Review by Marilyn Lester . . . .
There once was a little girl named Eloise, who lived at the Plaza Hotel. And there once was a boy named Michael who lived at the Algonquin Hotel. But Eloise wasn’t real, being the 1955 creation of author Kay Thompson. Did she know of Michael Colby, aka The Algonquin Kid? He’s very real and it so happens that his grandparents, Mary and Ben B. Bodne, owners of the Algonquin from 1946 to 1987, not only restored the hotel to glory, but in so doing attracted an overflow of celebrities from stage and screen. And young Michael was there, often staying at, and later living in, the hotel.
Adapted from his book The Algonquin Kid, the program, Created at the Algonquin, at Urban Stages Winter Rhythms festival (December 10), brought to life, in Colby’s narration (augmented by slides) and in performance, many of the tales the lyricist experienced firsthand. As they used to say back in the day, Created at the Algonquin featured a cavalcade of stars who brought to life many of the musicals written (in part) at the hotel. But first, a prequel: prior to the Bodne’s ownership of the hotel, it was already famous for its Round Table, a daily luncheon gathering of writers, critics, actors and wits who dubbed themselves “The Vicious Circle.” And from 1919 through roughly 1929 their bon mots found their way into newspaper columns across the country. In honor of this group, Alex Rybeck wrote music and Colby the lyrics to “Round the Table Round,” performed by Major Attaway, Rita Neidich, Jon Peterson and Benny Rose.
When it comes to wit, there’s scarcely one more rapier-refined than Sir Noël Coward, British playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, whose creative output was seemingly unending. Coward’s 1961 Sail Away, the last musical for which he wrote book, music and lyrics, premiered on Broadway. Written in the Algonquin, a particularly cutting and hilarious number from the show was brilliantly put across by Steve Ross (at the piano). Ross is a premiere Coward interpreter, and so his “Why Do the Wrong People Travel?” was deliciously delivered. Another wit, Alec Wilder, lived most of his adult life at the Algonquin. He wrote “I’ll Be Around” in 1942, but claimed he wrote it in a taxi in Baltimore. Presenting this popular hit was music director-pianist and sometime vocalist Michael Lavine.
But taking place squarely in the hotel were songs written for the likes of Camelot and My Fair Lady. From the latter, Anita Gillette, sporting Cockney accent, wished for a cozy room in “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” (Lerner and Lowe), backed by Jon Peterson, with help from Lavine. Shana Farr was in full operatic mode with the swirling “I Could Have Danced All Night.” As for the former, that mighty musical about a King (Arthur) and his Queen (Guinevere) and the third angle of a romantic triangle (Lancelot), Jim Stanek, a former Arthur, sang the title song of the Lerner and Lowe classic. Not so classic was Illya Darling, based on the 1960 film, Never on Sunday. The title song (Manos Hadjidakis, Joe Darion) was sung by Nat Chandler, with Lavine. But even with the star power of Melina Mercouri, the show closed after 320 performances, following tepid reviews.
For a budding theatrical lyricist, it would seem inevitable that his path was assured by absorbing all that talent at the Algonquin. And so with brother Douglas Colby (music), Michael wrote lyrics for a musical based on the 1889 black comedy novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne entitled, The Wrong Box. Jon Peterson performed the Baxindine arrangement of “Confidence” from that early effort.
Michael Colby went on to success with many musicals, among them Charlotte Sweet and its precursor, Ludlow Ladd, The Poor Little Orphan Boy, Mrs. McThing (based on the play by Mary Chase), Tales of Tinseltown and more. From Colby’s work as lyricist on these properties, Leah Hocking sang “What’s a Witch?” and Karen Ziemba performed “Know You,” both from Mrs. McThing, music by Jack Urbont. “Quartet Agonistes” (music by Gerald Jay Markoe) from Charlotte Sweet was delivered by a quartet très artistique: Leah Hocking, David Edwards, Michael McCoy and Megan Styrna. Styrna, who must have been sent by Central Casting to play Charlotte, sang “Lonely Canary” with amazing vocal control and range. Marianne Tatum sang ‘’Stars in My Eyes’’ from Tales of Tinseltown (music by Paul Katz). With Katz, Colby also wrote ‘’Hunchy,’’ sung by Nat Chandler and Rita Neidich, and with James Fradrich, ‘’The Happier Side,’’ sung by Anita Hollander. And from Once Upon a Time (music by Gerald Jay Markoe), which led to Ludlow Ladd, Major Attaway sang “Make Believing’’ (arrangement by Zev Burrows).
The finale of Created at the Algonquin, was from Charlotte Sweet, sung by Shana Farr, David Edwards, Michael McCoy and Megan Styrna: ‘’It Could Only Happen In the Theatre.’’ Indeed—and it could have only happened at the Algonquin Hotel in the Golden Age of the Bodne’s.
Photos: JK Clarke
