Lerner And Loewe

Over the past season, the Annapolis Chorale's musical director, J. Ernest Green, has been building a repertory group of soloists for popular and classical concerts. Last February with "Guys and Dolls," he introduced soprano Amy Cofield, bass-baritone Stephen Markuson and tenor Tom Magette. Elizabeth Saunders made her debut in September at the opening pop concert, "Celebration of Song." Because I had heard these artists, "Brigadoon" held great promise for Saturday, but what a special musical evening it was. The chorale's version of Lerner and Loewe's first hit sparkled with excitement from the first note.

Lerner and Loewe's Brigadoon describes a mythical village in which 18th-century folks wake up for only one day after sleeping 100 years. Reckoning in performing arts time, one might say nine years between performances in Annapolis equals a "Brigadoon" century. In February 2000, Annapolis Chorale music director J. Ernest Green brought Brigadoon to Maryland Hall's stage in what he recalls as "only the second musical in our 'Broadway in Annapolis' series." When Brigadoon debuted on Broadway in 1947, it marked musical team Lerner and Loewe's first success and was followed by blockbusters My Fair Lady in 1956 and Camelot in 1960.

For the next two months, Chesapeake Music Hall will be a "loverly" spot with "My Fair Lady" in residence. Based on George Bernard Shaw's 1914 play "Pygmalion," this delightful musical has lyrics and dialogue by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. It opened on Broadway in March 1956 and ran for 2,717 performances, a record number then. "My Fair Lady" made Broadway musical history with Lerner and Loewe's score, which retained Shaw's sharp wit and added warmth, charm and enchanting melody.

In the nearly half-century since Camelot was first performed, our national self-image has altered. We no longer are as confident as we were in 1960, that we always use might to serve right. Perhaps that explains some of my disappointment in the production of Lerner and Loewe's musical running at the Hippodrome Theatre. But there are other reasons for discontent. If you go Camelot runs at the Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St., 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Saturdays; and 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m. Sundays through April 6. $25-$70.

For legions of musical theater fans, Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady" is the fairest of them all. Written in 1956, this musical based on George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion" is a witty exploration of altering class distinctions by acquiring proper speech. In the production running through April 23, the cast delivers all that is required, and more, to make "My Fair Lady" one of the best shows ever at Chesapeake Music Hall. The play opens outside Covent Garden, where Professor Henry Higgins takes notes on cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle's speech patterns.

In the nearly half-century since Camelot was first performed, our national self-image has altered. We no longer are as confident as we were in 1960, that we always use might to serve right. Perhaps that explains some of my disappointment in the production of Lerner and Loewe's musical running at the Hippodrome Theatre. But there are other reasons for discontent. If you go Camelot runs at the Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St., 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Saturdays; and 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m. Sundays through April 6. $25-$70.

Robert Goulet is in royal form in 'Camelot' at LyricRobert Goulet, who created the role of Lancelot in "Camelot" almost a quarter century ago, returns to the Lerner and Loewe musical as King Arthur in a national touring production that begins a two-week run at the Lyric Opera House Tuesday.Based on T. H. White's "The Once and Future King," "Camelot" includes such Lerner and Loewe standards as "If Ever I Would Leave You" and the title song, which was a favorite of President John F. Kennedy.

The folks at 2nd Star Productions are sprinkling a little pre-holiday magic with their production of the musical fantasy "Brigadoon," starting tomorrow and running on weekends through Dec. 9 at Bowie Playhouse in White Marsh Park. Debuting in 1947 with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, "Brigadoon" was the team's third show on Broadway and its first big hit. Through this integrated musical based in the past, Lerner and Loewe proved to be innovators and heirs Rodgers and Hammerstein.

"The Wordsmiths: Oscar Hammerstein II and Alan Jay Lerner," by Stephen Citron. 422 pages. New York: Oxford University Press. $30Between about 1915 and 1955, there was in the United States what is seen increasingly as a golden age of popular music, the best of it written for the New York stage. In its time, this work was often patronized for not being high art. But much of it was high art, and a series of books of recent years has taken its measure. More and more, the lyricists have been given their due, as in "The Poets of Tin Pan Alley," by Philip Furia, "Lorenz Hart," by Frederick Nolan, and "Who Put the Rainbow in the Wizard of Oz?"

Lerner and Loewe's "Brigadoon" score might not conjure up "the street where you live," and the musical's fanciful plot, with a 1947 romanticized spin, might seem remote to today's audiences. But the production being staged by Second Star at the Bowie Playhouse in White Marsh makes the show relevant, offering a talented, committed cast faithful to the show's premise. The story centers on two American tourists - idealistic Tommy Albright and cynical Jeff Douglas - who are lost in Scotland's woods and discover a village that is not on their map. The village appears only one day every 100 years.

