By Carol Davis
ESCONDIDO, California —-Rita McKenzie has been called ‘bold and brassy’. ‘Dynamite’. Call her what you will, but there is no doubt that she embodies the voice, spirit and persona of the bold, brassy and dynamite Ethel Merman.
Now, in a limited engagement at the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido Ms. McKenzie will be strutting her stuff, for the next two weeks, as the inimitable Ethel Merman weaving the ‘star’s biography, by seamlessly guiding us through her biography to her early rise on Broadway to her failed marriages to meeting all the musical greats of the 30’s 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. All this is done as seen through Merman’s eyes.
Singing a series of songs, about twenty or so, that will convince audiences that Ms. Merman is there on stage actually belting out “There’s No Business Like Show business”, “I’ve Got Rhythm” to “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” to her chit chat style of speaking directly to the audience she presents an easy yet entertaining evening of theatre worth attending.
Ethel Merman was 21 when she stormed Broadway in 1930 singing “I’ve Got Rhythm” in George Gershwin’s “Crazy Girl”. In 1934 she co-stared in “Anything Goes”, the first of five Broadway shows she did for Cole Porter. For four decades Merman’s name and star hung over Broadway as the reigning queen of the Broadway Musical.
Rita McKenzie wrote her one-woman show, “Ethel Merman’s Broadway,” with friend Christopher Powich who wanted to make a movie about Merman’s life. It seems that Powich called Merman with the idea about the movie and to recommend McKenzie to play Merman. But when he asked Merman who should play her, she responded “Why me of course.” The movie was never made, but the idea of McKenzie playing Merman was born.
This show has been good for McKenzie who has been playing to houses all over the country for well over 20 years. The first show ran in 1988. It has had several incarnations over the years. It has been dubbed the longest running one-woman show in theatrical history. Backed by a seven-piece band and no less than six costume changes, each more glittery than the last, McKenzie doesn’t miss a beat in this one and a half plus hour show. She is pacing back and forth, sitting in the easy chair in the center of the stage, calling on audience members, passing out crackers and dip or changing costumes. During those costume changes behind a curtain, she continues the dialogue.
Off to the sides projections can be seen of the ‘real’ Merman with several of her husbands, with George Gershwin and Cole Porter and stills from some of the shows in which she starred.
But of course the piece de resistance is what’s being belted out, and here is the song list to whet your chops:
“Magic Fills the Air”, “Friendship,” “You’re the Top”, I Got Rhythm”,
“Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” “Anything Goes”, “I Get a Kick Out of You”, “What Say?” (From Something for the Boys)
“Doin’ What comes Natur’lly”, “You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun”, “There’s No Business Like Show Business”, “They Say that Falling in Love is Wonderful”,“I Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night”, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, “Some People”, “I Have a Dream”,” I Want to Get Back in the World”. For her encore: “Everything’s Coming up Roses”.
It’s a kick and a trip down memory lane with some of the best tunes from the Golden Age of Broadway and with one of the best sound-alike leading voices bringing it to you.
See you at the theatre.
Dates: through April 8th
Organization: Welk Resort Theatre
Phone: 888-802-show
Production Type: Musical Revue
Where: 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido, CA
Ticket Prices: $44.00-$63.00
Web: welktheatresandiego.com
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Davis is a San Diego-based theatre critic. She may be contacted at carol.davis@sdjewishworld.com