’Round and ’Round

The Portland Players prove themselves Worldly

By Katherine Joyce

And the World Goes ’Round shows at the Portland Players, in South Portland, through Oct. 14. Call (207) 799-7337.

GLOBAL WARMING: ennifer Curtis, Kevin P. Brown, Ellen Emerson, Tony Correia, and Susan Beem charm your pants off.

There has been much need and little opportunity for good cheer these past few weeks. In and the World Goes ’Round, The Portland Players take it upon themselves to deliver a much needed shot in the arm of humor and enthusiasm for life. Written for Olympia Dukakis’s Whole Theatre in the summer of 1989, and the World Goes ’Round is a collection of the collaborative works of John Kander and Fred Ebb, including familiar tunes from well-known shows such as Chicago, Funny Lady, and Cabaret. The songs remind us to laugh, to live life without regret, and to celebrate.

Whether a smash hit, or a ditty with a tune that you just can’t shake, Kander and Ebb write songs that are inspired by the littler moments in life. For example, Sara Lee celebrates the maker of delicious snacks, while A Quiet Thing notes how the best things in life seem not to involve fireworks but happen quietly. These fleeting thoughts that many of us have in moments of joy and sorrow are put to music and fully celebrated in both funny and touching songs.

Musical theater numbers are derived from the context of the story in which they reside, making it difficult to recreate those moments with authenticity in a revue. To their credit, this cast is quite talented at “acting” the songs, inviting the audience to share the experience that inspired the number. They reveal the fears, passions, hopes, and failures of everyday people leading everyday lives, with numbers ranging from nostalgic to naughty, and belted out in high spirits by enthusiastic players.

Jennifer Curtis opens the show with the title song, “and the World Goes ’Round.” Her beautiful voice overshadows her on-again, off-again awkwardness, which seems to disappear entirely for the numbers in which she teams up with Ellen Tucker Emerson. Curtis and Emerson play off each other with excellent comic timing in both “Class” (a lament that these days “nobody’s got no class” from Chicago) and “The Grass is Always Greener” (a celebrity and a housewife see how wonderful their lives could be, from Woman of the Year).

Emerson performs some moving numbers in the first act, including “How Lucky Can You Get?” This challenging number was written for Barbara Streisand’s Funny Lady, and Emerson manages it quite well. She also provides a sense of self-deprecating and bittersweet humor to “Colored Lights” from The Rink. She starts the second act with a bang, bringing up seven members of the audience, costuming them, and convincing them to act out the characters (which they do, with gusto!) in the Liza Minelli favorite “Ring Them Bells.”

Susan Beem brings her playful, sexy moves to the stage with “Arthur in the Afternoon” and “All That Jazz.” Her short skirt, teasing sense of humor, and seductive choreography even elicited some wolf calls from the audience during the Sunday matinee. The band has a tendency to overpower her captivating voice during these big numbers, but her infectious enthusiasm makes her fun to watch, even when she can’t be heard.

Tony Correia sings only ballads, which show off his lovely pipes. He does get to display his sense of humor as Arthur (the afternoon fling who takes credit cards) in “Arthur in the Afternoon.” His rendition of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” is by far the darkest number in the show. He delivers it with intense and subtle drama, making it impossible to look away.

Kevin P. Brown shares a few slow numbers, brings a great energy to the company numbers, but really shines in “Mr. Cellophane” from Chicago. His acting and singing blend to create a great comic number about people looking right through him. Brown’s comic timing, and earnest delivery evokes laughter from the audience, while he wins their hearts.

The set consists of a number of posters from Kander and Ebb’s Broadway days, set against a fabulous backdrop of a pencil drawing of Kander and Ebb collaborating. Different pieces are brought on for different numbers, keeping it simple and focused on the music.

University of Southern Maine’s new musical theatre coach, Edward Reichert directs this revue with a great eye towards resurrecting these old classics. His staging lends credibility to intimate moments, and adds to the hilarity of comic situations. He has the cast playing the banjo, dancing on roller skates, and singing from on top of pianos.

We have said to ourselves many times over the past several weeks, “Nothing will ever be the same again.” This is certainly true of and the World Goes ‘Round. An innocuous evening of songs about life and love begins with a song entitled and the World Goes ’Round, and ends with the famous New York, New York. The show has acquired a depth and poignancy over the last several weeks due to an unforeseen context, and is welcome as both respite and reminder that the world truly must continue to go ‘round.

Katherine Joyce can be reached at ingliskat@aol.com.