An embarrassment of musical riches and an abundance of spirit characterized "Songs, Laughter and Surprises!" the Independence Day eve Arts Project of Cherry Grove show, directed by John De Marco, with Christopher Vassiliades at the keyboards, choreography by David Auxier, and sets by Eddie Knasiak, at the Community House.

At the start of the show, we were welcomed twice, once gently, by Colm Reilly, inviting "Come with me and we'll be in a world of pure imagination," and then energetically, by David, Dale Lally, Colm, and the rest of the company, in "Magic to Do," from "Pippin." Colm later urged, "(Let your hair down and) Go on and Cry," beginning quietly, before letting all the stops out. Dale, in P.T. Barnum mode, advised cynically, "There's a sucker born every minute," and was Ricky/Desi/Cuban Pete to Tony Bondi's Lucy/Sally Sweet, jitterbugging to "Chick, chicky boom." Tony sang "Stormy Weather" in his own voice, despite all the best efforts of Martha Pitkin, Lynne Tunderman and the rest of the crew to distract.

Thom "Panzi" Hansen, probing gender confusion, explained, "Masculine women, feminine men ... it's hard to tell 'em apart today," and dropped the names of Wendy Lewis, Bella, Bobbie and Doreen, Tall Paul Jablonski, and Marge Cozzolino in the course of the song. Admitting later to an unprecedented love, Panzi addressed an ardent ode to baseball's Derek Jeter.

Denise Dell Harbin, as a trapeze artist, all aches and pains, and Ken Woodhouse, trying to buck her up, joined forces for "Send in the Clowns." When Dell's faulty mic came to life with an explosive pop, she mimed getting shot.

Ruth and Susan Freedner advised, "Be a Clown"-who knew that that song had so many words?-and everybody loved them. "Baby cried the day the circus came to town," Ruth began, touchingly, and warned, "Don't cry out loud." To the tune of "Downtown," Susan lamented the ubiquity of "Duane Reade," and, with Chris' encouragement, we would soon be singing along with the refrain.

Celebrating Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday year with "Everybody Says Don't," from "Anyone Can Whistle," Sherri Rase lyrically advised rebellion against heavy-handed authority, an appropriate sentiment for Pride and Invasion season.

James Duus sang an intricately tongue-twisting patter song and invited us to sing along-yeah, right!-and getting into the habit, as Sister Mary Robert Anne, from "Nunsense," made us aware of a craving for center stage, declaring, "I Just Want to Be a Star."

Cabaret's Jeanne McDonald wistfully, and with polish, confided, "I'd like to be a lion tamer," with the object of her interest, oddly here, male, and lent a tangy voice to her looks at life and love from "Both Sides Now."

A colorful Bob "Ruby Delight" Verbrugge favored us with a wide-ranging Yma Sumac number and later, beside the piano, examined "The Colors of my Love."
David, with intensity, wished, in Jacques Brel's song, "If I could be for an hour ... cute, cute, cute in a stupid ass way!" and tried to let a potential pick-up down gently, because, he sang frankly, "I'm not that interested."

"I don't want to be young," Jim Speake protested, observing, with relief, "Thank God, I'm old." "I'm a brass band," he announced, and the company continued with "Just follow the band," which included Panzi on tuba, James on trumpet, Dell on saxophone, Robin Kradles as a majorette, and John on drum, for a lively first act finale.

Grouped around the piano, an exceptionally refined quintet, made up of David, John, James, Jeanne and Sherri, led us into act two with a dulcet offer of a cup of "Java." The full company faced life's challenges and surprises, lurking behind a series of "Doors," in the song from Maltby and Shire's "Closer than Ever." Chris, at the synthesizer, sang a paean to "Golden Showers"-kinky! Tough guy Sally Ann Piacentino admitted to an apt romantic soft spot-"Once in Love with Amy"-with sing-along on the refrain.

Lana Kelly seduced us by singing a hot "At Last." A sultry Robin shared some of the hard truths she'd learned about cataclysmic events that are not all they're cracked up to be, singing "Is That All There Is?" Bill Perez dramatically confessed to a hopeless love in "Mad About the Boy," with topical references to Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, George Clooney-and Mel Gibson-somehow Myrna Loy got into the act as well.

"Before the Parade Passes By," from "Hello, Dolly," sung by the full cast, served as the show's dynamic finale.