A stage version of the super-popular Disney TV movie High School Musical, three recent Broadway shows and two Lerner and Loewe classics highlight an all-musical season to be announced today at the Hippodrome Theatre. High School Musical is typical of the family appeal of the Hippodrome season -- and of a broader trend seen by Marks Chowning, executive director of the theater. "There's been a whole push in the entertainment business in the broad sense in recent years about creating more family-friendly opportunities," he said.

The British were "befuddled," reports Baltimorean Carolyn Spedden. "Why is an American woman so interested in this?" she was asked by everyone from radio interviewers to London cabbies. "This" refers to Quest: The Legend of the Green Knight, Spedden's adaptation of the 14th-century narrative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. A multimedia extravaganza that was performed in a 780-seat heated tent and featured 11 actors, five acrobats and three horseback riders, Quest ended its two-and-a-half-week premiere run in London's Clapham Common on Jan. 3. Marylanders familiar with Spedden's career will find the interest in her far less surprising.

Lerner and Loewe's "Brigadoon" score might not conjure up "the street where you live," and the musical's fanciful plot, with a 1947 romanticized spin, might seem remote to today's audiences. But the production being staged by Second Star at the Bowie Playhouse in White Marsh makes the show relevant, offering a talented, committed cast faithful to the show's premise. The story centers on two American tourists - idealistic Tommy Albright and cynical Jeff Douglas - who are lost in Scotland's woods and discover a village that is not on their map. The village appears only one day every 100 years.

The folks at 2nd Star Productions are sprinkling a little pre-holiday magic with their production of the musical fantasy "Brigadoon," starting tomorrow and running on weekends through Dec. 9 at Bowie Playhouse in White Marsh Park. Debuting in 1947 with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, "Brigadoon" was the team's third show on Broadway and its first big hit. Through this integrated musical based in the past, Lerner and Loewe proved to be innovators and heirs Rodgers and Hammerstein.

For legions of musical theater fans, Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady" is the fairest of them all. Written in 1956, this musical based on George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion" is a witty exploration of altering class distinctions by acquiring proper speech. In the production running through April 23, the cast delivers all that is required, and more, to make "My Fair Lady" one of the best shows ever at Chesapeake Music Hall. The play opens outside Covent Garden, where Professor Henry Higgins takes notes on cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle's speech patterns.

For the next two months, Chesapeake Music Hall will be a "loverly" spot with "My Fair Lady" in residence. Based on George Bernard Shaw's 1914 play "Pygmalion," this delightful musical has lyrics and dialogue by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. It opened on Broadway in March 1956 and ran for 2,717 performances, a record number then. "My Fair Lady" made Broadway musical history with Lerner and Loewe's score, which retained Shaw's sharp wit and added warmth, charm and enchanting melody.

A stage version of the super-popular Disney TV movie High School Musical, three recent Broadway shows and two Lerner and Loewe classics highlight an all-musical season to be announced today at the Hippodrome Theatre. High School Musical is typical of the family appeal of the Hippodrome season -- and of a broader trend seen by Marks Chowning, executive director of the theater. "There's been a whole push in the entertainment business in the broad sense in recent years about creating more family-friendly opportunities," he said.

The British were "befuddled," reports Baltimorean Carolyn Spedden. "Why is an American woman so interested in this?" she was asked by everyone from radio interviewers to London cabbies. "This" refers to Quest: The Legend of the Green Knight, Spedden's adaptation of the 14th-century narrative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. A multimedia extravaganza that was performed in a 780-seat heated tent and featured 11 actors, five acrobats and three horseback riders, Quest ended its two-and-a-half-week premiere run in London's Clapham Common on Jan. 3. Marylanders familiar with Spedden's career will find the interest in her far less surprising.

Over the past season, the Annapolis Chorale's musical director, J. Ernest Green, has been building a repertory group of soloists for popular and classical concerts. Last February with "Guys and Dolls," he introduced soprano Amy Cofield, bass-baritone Stephen Markuson and tenor Tom Magette. Elizabeth Saunders made her debut in September at the opening pop concert, "Celebration of Song." Because I had heard these artists, "Brigadoon" held great promise for Saturday, but what a special musical evening it was. The chorale's version of Lerner and Loewe's first hit sparkled with excitement from the first note.

"The Wordsmiths: Oscar Hammerstein II and Alan Jay Lerner," by Stephen Citron. 422 pages. New York: Oxford University Press. $30Between about 1915 and 1955, there was in the United States what is seen increasingly as a golden age of popular music, the best of it written for the New York stage. In its time, this work was often patronized for not being high art. But much of it was high art, and a series of books of recent years has taken its measure. More and more, the lyricists have been given their due, as in "The Poets of Tin Pan Alley," by Philip Furia, "Lorenz Hart," by Frederick Nolan, and "Who Put the Rainbow in the Wizard of Oz?"