photo by Karen Staitman
The 45th Kritzerland show was dedicated to the songs of Cole Porter, one of my all-time favorite composers. Not only did Porter write hummable melodies and irresistible toe-tapping chords, he also wrote heartbreaking lyrics as well as some of the wittiest lyrics to ever grace a show tune. Host Bruce Kimmel provided his usual historical and hysterical background on the songs. Being a Porter aficionado, I was familiar with all the songs this time around but enjoyed hearing the back story of the musicals and movies for which they were originally written.
The funniest info for me was hearing that Mary Martin first performed “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” in 1938’s Leave It To Me while wearing a fur coat and performing a striptease for a group of enthusiastic Siberian men. Jean Louisa Kelly wasn’t surrounded by Siberian men but she still delivered the fun in her rendition. She later brought true feeling to “Every Time We Say Goodbye.” Special Guest performer and cabaret legend Maude Maggart stopped the show with “Love For Sale,” a song whose lyrics were deemed too risqué for radio in 1930. I’m sure the lyrics and Maggart’s soulful interpretation would still give palpitations to some Baptist ministers.
Alan Everman made it unscathed through the dense lyrics of “Let’s Not Talk About Love,” and threw in some yodeling for the Roy Rogers’ hit “Don’t Fence Me In.” Sami Staitman, the revue’s resident teenage Ethel Merman, belted “Anything Goes” and then joined Kimmel for a fun version of “You’re The Top.” Mark Whitten displayed his crooning style with “Night and Day” and “I Love Paris” among other numbers. Lisa Livesay brought the heat with her sultry version of “Too Darn Hot.” Eager youngsters Brennley Brown and Jenna Lea Rosen opened the show with “Friendship” which featured a great tap dance break. Rosen closed the show while blowing the roof off the place with “Blow, Gabriel, Blow.” Shelly Markham provided the expert musical direction and piano accompaniment.
June 1 is the date for the next Kritzerland at Sterling’s Upstairs at The Federal in North Hollywood and will be spotlighting the wonderful lyrics from the long career of Dorothy Fields.