Era, Composer Recalled in Theaters of Vision’s “Harry, Who?”
REVIEW…
Jeepers Creepers, that's Lani Ridely Pedrini on stage at "Harry Who?"--photo by Bill Peters
It’s as if someone slipped in the back door and left a package filled with great entertainment and songs of a by-gone era. That is pretty much what happened when Lani Ridley Pedrini and her Theaters of Vision Productions joined with the Ambassador Foundation last Saturday to bring some 160 performers to the stage of the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena for an all-singing, all-dancing show devoted exclusively to the music of Harry Warren.
Calling it a “community outreach benefit” the show called on nine performing groups and eight soloists to display their talents. The groups are to enjoy net proceeds from the matinee and evening shows presented last Saturday to enhance the treasuries of the San Gabriel Valley performance ensembles.
The show sort of slipped into town with little fanfare for its one-day, two-show performance, in the same way that Harry Warren, the composer of hundreds of hit songs, has remained unsung—until Pedrini decided to focus on Warren’s music to remind us that the prolific composer is deeply embedded in the fabric of American music.
Warren was responsible, along with some of the best lyricists of the 1920′s through the 1940′s, for such tunes as “Chattanooga Choo-Choo”, “Serenade in Blue” and “At Last” from the Glenn Miller era; and the 1930′s movie-musicals such as “42nd Street” and “Dames” that featured song hits like “I Only Have Eyes for You”, “Shuffle off the Buffalo” and “Lullaby of Broadway”.
Emcee-narrator for the production was a suave Michael Shaughnessy who got things off in an almost startling way with the presentation of Warren’s 1923 hit, “Home in Pasadena”. Shaughnessy had a lively script that kept the audience informed about Warren’s life and his music. David Miller, co-chair of the production and conductor of the Theaters of Vision All Star Community Orchestra, kept the music upbeat and supportive through the 20 numbers presented.
Dancers from Rose City Ballroom offered slick dancing in several numbers and The Tap Chicks clogged their way into our hearts. Denise Harvey belted two songs in the vaunted cabaret style and Mark Anton in “Serenade in Blue” was dressed for the part—right down to the black and white shoes. Pam Feener demonstrated a fine Broadway voice and Producer Lani Ridley Pedrini colorfully soloed in “We’re in the Money”, aided by the Tap Chicks, and with Feener and Charles Offenhauser sang “Jeepers Creepers”.
Bill Brunold sang “I Found a Million Dollar Baby”, Paula Montgomery sang “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” to fine effect and Jack Walsh, who appeared throughout the show in various skits, did a wonderful song and dance man routine with Shaughnessy in “You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me”, but outdid himself in “Away Down South in Heaven” dressed as a woman singer bearing a scraggly wig and a thrift-store gown.
A trio from Monrovia’s Centre Stage Dance Academy portrayed the 1930′s popular singers, the Boswell Sisters, the Towne Singers backed Harvey in “At Last” with great harmonic balance, Temple City High School’s Brighter Side Singers energetically presented “Chattanooga Choo-Choo”, the male chapter of the Tap Chicks, The Testoster Tones, clicked their heels to “42nd Street”, and SambaLa Samba School dancers were seen in “She’s a Latin from Manhattan”.
Other members of the production team were Pam Kay of the Tap Chicks who served as Choreographer and Charles Offenhauser who was Technical Director. Offenhauser developed a colorful stage and lighting for the show well in keeping with the era’s Technicolor quality. Doug Huse, Vice-President, Director of Operations and General Manager at the Ambassador Auditorium represented the Ambassador Foundation in a greeting beforehand.
Text and Photos by Bill Peters
1 Response for “Era, Composer Recalled in Theaters of Vision’s “Harry, Who?””
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Actually, most of the lighting design was by Sharon Alexander, who also called the show; cues where set and executed by David Lombardi. Offenhauser provided props and soft goods for the performance.