Sunday, November 13, 2005

50 Million Frenchmen

From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com

Subject: Quicktake - "50 Million Frenchmen" by Cole Porter & Herbert Fields

Date: Sun, Nov 13, 11:18 PM

Quicktake on 50 MILLION FRENCHMEN

     Music theatre buffs got their chance last weekend to take in a rare concert performance of Cole Porter's early Broadway show, "50 Million Freshman" (1929) performed by American Classics. If you didn't know about it, go to their website and get on their mailing list. Many of their regulars were in fine voice and ready to take on the broad, and sometimes racy lyrics and vintage jokes of this period piece with a workmanlike book by Herbert Fields.

     Brent Reno once again proved his worth as a leading man, and got to sing the show's only standard "You Do Something to Me." Opposite him was the youngest of the De Lima clan, Kate. Her mother, Sarah, as Violet, a character part got two Bea Lillie type numbers. Peter Carey, as the owner of the Parisian Hotel where everyone is staying functioned almost as the M.C. Shows like this were closer to reviews loosely connected by a disposable plot. Our hero, Peter Forbes (of "the street") has two playboy friends ready to relieve him of part of his fortune; Michael, sung with panache by one of the group's founders, Benjamin Sears, and Billy, sung by Eric Bronner, who got to tenor away at a parody ballad "I Worship You (I Don't Love You)." Since this is a romantic farce in the Gilbertian mode, Michael winds up with the heroine's friend, Joyce whose motto was "Don't Make Me Be Good", sung by Joei Marshall Perry. The heroines parents, the Carrolls from Terra Haute, were ably handled by Peter Miller, clearly the senior comic since he was wearing plaid Bermuda shorts with his tux jacket, and Kerry Dowling, tired of being "The Queen of Terra Haute." Her answer is to marry of her daughter to a Russian Count played by Turtle Lane stalwart, JIm Jordan. The Count unfortunately escapes the final party with the entertainers, The American Sister Act, sung by co-founder Mary Ann Lanier and La 'Tarsha Long. Which leaves Valarie Anastasio as May, a cabaret singer friend of the hero, to match up with Billy, having given up trying to "Find Me a Primitive Man," the only other number with a life beyond this show. Then Mssr. Pernase the hotel manager takes up with the not so shrinking Violet. Or at least, that's the line up for the finale.

     Staging director David Frieze applied his usual light touch to come up with enough action to make situations clear--if not logical. Margaret Bulmer did her usual virtuoso job at the Steinway, and co-founder Bradford Conner had several walkons and directed the rest of this large cast when they morphed into the Chorus. The remainder of the American Classics season will include a Chamber Music program for Valentines day, on Feb 10 & 12, and for the second year, a Ragtime Festival featuring two different concerts on April 21, 22, & 23. Last year's Ragtime Concerts sold out to an overflow audience. Get you tickets early.



"50 Million Frenchmen" by Cole Porter , Nov 11- 13

American Classics in Pickman Hall, Longy

27 Garden St, Camb,
American Classics