -- that made for a enjoyable showcase of Broadway's greatest tunes. A couple of personal favorites include the group's performance of "Till There Was You" from "The Music Man" (I am more familiar with the 1963 cover version that was done by the Beatles) and the delightfully amusing "Stepsisters' Lament" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1957 production of "Cinderella".
Through the masterful direction of Bob Bachelor and Chris Barillaro, as well as the choreography of Mary Sarli, the Lyric Theatre Singers, many of whom are amateur performers, show that they have the talent and passion to both sing and dance. In fact, if there is such a thing as perfect thing, this ensemble showed it in spades; in fact, there was never a note or chord that was out of place.
"Forever Broadway" is a show that proves tunes that were originally composed and performed for the Broadway stage as early as the 1920s have a lasting legacy to North American popular music to this day.
For more information, or to get your tickets, go to www.lyrictheatrecompany.com.
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