Schimmel Center Blog

“It’s so nice to see you back where you belong!” It is only fitting that on the fiftieth anniversary of his most iconic show, American Showstoppers, led by the incomparable Fred Barton Orchestra, will be celebrating the master of the show tune himself, Jerry Herman. Yes, It has been fifty years since Carol Channing first sulked down the grand staircase of the Harmonia Gardens (at the St. James Theatre) in that crimson red gown and gaudy peacock feather head dress to sing the song that would cement Jerry Herman’s place in Broadway’s firmament of great composers. Hello Dolly would go on to win, a then record breaking, ten Tony awards including Best Musical and Best Composer and Lyricist for Herman. That title song would go on to knock the Beatles from their number one spot with a much- loved cover by Louis Armstrong. But who is Jerry Herman? How did he come to write the scores of shows that would  be loved by millions?

The incomparable Jerry Herman

Mr. Herman was raised just across the river in Jersey City, NJ by Ruth and Harry Herman, two musically attached, middle- class professionals of Jewish descent. From September through June, they were public school teachers. In the summer months, they ran a summer camp at Stissing Lake in the Berkshire mountains. It was there that Herman began to develop his flair for musical comedy while participating in productions of golden age musicals such as Oklahoma! and Finnian’s Rainbow. After graduating from high school, Herman attended the Parson’s school of design but a chance meeting with the legendary Frank Loesser convinced him to change majors and schools. He would transfer to the University of Miami which boasted the nation’s leading and most avant- guard Theatre program. His focus was in, you guessed it, song writing. He showed early promise when he wrote an original musical as an undergraduate entitled Sketchbook. The show garnered so much interest that it played 17 sell-out performances and became the longest running show to play the University up until that time.

Upon graduating, Mr. Herman relocated back north and dove into the New York theatre scene. He self- produced an original review based on the songs he wrote in college. The review ran in Greenwich village for 48 performances and was sadly the only New York gig his mother would get to see. Shortly after the show’s run, Ruth lost her battle with cancer at the age of forty-four.  While in deep mourning of his beloved mother, Herman began playing piano at jazz clubs around the city. While playing at the Showplace in 1957, Jerry was asked by the venue’s executive director to pen a show that would fill the void of their smash show, Little Mary Sunshine, that had just transferred to Broadway. The show he created was a review titled Nightcap. It was during this show that Herman would meet a young entertainer named Charles Nelson Riley who would go on to be involved in many Herman endeavors and would originate the role of the bumbling sales clerk, Cornelius Hackle in Hello Dolly! His next review for the Showplace, Parade would transfer off Broadway and would lead to his first New York book musical Madame Aphrodite, which was based on Tad Mosel’s teleplay.

Herman with his Hello Dolly! star, Carol Channing.

As the golden age of the 1950’s was coming to a close and the turbulent 60’s were but a glimmer a way, the dawn of a new age of the Broadway musical was coming to fruition. Broadway was coming into a time of transition. The Great White way was still producing hits but the American show tune was slowly losing its momentum in the popular music scene. Rock and Roll was becoming king and the British Invasion was looming. Broadway was looking for a composer that could bring the show tune back to the top of the charts. Jerry Herman would have small success with two Broadway mountings. He contributed to the Broadway Review, From A to Z, which also featured offerings from a young Woody Allen and Fred Ebb. In 1961, Herman penned the score to his first Broadway musical Milk and Honey which was about the founding of the state of Israel. The show played a modest 543 performances. It was a meeting with David Merrick and star, Carol Channing that would bring about the biggest Broadway hit since Oklahoma! The show was Hello Dolly, a musical adaptation of Thorton Wilder’s hit play, The Matchmaker. The show was an explosive and massive success. The score brought forth one rousing show stopping number after another. None would rival the show’s 11 o’clock number and the show’s title song, Hello Dolly! As mentioned before, this song would do the impossible and join the ranks of the pop charts, competing with such popular bands as The Beatles.  In 1966 Angela Lansburry  jumped to the ranks of A-list celebrity and Broadway royalty with her celebrated turn in Herman’s latest hit Mame. The show’s score produced the Christmas classic, We Need a Little Christmas and would once again, showcase Herman’s ability to write a hit score.

