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Grove Stars Take the Stage
in Star-Spangled, Action Packed "USO Show" |
by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
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| Photo by Joseph R. Saporito |
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On June 30 at the Cherry Grove Community House, under the aegis of the Arts Project of Cherry Grove, John DeMarco presented an evening full of Grove stars making memorable music and inspiring laughter and stirring emotion in "The USO Show," with music direction by Christopher Vassiliades and choreography by John Nakovich. Informative narration, delivered by Jerry Stagg, dubbed "Admiral Pumps," in honor of the stylish footwear issued to him instead of the combat boots he expected, linked the diverse acts and recalled the entertainment sent by the USO to American service people at war overseas in its "camp shows," beginning 66 years ago, and famously starring the likes of Bob Hope and Martha Raye. Matt Baney, Alison Brackman, Wendy Lewis, Mike Romanelli and Arthur Cohen handled technical duties and Harold Seeley and George McGarvey created the sets.
... visit the gallery by Bruce-Michael Gelbert & Joseph R. Saporito
The company put us in the mood with a sizzling "Sing, Sing, Sing," kicked off with a jitterbug by Jacqueline Presti and Dale Lally, which attracted "Commodore" Denise Harbin's more-than-casual attention. Tony Bondi, with grass skirt and happy hula hands, and her boys, fanning and sometimes hitting her with palm fronds, gave us a riotous "Hawaiian Christmas," and Tony returned later as Joan Crawford, hard as nails, tap dancing to beat the band, and proclaiming "I've Got a Feeling for You." Jeannie Lieberman teased as she stripped off a glove, draped her décolletage with a boa, and attempted to shift the burden of responsibility in "Put the Blame on Mame." In "The VD Polka," a very late Andrews Sisters number, from "Over Here!" (1974), sailors Brandon Cutrell and Isaac Steven Vaughan, on accordion, breezily warned, "Look out for the goodtime girl," and showered the audience with condoms. Perched atop the piano, Brandon, at first with understatement and then full out, reveled in revenge, on a lover who wronged him, in "Goody, Goody."
In little black dress and pink-and-black boa, Rose Levine moodily requested, "Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please" and forcefully touted her talent in "I Can Sing." Hoofing energetically, Charity didn't ask much: just "some hugging, some squeezing" and "Stuff Like That There." Bella suggestively commanded, "Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet!" William George McGarvey sang a deeply moving "I'll Be Seeing You" in a perfectly exquisite lyric tenor.
Bill "Ursala" Perez smoldered with anger, castigating a treacherous lover, in Kurt Weill's "Surabaya Johnny," in English and German, and came back as the most delicate of big little girls, querying, "Who's Been Sleeping (in My Bed)?" in a humorous take on the tale of Goldilocks and the three bears. Assisted by bare-chested, hunky Jason and Emmanuel, Demi-Tasse queried, "Ain't There Anybody Here for Love?" Maestro Chris got to shine in a Gershwin medley, played with verve, of "Fascinating Rhythm," "The Man I Love," and "I Got Rhythm."
What would a USO show be without some vintage Andrews Sisters? Cutting up in their army khakis, Ruth and Susan Freedner and Martha Pitkin sang a swinging pairing of "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree." Ariel Sinclair, Robin Kradles and Ginger Moore AKA Ginger Snapp countered with their own lively Andrews Sisters-like number, limning a love who is "Sweet Like a Sugar-Coated Candy Man," showed resourcefulness when the plug was abruptly pulled on their (recorded) number, tossed panties to the audience, and were awarded an encore, without the snafu, at the top of Act Two, which Ginger concluded with a cartwheel. Susan later averred an aversion to the rugged outdoors, declaring flatly, "Jews Don't Camp" ("If it hasn't got a lobby,/I don't want it for a hobby)." Ariel popped out ping-pong balls and again flung panties to the audience during "Bounce Me, Baby." Robin morphed from Shirley Bassey to Marilyn Monroe to Nicole Kidman and "Material Girl" Madonna in a mélange of "Diamonds Are Forever" and two different versions of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend."
"The USO Show" boasted no fewer than three talented Jims or Jameses. In a strong voice, Jim Speake debated the pros and cons of involvement in "I Wish I Were in Love Again," complete with mentions of the Grove Invasion of the Pines and Rose Levine. James Duus roused the company to revival meeting pitch, belting out "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat," from "Guys and Dolls." And James Belzer strutted his stuff in "The Lady Is a Tramp" and was vamped by George, gorgeous en travesti.
Rae DeStefano, cool and handsome in Frank Sinatra drag, wowed us by singing a medley of "Let's Fall in Love," "All of Me," "One for My Baby (and one more for the road)," and "Just One of Those Things," sprinkled with references to the Meat Rack, Rose Levine, bartender Sherwood, and AA. In 'glamour girl' drag, Lana Kelly got torchy, singing a touching rendition of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child," and Sherri Rase seduced us by singing a scorching "Too Darn Hot," from "Kiss Me, Kate."
The stage was a symphony of red, white and blue for the grand finale, with Charity, with raised torch, as the Statue of Liberty as its centerpiece, and Lana, James Duus, George, and Rose singing "The House I Live In," segueing into the full ensemble's "America the Beautiful."
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