Reviewer: Mark De Wolf-Ott
Venue: Court Street Theater
By Mark DeWolf-Ott
Bent got rebent this weekend during a Saginaw Choral Society concert.
Last season the community chorale presented a cabaret-style program during which men sang women’s songs and women sang men’s songs.
As in guys become dolls, leading ladies become leading men, and dames become gents.
It was called “Broadway Bent.”
On Friday and Saturday, at the Court Street Theatre, that format returned in a concert called “Broadway ReBent.”
“King Herod’s Song” from ‘Jesus Christ Superstar” was sung by alto Stephanie Bale. “I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No” from “Oklahoma” featured tenor Jim Smerdon. And “I Say a Little Prayer for You” from “Promises, Promises” was done by tenor Brad Fergin.”
Several songs from “Les Miserables” were performed by the sexual opposites. You get the idea.
The songs are Broadway hits you know and love, but with a little different sound.
Some of the counterparts were spot on. Unfortunately, it was distracting when some singers forgot their lines and asked the audience or other cast members to help them out.
It definitely was amusing at times with men attempting ballet and women marching.
Pianist Kevin Cole, both renowned internationally and a local favorite from Bay City, was the heartbeat of the show.
Besides playing the entire concert, he wrapped up the first half with a medley of Gershwin works from 1913 to 1930. And in the second half, Cole played the music by Jerome Kern from the 1936 film “Swing Time” a Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movie.
The finale was the entire cast of 12 singing “Goodbye” from “The Producers.”
On a scale one to five of a “How Do You Like Those Apples” rating, it was 3.5 apples because of the cast’s effort to do a good job.
Some of these folks are professionals and some not so much, but they were all trying their best.