The master would then go on to write a somewhat disappointing string of moderate successes and down-right flops. Dear World (1969), Mack & Mabel (1974) and The Grand Tour (1979) never really found their footing but are still counted among favorites by those who consider themselves true musical comedy aficionados. It wasn’t until 1983 that Jerry Herman would bring the “old fashioned hummable show tune,” back in style. Herman joined ranks with playwright, Harvey Firestein to musicalize the popular French film, La Cage Aux Folles. It marked the first time since the sixties that the composer was able to write a song that could make the jump to the pop charts. That song was, “I Am What I Am,” and it not only sold records, it became an anthem for the gay rights movement, a movement that the out and proud composer was very proud to be a part of. La Cage became a hit at the dawn of one of the nation’s worst and deadliest health crises, the AIDS epidemic. The epidemic was especially hard on the gay community and subsequently, the Broadway community. In 1985, Herman was diagnosed as HIV-positive and became one of the few public personas to be public about his diagnosis.

Jerry Herman was one of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honorees.

Mr. Herman has acknowledged that he is one of “the lucky ones.”  He is still alive and well and residing in Florida over a quarter of century since the epidemic first took hold. Herman’s music still holds relevance today. There is not a day that goes by when one of his three mega hit musicals isn’t being produced somewhere in the United States. Hello Dolly! remains one of the top ten most produced musicals by amateur, college and stock companies. In 2008, Pixar decided to incorporate musical numbers from the 1969 movie version of Hello Dolly! to create emotional highlights in its futuristic robot epic, Wall-e. Herman is the recipient of six Tony awards, two Grammy awards, one Emmy award and is a 2010 Kennedy Center Honoree.

On Saturday, March 1^st, the Schimmel is proud to have Fred Barton’s 13-piece Orchestra along with celebrated musical theatre artists, to celebrate the career of this legendary songwriter. Evening highlights will include Tony- Award winner, Beth Leavel and New York favorite Klea Blackhurst singing the songs that crowned the careers of the likes of Carol Channing and Angela Lansbury. It is sure to be one magnificent and show-stopping event. Be sure to get your tickets, “before the parade passes by.”

See you at the Schimmel!

Pace Presents’ Blogger

Michael Scott-Torbet

Fred Barton leads his orchestra in celebration of the works of Jerry Herman!

This Sunday, January 26th, our VOCE AT PACE series will continue. This time, we are honored to welcome Paul Appleby. Mr. Appleby is quickly emerging as one of opera’s most inspiring tenors. Just this fall, he debuted the MET’s production of Two Boys to critical acclaim. He was very kind to answer some of my questions and give our readers a better idea of what to expect form this Sunday’s recital.

 MT: Can you describe your musical background growing up to me? How did this background lead you to your passion for opera?

Paul Appleby will grace our stage as part of the “Voce at Pace” series on January 26th at 3:00pm.

PA: I began taking piano lessons at the age of 6.  I sang in choirs at school and church as a kid, and acted in plays as a teenager.  I started taking voice lessons to help prepare for roles in musicals in high school.  Once I started learning early Italian arias and Schubert songs I was hooked on classical singing.  

 MT: The Voce at Pace series is exciting because it’s one of the rare opportunities for New York audiences to experience rising opera stars, such as yourself, in an intimate recital setting. Are there any artistic advantages to the recital format that you don’t get performing in an opera?
PA: Presenting a song recital offers me an opportunity not just to perform art songs (which allow for a wider array of vocal colors and expressive choices than opera because one doesn’t have to worry about issues such as filling a large opera house) but also to craft a program of songs from a vast array of repertoire.  There are relativity few operatic roles that suit one’s fach at any given moment in a singer’s career. Programming a recital, however, affords me the freedom to select and combine songs from any number of centuries, countries, poets, and composers that not only suit me vocally but which also express something unique and specific about me or an idea I wish to explore with an audience.  

