Megan Hilty and Lea Salonga performing at Wolf Trap and Signature Theatre’s “Broadway in the Park.” Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre/Wolf Trap.
Directed by Signature Theatre’s Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner, with the Wolf Trap Orchestra conducted by Jon Kalbfleisch, Signature’s resident music director, “Broadway in the Park” was the third annual presentation of Broadway show tunes offered in the summer concert series by Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. This year’s concert featured Broadway stars Megan Hilty and Lea Salonga supplemented by eight of Signature’s local talent. The twenty songs were presented in solo, duet, and trio format and represented Broadway shows ranging from 1937 to 2017. About half of the songs were unfamiliar to me and my companion, both seniors and Broadway aficionados. The printed program did not list the songs or the shows from which they came but if you had a smart phone, you could scan and view Wolf Trap’s digital program book.
The evening was fun…strong, effective, and beautifully presented…The men supplied strong vocals as well as interesting and interpretive choreography.
After the orchestra played the overture to 1956’s “My Fair Lady,” the show got off to a rousing start with the 1963 song “On Broadway” featured in “Smokey Joe’s Café” (1995) and “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” (2013). It was performed by lead singer Felicia Curry with back-up by Katie Mariko Murray and Tracy Lynn Olivera. “New York, New York” from “On the Town” (1944) introduced Phillip Attmore, Austin Colby, and Kevin McAllister to the audience in yet another rousing rendition. I have a particular passion for powerful emotional solos and was not disappointed. Katie Mariko Murray’s “Johnny One-Note” from “Babes in Arms”(1937), Nova V. Payton’s “Music that Makes Me Dance” from “Funny Girl” (1964 and currently in revival on Broadway) and Tracy Lynn Olivera’s “There Won’t Be Trumpets” from “Anyone Can Whistle” (1964) were strong, effective, and beautifully presented.
The men supplied strong vocals as well as interesting and interpretive choreography. Austin Colby and Bobby Smith presented a version of “You’re Nothing Without Me” from “City of Angels” (1989) in which their stage movements defined the song’s lyrics as well as their voices. Phillip Attmore’s “Too Darn Hot” from “Kiss Me Kate” (1948) was spectacular—his exuberant stage presence and tap dancing caused the audience to applaud mid-performance! Kevin McAllister’s “Being Alive” from “Company” (1970) provided the audience with a strong baritone interpreting the meaningful lyrics.
The featured performers brought their own well-known musical numbers and personalities to the stage. Megan Hilty sang songs from her very popular TV musical drama “Smash” (2012) and her Broadway appearance as Glinda, the Good Witch in “Wicked” (2003). She related some stories about her career and closed her set with “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the 1953 movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and the Broadway musical “Lorelei” (1974). Lea Salonga sang songs from her award-winning Broadway shows “Miss Saigon” (1989) and “Les Miserables” (1980), with arrangements and orchestrations by her brother, Gerald Salonga. She also sang “Send in the Clowns” from “A Little Night Music” (1973) and told the audience she was looking forward to headlining a London production of “Old Friends” (a revue tribute to Stephen Sondheim) with Bernadette Peters this coming fall. Her set ended with a duet, “For Good” from “Wicked” with Megan Hilty.
The entire cast concluded the performance with, surprisingly, not a show tune, but “This Is Me” from the 2017 movie “The Greatest Showman.” The evening was fun and productive and we enjoyed discussing the lesser known song performances while waiting to leave the huge, crowded parking area.
Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission.
“Broadway in the Park” was presented on June 16, 2023, at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna VA 22182. For information about upcoming shows at Wolf Trap and to purchase tickets, visit online. For shows at Signature Theatre, visit online.
