‘Every Kind of Light: The Love & Lyrics of Alan & Marilyn Bergman’

By Alix Cohen

Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman left one of the most enduring legacies in American songwriting, crafting elegant, emotionally rich lyrics that became part of the cultural fabric for more than five decades. Their work combined sophistication with deep human feeling, elevating film, television, and popular music through collaborations.

Celebrated for warmth and intelligence, the couple’s timeless ability to capture complexities of love, memory, and hope seems to have been a true extension of their personalities.

Strains of “Memories” (music- Marvin Hamlisch from The Way We Were) evoke Pavlovian response from a packed, audience. At the piano, Billy Stritch segues into “Summer Me, Winter Me” (music- Michel Legrand from The Picasso Summer) as the cast gathers. “This is a love story told in lyrics,” Stritch begins.

Alan Bergman and Marilyn Keith Katz unknowingly grew up blocks from one another in Brooklyn. The pair met cute.
Both wrote for Lew Spence, Alan in the morning, Marilyn in the evening. Requesting his talent come in at the same time created a kismet moment. The couple (now passed) were married over 60 years. Wonderful archival photos are screened during the presentation.

A well written piece, the evening arcs, featuring songs from the beginning of relationships to rocky times, unexpected suggestiveness, and forever love. Billy Stritch and Ann Hampton Callaway, both of whom knew the honorees, contribute parenthetic narrative.

The two celebrated veterans (Stritch and Hampton Callaway) offer warm renditions of “The Last Time I Felt Like This” (music- Marvin Hamlisch from Same Time Next Year) and “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (written with Neil Diamond.) THIS is alchemy.

I would say Hampton Callaway’s “You Must Believe in Spring” (music- Michel Legrand from The Young Girls of Rochefort) is as tender as it gets, but her interpretation of “”On My Way to You” (music- Michel Legrand), dedicated to wife, Kari, is so deeply heartfelt, one envies her. The artist’s own, “In Every Light”, written for the Bergmans, is grateful and touching: “Just look what they have given us/They shine the face of love in every life…”

Stritch’s solo “It Might Be You” (music- Dave Grusin from Tootsie) is hushed and hopeful. A lovely arrangement puts the artist’s heart in his throat. His version of “I Have the Feeling I’ve Been Here Before” (music- Dave Grusin) floats in as if sighed. A treat.

Nikki Renée Daniels has a rich, beautiful, well modulated voice well suited to Bergman material. “The Summer Knows” (Music- Michel Legrand from Summer of ’42) arrives like wistful interior dialogue. “A Child is Born” (music-Dave Grusin), written for the Bergman’s daughter, Julie, goes out to Daniels’ two daughters, replete with projected photos.The palpable entreaty of “Papa Can You Hear Me” (music-Michel Legrand from Yentl) is an evening highlight.

From interview clips, we hear that Marilyn sat on a couch with Alan’s head on her lap and that the writers switched off being editor, often coming up with the same solution.

Ali Stroker’s “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” (music- Michel Legrand from The Happy Ending) emerges an eleven o’clock number, where the vocalist seems most comfortable. A long speech about her own activism (re disability challenges- Stroker uses a wheelchair) prefaces information about Marilyn’s social action.

In response, we hear “Ask Yourself Why” (music- Michel Legrand from La Piscine) in tandem with Stephen Sondheim’s “Everybody Says Don’t” from Anyone Can Whistle-Why include another lyricist?) The latter performance falls short of impact/sincerity.

Brandon Victor Dixon offers a cool, bass-centric “Nice N’ Easy” and a romantic “That Face” (music- both Lew Spence) Deceptively nonchalant, Dixon has style, poise, and moooves. The latter song was Alan Bergman’s proposal to Marilyn. Fred Astaire recorded it unembelished. Dixon plays with notes. “Make Me Rainbows” (music- John Williams from Fitzwilly), with nifty drums and sax, epitomizes late sixties pop.

Direction (Dick Scanlan) is visually appealing.

Ersatz psychedelic projections utilized with and without photos are unnecessary and distracting.
(Kylee Loera & Greg Emetaz)

A grand show! It should travel.

Photos by Richard Termine
Opening: Billy Stritch, Michael O’Brien (bass), Ann Hampton Callaway, Nikki Renée Daniels, Brandon Victor Dixon,
Ali Stroker, Aaron Heick (reeds),Eric Halvorson (drums)

92nd Street Y New York/Lyrics &Lyricists presents
Every Kind of Light: The Love & Lyrics of Alan & Marilyn Bergman
Dick Scanlan & Malcolm Gets- Co-Writers
Dick Scanlan- Director
Billy Stritch- MD,Terrific Arrangements, Orchestrations, Piano, Vocals, Co-Host
Ann Hampton Callaway- Co-Host, Vocals
Rommy Sandhu – Choreography
Nikki Renée Daniels, Brandon Victor Dixon, Ali Stroker- Vocals
Top Notch Musicians: Aaron Heick- reeds, Michael O’Brien- bass, Eric Halvorson- drums, Andy Erzin- keyboards

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