MT: Can you tell me about your favorite piece that you picked for this performance?
PA: The great thing about recitals, including this one, is that I only program songs that I love.  So it is hard to pick a favorite, but I will say that at the moment, I have a deep infatuation for Schubert’s “Liane.”  There is something special and touching about the description of a young woman in love that is so simple and respectful–reading the poem gives me goosebumps, but Schubert’s setting of it is, like the poem, straight-forwardly divine.  On the second half of the program, the song that I am most digging today is “To what you said,” Bernstein’s setting of Walt Whitman. I am moved by the suffering of the marginalized narrator, and amazed how Bernstein, who clearly felt this poem deeply, created this haunting and sad conversation between the singer and the cello.

 MT: How does the repertoire that you picked for this performance reflect on who you are as an artist right now?
PA: In my opera, concert, and song repertoire, I strive to be a serious interpreter of both great works from the past as well as new works that may not yet be so well-known or revered.  Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and even Bernstein and Britten are, to my mind, a part of this canon of composers.  I love and admire this music and the many interpretations of it by singers who have come before me, and I am honored to participate in perpetuating the legacy and lifespan of these great works of art.  Likewise, it is also very important to me, even in some small way, to support the work of living composers and do what I can to give voice to songs I love and hope that others will love too.  

 MT: You recently performed at the MET in a brand new opera titled, “Two Boys”. Can you tell us a little bit about the experience of starring in a completely original piece?
PA: It was a great honor and a responsibility that I took very seriously.  Bringing a new work such as “Two Boys” to life is challenging because you are creating, in part, the style of the piece and putting an important stamp on the role.  But this same challenge is also incredibly liberating.  The audience seeing and hearing the work for the first time at the Met had no preconceived ideas of how the role should be sung or acted, nor did they compare me to any great singers of the past and say, for instance, “well, he’s no Fritz Wunderlich” (on a side note, I am singing my first Tamino with Washington National Opera later this season and that’s all I can think about!).

MT: In your career so far, is there a favorite role that you have played? Why is that your favorite?
PA: Tom Rakewell in Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress” has been my favorite role to date.  I find the score and libretto to be a perfect combination of beauty, vitality, wit, sadness, rich complexity, and emotional directness.  The journey of young Tom is one that I think many of us can relate to: we love our family, but fear, insecurity, greed, and the right (or wrong) opportunities can make us forget that love and set our priorities askew.  I think because we can relate to Tom’s misguided journey, his exuberance at the beginning of the opera is so appealing, and his heartbreak and tragedy at the end is so touching and yet painful for all of us. 

 MT: At just thirty years old, you have already accomplished so much. What are your juiciest dream roles and where would you like to see your career in the next five and ten years?
PA: This is dangerous territory because I can’t really foresee how exactly my voice will grow over the next several years, so I can’t promise that I will sing any particular roles in the future. But I can say that there are some that I fantasize about singing, and they are numerous! Two roles in particular that I would love to play are Hoffman and Peter Grimes.  The music and psychological depth of these two characters are irresistible.  

 MT: If you could have any other career, besides tenor extraordinaire, what would it be and why?
PA: I honestly have no idea.  I still am pinching myself that I get to sing for a living.  If I had a different career, I would still love singing and studying vocal music as a hobby, so the fact that I get paid for it is awesome. 

 VOCE AT PACE: Paul Appleby

January 26th at 3:00pm

All Tickets $35

This February, Dr. Janetta Rebold Benton will take the Schimmel Podium once again to continue her fabulous “ART HISTORY ALIVE” series for Pace Presents. This time, she will be bringing particular attention to “The Great Masters.” Each lecture will focus on a different artist. Featured artists will be Raphael, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Frank Loyd Wright, and Frida Kahlo. I recently had the opportunity to interview the esteemed lecturer and learn first hand what scholars will learn from this series.

