The final Broadway at the Beach of the series’ 10th season at the Ice Palace took place on Labor Day and was a terrific show indeed! Brandon Cutrell hosted, pianist Joshua Stephen Kartes was at the Privia, and Chuck McTague was in the DJ booth.
To open, Joshua played and sang a jazzily embellished “Corner of the Sky,” from Stephen Schwartz’s “Pippin.” Founding Broadway at the Beach Music Director Ray Fellman put in a welcome guest appearance and assisted this writer with “So in Love,” from Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me Kate.” Joshua returned to the piano and more Porter followed, Meg Doherty’s caressing, beautifully sung “Night and Day,” from “The Gay Divorce,” at once romantic and swinging, which she dedicated to yours truly.
Fine singer Abby Burke sang a hot “It Hurt So Bad,” by Susan Tedeschi, and fearlessly faced life with “Always Starting Over,” from Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s “If/Then.”
Ariel Sinclair threatened that “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” and, as shy librarian Gladys Finkelstein, serenaded a dildo with “I Honestly Love You.” Ariel also brought Brandon and company a 10th anniversary cake.
Lyric baritone Seph Stanek seduced us with dulcetly-sung love song “Song on the Sand,” from Jerry Herman’s “La Cage aux Folles;” offered a unique recipe for an indigestible “Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise,” courtesy of William Bolcom; and sang the tongue-twisty names of almost all the countries of the world to the tune of the “Mexican Hat Dance.” He and Abby found each other in “Suddenly Seymour,” from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Broadway’s Michelle Dowdy, veteran of the first night of “Broadway at the Beach,” then called “Mostly Sondheim,” 10 years ago, was certainly cooking as she assured us that “I Can Cook, Too,” from Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green’s “On the Town;” sang an intense “You Oughta Know,” the Alanis Morissette song; let us know that “She’s hot for Sidney;” and wondered ruefully “What Did Have That I Don’t Have Now?” from Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner’s “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.”
Meg glowed from an intimate encounter in “Miss Bird Is Singing” and she and Abby sang us out in style with “Ladies Who Lunch,” from Stephen Sondheim’s “Company,” and Kander and Ebb’s “New York, New York.”