The Broadway Musicals of 1988 cast included Farah Alvin, Lisa Brescia, Scott Coulter (who directed the show), Kevin Earley, Howard McGillin, Jennifer Hope Wills and The Broadway By the Year Chorus  (photo by Maryann Lopinto)

 “The Broadway Musicals of 1988”

Presented one night only

Wow! On May 3, 2013, A capacity audience attended the 50^th concert of the popular Monday night “Broadway by the Year” series presented at The Town Hall. Hosted as it has been since 2000 by its creator-writer Scott Siegel the program veered sharply from its more traditional format for an exceptionally rewarding, musically rich experience. As expected Siegel shared with us some of the newsy highlights of the year 1988 the year that Irving Berlin celebrated his 100^th birthday. You could say it was all an all-singing-no-dancing-no-comedy program that surprisingly, under the nifty direction of Scott Coulter, proved to be one of the most exhilarating of the entire series.

With its primary focus on such musical dramas as “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Legs Diamond,” “Chess,” and “Carrie,” there was, nevertheless, a sweet sampling from “Romance, Romance” the program’s only bow to musical comedy. Also pressed into the otherwise heady mix was a song from the forgotten “Mail,” and a rousing choral number “Lift Me Up” from the oratorio “The Gospel at Colonus” that showed off the Broadway By The Year Chorus featuring impressive singing by Kyle Scatliffe and Carlton Terrence Taylor Jr.

For the most part, it was Howard McGillin’s night as he thrilled us as “The Phantom,” the acclaimed role he played on Broadway for a total of 2,544 performances. You could say this was his 2,545^th performances as he put his sturdy voice, as well as his heart and soul into three musically thrilling scenes from the longest running pop-opera in Broadway history, each segment prompting cheers from the audience. Singing up an emotional storm with him was Jennifer Hope Wills whose silvery soprano voice provided even more shivers of delight as she sang the close-to-show-stopping “Unsuspecting Hearts” from the infamous horror musical “Carrie.” Another knock-out performance was given by Lisa Brecsia singing “I Remember How those Boys Could Dance” from the same musical. 

The terrifically talented Brescia reminded us she had “Technique” to spare from “Mail,” and “The Music Went Out of My Life” from “Legs Diamond,” reminders that many fine songs came out of flop shows. She was joined by the terrific Scott Coulter and Kevin Earley to revisit the gems within Keith Herrmann/Barry Harman’s “Romance, Romance.” I’ve always felt that the Tim Rice/Bjorn Ulvaeus’ “Chess” had one of the great musical theater scores, and the talented Farah Alvin brought it into perspective again with an impassioned “Someone Else’s Story.” The Ross Patterson Little Big Band provided splendid support.