For On The Record, the musical compilation currently playing at the Upper West Side’s Stage 72, four cast members take the audience on a harmonized journey of 25 songs that span three generations. Each of the cast members, including Dallas actress Deborah Tranelli, MAC and Bistro award-winning Bill Daugherty, Paul Kropfl and Amanda Savan, is sincere, wildly compelling and completely invested in every scene. The comradery was palpable, and every soloist moment gave way to a uniform, “we’re in it together” attitude, which wasn’t short of a “job well done” pat on the back or the occasional out of script laugh.
The show was as enlightening as it was engaging; songs stemmed from the 20’s to the 50’s, from “Those Ragtime Melodies” to “In My Life,” and the cast proved themselves to be storytellers just as much as they did vocalists. The four took turns weaving together bits and pieces of history that ultimately formed an overarching story about music’s triumphant journey across the eras, and were sure to take audience members along for the ride through fascinating character shifts, instrumental changeups (including a “hand” kazoo performed brilliantly by Tranelli), and comedic interplay (especially in the hard to recover verses of “Breathless”).
The show is a soundtrack through time, a concert and a history lesson in one. Leaving Stage 72—a cozy and old timey venue completely suited for this show—audience members can feel a little more informed, a little more energized, and with a little more to sing about.
Performances are on Saturdays at 3pm and Sundays at 6pm, with dates currently scheduled through December 15. Tickets, priced at $25 (half-price for students/seniors) can be purchased online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com.
For more information, please visit: http://stage72.com/on-the-record/
