American Songbook Series: Jerry Herman
Jerry Herman, still living and working, is the great composer/lyricist who has gifted us with several extra decades of good, old-fashioned Broadway shows. His writing life began early at his parents´ summer camp and found first success with the Israeli-themed Milk and Honey (1961). Attracting the attention of producer David Merrick led to back-to-back blockbusters: 1964´s Hello Dolly (“Hello Dolly,” “Before The Parade Passes By,” “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “It Only Takes A Moment,” “So Long, Dearie”) and 1966´s Mame (“Mame,” “It´s Today,” “Open A New Window,” “We Need A Little Christmas,” “If He Walked Into My Life,” “Bosom Buddies”). Neither Dear World (“Kiss Her Now”) nor Mack and Mabel (“I Won´t Send Roses,” “Time Heals Everything”) would enjoy critical success despite some good songs. La Cage Aux Folles (1983) was a smash: “Look Over There,” “Song In The Sand,” “I Am What I Am,” “The Best Of Times.”
Fred Miller will be leading this year’s Phillips Mill Cabaret troupe: Lynell Antonelli, Valerie Eastburn, Dan Gramkee, Lori Hynson, Andrea Kenyon, Cecily Laidman and Tim Philpot. Quoting Jerry Herman in turn quoting Irving Berlin, “There’s just no tune like a show tune!”
