Nostalgic Music of Teenage Summer
By Alix Cohen
“It’s summertime summertime sum sum summertime…” (Tom Jameson) Christopher Denny and Tom Hubbard sing. Later, the two add “bad a-da da-da da-da” and “doo-ait-n-doo-doo feelin’ groovy” to a zippy version of Paul Simon’s “ The 59th Street Bridge Song.” Appealing backup vocals carpet nostalgia.
Wearing denim and lace with sparkly sneakers, Karen Mason evokes a teenage summer, sunning in her backyard, lathered in baby oil, listening to a transistor radio. “The memory plays tricks, but it seems like a simpler, freer time.”
“You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares…” (“Downtown/I Know a Place” Tony Hatch) Mason doesn’t just sing, she dances, and the lady can moooove. Her head bops, left leg pulses, she pats her thigh…knees touch and part… step, tap, step, tap…dip…an extended arm draws us in. Audience grins pop out like fireflies. If only this show could be bottled!
Gerry Goffin/Carole King’s “Up On the Roof” arrives dreamy and low key, reinterpreted from the bouncy pop to which we’re accustomed. Phrasing is the actress’s own. A beautifully controlled fade takes us out. “Happy Just to Dance with You” (John Lennon/ Paul McCartney) follows in kind. Mason suddenly looks 17. “Wanna” sounds natural. She imbues the song with swoony hope. (Arrangement- Brian Lasser)
“Taking a Chance on Love” (John LaTouche/Ted Fetter) is one of several bass-centric arrangements. Hubbard makes it cool, resonant, dancy. He instinctively knows when to hold’m and when to fold’m. Mason’s arms swing, knees bend. She teases vocal expression. Here go the hips! It’s infectiously happy.
A lovely, lilting ‘Faraway Places” (Joan Whitney/Alex Kramer) emerges as if the actress has written the character a backstory. Unlike Mason herself “I’ve been very lucky” she’ll never get out of her small town. Barry Kleinbort’s “The Kindest Man” taps into the same wistful absence, admitting she sent “him” away.
“South of the Coconut Line” (Paul Rolnick/Paul Guzzone) is Jimmy-Buffet -catchy, the kind of song everyone might be singing in the streets, on stoops. “The coast is clear/Let’s disappear…” “For the first time onstage. I’m going to play an instrument” introduces a rhythmic egg, shaken deadpan, bemused. It’s unhomogenized fun.
Tonight’s highlight is a tandem “Help” (John Lennon Paul McCartney) and “Being Alive” (Stephen Sondheim.) The first enters surfing light piano sounding like monologue. Meaning and consequence surprise. “You know I need someone” segues into the second with “Somebody hold me to close.”
Arms at her side, emotion pours into lyrics. Arms wide, Mason manifests helplessness. Arms extended forward with open palms signifies entreaty. By the time palms fist, it’s a wrenching aria. Applause is prolonged.
Invited, we join a chorus of “Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer” (Hans Carste- English lyrics Charles Tobias) An encore of “Look For the Silver Lining” (Jerome Kern/Buddy DeSylva) is thoughtful, unembellished, satiny.”Take care of each other” Karen Mason encourages.
Direction is terrific, musicianship symbiotic, arrangements wonderful.
“SPF stands not just for sun protection factor, but also songs, patter, and fun” Karen Mason
Photos by Maryann Lopinto
Karen Mason: More SPF!…The Summer Continues
Directed by Barry Kleinbort
MD/Piano Christopher Denny
Bass- Tom Hubbard
Arrangements- Barry Kleinbort & Christopher Denny
Don’t Tell Mama 343 West 46th Street
https://donttellmamanyc.com/
