'Melodies of Broadway' — rich history

Patrons who attended the “Melodies of Broadway” event at the Main Street Theatre this weekend now have an idea of the extraordinary talent surrounding the community. Performing an ensemble of modern and classic songs, a total of 10 vocalists graced the stage under a canopy-style chandelier, topped with dramatic lighting.

Providing the music for the night, was the talented Laura Maxwell on piano. Maxwell is currently the staff accompanist at Texas A&M University — Commerce. She has performed in Europe, Mexico and South America as a collaborative pianist for many conferences, masterclasses and shows throughout her career.

Setting the tone for the evening of “feels” and “thrills,” the stage came to life through the hands of Pip Bickford, production manager, Bryan Deterding, set build, Lloyd E. Turney and Amy Shoemake, set design. Turney directed the performances, providing yet another remarkable showcase in a successive string of productions lately.

Hosting the event, Enola Gay and Brad Cummings provided commentary for the singers’ epic melodies and a background on broadway as the “home” of the American musical. The rich history attached to the production encouraged audience members to take a journey through broadway’s incredible, heart-felt anthology with enthusiasm.

Gay stated, “broadway is a celebration of life through stories and music beautifully woven together to bring us a completely unique evening. Its attraction is world-wide and its style is unique. Emotions and feelings are in music all around us. Tonight, we will hear and discover how these are expressed in song.”

“It was over 100 years ago when the American theatre opened for business on 42nd Street in the heart of Manhattan. It was to be the first of many theaters on the famed street that became known around the world as Broadway,” added Cummings.

In honor of the charming genre of music, each artist performed their best rendition of a classic or modern tune, belting out “emotion-centered” pieces.

Honoring the great Julie Andrews, Jen Brown, Greenville Family Theatre Director opened with “The Sound of Music,” setting the tone for the evening under deep blue lighting, accented by flowing white tapestry on set.

Next, Keeli James, a professional performer with Dallas theatre company, Lyric Stage, reproduced “Getting to Know you,” also sung by Julie Andrews as a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “The King and I.” The song highlights a scene in the movie where Anna, a British school teacher who has been hired as a governess, sings the song to build a relationship with the children and the wives of the King of Siam.

Cummings introduced the creator of Emily Ragsdale’s song, “Breathe.” Cummings stated, “before the world knew Lin-Manuel Miranda for Hamilton, Broadway had already honored him with several Tony awards and several other awards for his musical “In the Heights.” He continued to describe the inspiration for the musical piece, stating, “the story involves characters in the large Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York. One of those characters, Nina, is preparing to tell her parents she dropped out of Stanford College.” Ragsdale sang, ”the biggest disappointment you know. The kid couldn’t hack it. She’s back, and she’s walking real slow. Welcome home, just breathe.” Ragsdale is the great granddaughter of Frank Ragsdale who created the Dallas Cast Stone Company, a 100 year old business. The evening continued on, featuring performers, Kylie Shoemake, Sydnee Hawkins, Ashley Day, Darla Meek, Grace Mansfeld, Sharon Baker and Amy Hale. Following the production, the show has surely gained credibility as a masterpiece, organized by Bickford, Community Players’ Activity Director in Sulphur Springs. Turney thanked the audience members for witnessing the showcase, “thank you for supporting this theatre and this program, Broadway on the Square, which features some of the finest singers in the area and nearby cities.”