Barry Manilow’s Concord Satisfies As It Remembers The Previous

From the second the present begins and the beautiful concord begins, you may really feel you’re in for one thing particular. The route and choreography by Warren Carlyle is so highly effective, brimming with coronary heart and soul. His choreography for “How Can I Serve You, Madame?” and “Come to the Fatherland” is ingenious.

Concord: A New Musical is predicated on the true life story of The Comic Harmonists, who had been internationally well-known. An all-male German shut concord ensemble that carried out between 1928 and 1934 as probably the most profitable musical teams in all of Europe earlier than World Warfare II. The group consisted of  Harry (Zal Owen), Erich (Eric Peters), Rabbi (Danny Kornfeld), Bobby (Sean Bell), Chopin ( Blake Roman) and Lesh (Steven Telsey). 3 had been Jewish and Chopin was married to a Jewish girl, Ruth (The fabulous Julie Benko).

Think about being greater than The Beatles, The Monkees, The Jackson 5, The Osmonds, the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC or One Route and being obliterated due to the Nazis. That’s what occurred to The Comic Harmonists. Now due to Concord: A New Musical, written by the legendary Barry Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman their story lives once more.

Of their day The Comic Harmonists made 21 movies and 13 albums.

Rabbi (a outstanding Chip Zein), the group’s solely survivor is tasked with telling and remembering the previous and bringing again to life what was coldly erased.

The primary act breezes together with Rabbi assembly his spouse Mary (Sierra Boggess), The Comic Harmonists forming and regularly turning into well-known, and the approaching of Nazism, culminating with a bought out efficiency at Carnegie Corridor. They’re supplied a contract with NBC however, as an alternative, return to Germany as their loyalty is to their nation.

Then the second act begins, which is devastating and sadly predictable if you understand historical past. Have your Kleenex prepared.

The music by Barry Manilow and lyrics by Bruce Sussman is musical theatre nirvana. The orchestration by Doug Walter and vocal preparations by Manilow and John O’Neil is elegant, complicated and satisfying. That is just like the scores that appear forgotten, that made me fall in love with musicals. I can see “This Is Our Time,” “Each Single Day,” and “Stars In The Evening” being sung for years. Don’t go anticipating typical Barry Manilow’s hits —  that is one thing rather more complicated, wealthy and satisfying.

Then there may be the solid. Ms. Boggess floats the soprano notes in “And What Do You See?” and “The place Do You Go” like a nightingale. Ms. Benko, flexes her performing chops and finishes with an outstanding belt. Every of the members of the The Comic Harmonists are given an opportunity to shine. Roman is winsome, because the matinee idol and Peters is a standout because the nobleman hiding his previous. Telsey, Owen and Bell, every have their very own profitable moments as properly. Kornfeld, since he’s the youthful model of Rabbi will get greater than the remaining and handles it fantastically. Additionally Allison Grimes as Josephine Baker does a knock out job in “We’re Goin’ Loco!” however it’s Chip Zein that ought to be seeing some award love, for the a number of roles he embodies. Sadly his music “Threnody” which was a tour de pressure, at Folksbein is a a lot tamer model on Broadway.

Beowulf Boritt’s scenic design, Linda Cho & Ricky Lurie’s costumes, Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer’s lighting, Dan Moses Schreier’s sound design and batwin + robin productions inc., video are completed to perfection. Bravo!

In a season the place hate has reared it’s ugly head once more, Concord is a a lot wanted reminder of what can occur.

Concord: A New Musical: Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 West forty seventh Avenue.