Review by Ron Fassler . . .

Oscar Hammerstein II was a man of many accomplishments, though he will be best remembered for three indisputably monumental things: 1) He wrote Show Boat with Jerome Kern, 2) He wrote Oklahoma! with Richard Rodgers, and 3) He mentored Stephen Sondheim. Over three performances this past weekend, Hammerstein was saluted at 92NY where they presented Cockeyed Optimist: Where Hammerstein Found His Hope, co-written by Dick Scanlon and Malcolm Gets. Considering that Just In Time, another revue birthed via 92NY’s marvelous “Lyrics & Lyricists” series is opening this Spring on Broadway with Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin, it’s not out of the question this show could have another life in the future. It’s funny, informative and by this particular cast of five, extremely well sung. 

With permission from the creative team behind 2006’s Tony Award-winning The Drowsy Chaperone, Lisa Lambert, Greg Morrison, Bob Martin, and Don McKellar, Scanlon took on the role of “Man in Chair” as narrator. For anyone unfamiliar with the Drowsy Chaperone’s concept, “Man in Chair” is just that—a man in a chair who oversees the proceedings offering pithy comments from his perspective as a musical theatre obsessive. Oddly charming and rather fey, his inclusion in these proceedings allows for wry remarks on Hammerstein that cut through the myths of the man to offer a few contemporary observations (after all, his career in the theatre started 104 years ago). Times change and context is most welcome. Scanlon captured the character’s snark perfectly (he also directed).

Dick Scanlan as Man in Chair in Cockeyed Optimist.

Filled with fun facts, this finely-tuned overview (double-meaning there) made for a delightful entertainment especially with the match of great material to great singers. The program overwhelmingly concentrated on Hammerstein’s work with Richard Rodgers, though a special treat was when the three women—all sopranos—performed as a trio to an arrangement of “Dat’s Love,” from Carmen Jones (music by Georges Bizet). Kerstin Anderson, Mikaela Bennett, and Katie Mariko-Murray blended beautifully, excelling in their solo songs as well. Anderson’s “Hello, Young Lovers” from The King and I, staged with her leaning against the stage right proscenium arch, was mesmerizing, as was Bennett’s “What’s the Use of Wonderin’” from Carousel. Mariko Murray made “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” from South Pacific a perfect song for our current political mood. Of the men, Eddie Cooper held the audience in the palm of his hand with a splendid rendition of Show Boat’s “Ol’ Man River” (featuring one of the few Jerome Kern melodies) and tenor Omar Lopez-Cepero took on all 7 minutes and a half minutes of Carousel’s epic “Soliloquy.” His personal intro about the feelings a father has for a child made for a perfect prologue and his singing and diction were excellent.

Omar Lopez-Cepero and Mikaela Bennett in Cockeyed Optimist.

Production elements for Cockeyed Optimist were low key, led by Kylee Loera and Brian Staton’s fine projection designs. John Kelly’s lighting proved effective and the band sounded wonderful led by Joey Chancey, who played piano and was in charge of arrangements, orchestrations and musical direction. Whew. 

What made Hammerstein so important to the development of the American musical was not only his talent as a lyricist but his humanity. And this is where the work that Gets and Scanlon put into the written text pays off. Insights into why Hammerstein had such a liberal view of things was made clear by comments from the master himself; black and white film clips of him speaking  directly to the matter. This show would be a boon to colleges and high school drama programs as a fun and informative way to learn about a true artist of the musical theatre and his work as well as hear some terrific music. To close, congratulations to Stephanie Alvarado Prugh, the producer and dramaturg of the “Lyrics and Lyricists” series, for all the fine work this season.

Full company of Cockeyed Optimist: Where Hammerstein Found His Hope.

Cockeyed Optimist: Where Hammerstein Found His Hope was presented at 92NY, 1395 Lexington Avenue, NYC October 26-28.  For future 92NY events, please visit https://www.92ny.org/events.

Photos by Richard Termine.

Headline photo: Mikaela Bennett, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Katie Mariko Murry, Eddie Cooper and Kerstin Anderson.