When I joined a choir for people who couldn’t sing a few years ago, I never imagined I’d be belting out show tunes with the likes of Colleen Furlan of Rainbow Stage fame or Bernie Pastorin from Those Guys.
Granted, I had to share the spotlight with a few hundred others in an audience participation of feel good forget about the news for a while and just sing and be happy evening.
The Big Broadway Sing Along. /HEATHER EMBERLEY
Oh “If My Friends Could See Me Now” ♬ I was a “Wiz” with my “Hair” done, “Fiddling on the Roof” and “Under the Sea”, “in a most delightful way, in the Age of Aquarius.”
A sold out crowd of all ages at the Gas Station Theatre, Feb. 6, 2017 exited, humming and singing all the old favourites thanks to some of Winnipeg’s most talented musical theatre performers.
Big Broadway Sing Along reflects strength of local musical theatre community.
Don’t know the words? No problem. All the words to every song were displayed on stage.
There was no excuse to say you only sing in the shower. With absolutely everyone around you singing, clapping, toe tapping, and most importantly, smiling, it was the endorphin to end all endorphins.
Can you name that song? /HEATHER EMBERLEY
What’s a Broadway musical without a guy in a tutu? /HEATHER EMBERLEY
Just to verify my perceptions of the event, I turned to three attendees, Nancy, Sharon and Bonnie in my row and asked them what they thought of the production.
Nancy appreciated seeing the beautiful words “of the lyrics,” Sharon loved the range of songs and the talent on stage and Bonnie was very impressed with “the energy and the professionalism” of the performers.
Music aficionados Nancy, Sharon and Bonnie. /HEATHER EMBERLEY
Words that resonated with the audience were these from Pochahontas:
“You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You’ll learn things you never knew you never knew.”
Master of Ceremonies, Connie Manfredi not only has a great singing voice she has a brilliant future in stand up comedy with her quick ad libs and talent for humour.
With Ryan Segal and Joshua Balzer, Connie organizes Sing Out, Louise! whereby they provide a “microphone, theme, accompanist, and a safe space” and the opportunity to sing. Louise is in reference to the musical, “Gypsy”, where Mama Rose yells, “Sing Out, Louise!” Follow them on Twitter @SingOutYWP
As co-organizer of District Theatre Collective with Ryan Segal, Connie says their joy in hosting events like Broadway Sing Along is that “it strengthens our musical theatre community. It also bridges the gap between performers and non-performers and proves that anyone who loves Broadway can bond and sing out loud without any pressure.”
Singing fixes everything. /HEATHER EMBERLEY
If you’re like me and just can’t get enough of our amazing local Winnipeg talent, you can catch Colleen Furlan, Stephanie Sy, Elliot Lazar, Jillian Willems and Darren Martens of the District Theatre Collective’s finest from Broadway Sing Along in Green Day’s “American Idiot” Feb. 23-Mar. 5 at the Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre. They star in the Grammy award winning rock opera about “three friends searching for meaning in a post 9/11 world.”
This reviewer gives five stars to The Big Broadway Sing Along, not only for one wonderful evening but also because they made us all feel like stars (in the city).
Ok, that was a LaLa Land in joke but if you love musicals then you really should see this Golden Globe multi award winning and multi Oscar nominated movie. It can tide you over till the next Broadway Sing Along. For more info see: www.singoutywg.co
Singing makes everything better.
