Rose Levine, on the Cherry Grove stage more than 50 years, can still put on quite a show, as she proved at the Community House on August 8 in "Lights, Camera, Action!" under the auspices of the Arts Project of Cherry Grove. Kenny Rahtz was at her side onstage, Michael James Roy was at the piano, and William "George" McGarvey choreographed and designed a striking setting, decorated with plaques bearing the names of favorite composers and lyricists Kander and Ebb, Cole Porter, Jerry Herman, Irving Berlin, Stephen Sondheim, Jule Stein, and Rodgers and Hart, and boasting an elegant candelabra-cum-chandelier, hanging behind the piano. The aforementioned creators were invoked repeatedly during the enjoyable evening, as Rose and company illuminated their classic compositions.

Rose got the ball rolling with "Johnny One Note," her Johnny concluding with a triumphant high note indeed, followed by, in contrast, a quietly moving "Ten Cents a Dance." After she and Kenny reminisced about the shows they've done together, they sparred in "I Wish I Was/We Wish We Were in Love Again," and swore eternal affection in a medley of "Friendship," "You're the Top," and "Delovely." Rose took note of fortunate happenstance in "Small World, Isn't It," from "Gypsy," and she and Kenny reunited to observe, affectionately, "I still get jealous (when they look at you)," complete with choreography and an ending sealed with a kiss.

In a Kander and Ebb group, Rose confided that the secret to success is to "Razzle Dazzle" the audience, augmented "Nowadays" with high kicks from those million dollar legs, and, with Kenny, wondered "What ever happened to class?" Evoking Gwen Verdon and Liza Minnelli here, with her white tails and walking stick, Rose bravely faced adversity in "The World Goes 'Round" and brought down the house as she limned her beloved "New York, New York," which deservedly got mid-song applause.

Saluting Sondheim and "Follies," Kenny's "Beautiful Girls" reintroduced the heroine of the hour, reminiscing about a long career, rich in event and incident, in "I'm Still Here," and fervently strutting her stuff in "Broadway Baby."

Moving on to Herman, Rose became Mame, in torch song mode, wondering, ruefully, what she'd do if "that boy with the bugle" "walked into [her] life today," after which she and Kenny dished each other in a rollicking "Bosom Bodies." After a proud "I Am What I Am" ("La Cage aux Folles"), which Rose aptly called "an anthem for all of us," she proceeded to Berlin, probing loves wistful, in "I Got Lost in His Arms," and brassy, in "I Love a Piano." In the latter, which included an instrumental interlude for Michael, she joined him, briefly, on the bench for a little piano four hands. Kenny's "I Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night" led into lively duets with Rose, "I Hear Singing" ("You're Just in Love") and "Old Fashioned Wedding."

Rose closed with signature song "Rose of Washington Square," as "Rose of Cherry Grove Fame," the first song she ever sang in a Grove show and a favorite of the late Jeanne Skinner, which Rose dedicated to the memory of our Postmistress.

Our Rose: what a treasure! Long may she grace the stage!