Dr. Janetta Rebold Benton

MT: The range of artists you picked for this series sure does cover a huge scope of history. It is also worth noting that Raphael, Renoir and Kahlo are all best recognized for their paintings while Wright is lauded for his contributions to architecture. How did you go about choosing these particular artists?

JRB:  I wanted to select four celebrated masters who represent four different styles, eras, and countries. Raphael is from the Renaissance in Italy; Renoir a French Impressionist; Wright an American architect; and Kahlo a Mexican Realist–although she does not fit neatly into any single style.

In regard to Wright being an architect whereas the others in this series are known primarily as painters, I want to mention that Raphael was also an architect and worked on St. Peter’s in Rome. Michelangelo, about whom I spoke in an earlier GREAT MASTERS series, was primarily a sculptor, but also a painter and an architect.

MT: Is there any trait that these four masters have in common?

JRB:  I think each was a genius–but in their own, very personal, way. These artists created works that continue to intrigue, to fascinate, to elicit interest–both positive and negative– over a long time, in many places. I believe that this is true because each one created works of art that touch on, that appeal to, something fundamental, some sort of commonality, in our nature as human beings,

MT: Do you have a favorite of the four? Does one’s art speak to you more than the other three?

JRB: Now that is a tough question! I do appreciate and admire the artistic, the aesthetic accomplishments of each. But if I were forced to pick only one of these four, it would be Frida Kahlo, perhaps influenced by the fact that we share a birthday–July 6. She was born in 1907. I will not tell you the year I was born.

MT: Our Pace Presents audiences have become acquainted with your lectures covering long time periods, large geographic areas, and various genres. How does focusing on individual artists change the conversation? Will we learn more about the humanity of these great masters?

JRB:  At the end of each lecture, I hope each person in the audience will feel that they genuinely understand the artist and his or her work. If they see another work by this artist, it should  be meaningful to them, based on the information, ideas, and examples offered in my lecture on that artist.

MT: You have been noted for the humor and wit that you bring to your lecture series. Do you find humor to be an essential trait in a lecturer?

JRB:  Humor may not be essential in a lecturer, but it certainly is in life! Humor can be used effectively in a variety of ways.

MT: It has been noted that you always end your lectures with a rhyming couplet in order to cue your audience that the lecture is over. It is kind of your version of Carol Burnett’s ear tug. How did this amusing practice come about?

JRB:  Thank you for the generous comparison to Carol Burnett. The concluding poem is intended to summarize the main points of the lecture and put the most important works of art back on the screen. The poems are also intended to make the information more readily remembered and to leave people smiling, endorphins flowing, as they exit the theater.

MT: After each lecture, the conversation continues with a catered lunch in the Schimmel lobby for an additional fee for the attendee. What topics often come up in these lunches? Do you find them to be an essential part of the series?

JRB: I love the lunches! The menus are always themed to the lectures: We will have Italian food after Raphael, French food after Renoir, American food after Wright, and Mexican food after Kahlo. When the guests begin to eat, I pose two questions for them to discuss with their tablemates. At desert, I lead an informal discussion about their responses–which range from seriously intellectual, to insightful, to very funny.

MT: Great artists aren’t remembered for their personal skills. However, out of these four, which one would you most desire to hop into a time machine and visit with for an afternoon tea? Why?

JRB:  Among these four I would pick Raphael, and a glass of wine rather than a cup of tea. I would want to ask him about the Renaissance, how this extraordinary burst of creativity came to be, and try to learn how these ideas could benefit us today. And I would ask for introductions to Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

MT: Thank you so much for answering my questions and I look forward to your series.

JRB: And I thank you!

Lectures take place Wednesdays at 11:00am on February 19th, 26th, March 5th, and 12th. All tickets are $25 or $80 for the entire series. Luncheon tickets are an additional $25 per luncheon. To purchase tickets, you may call (866) 811-4111 or (212) 346-1715, visit our website at schimmel.pace.edu or visit our box office directly at 3 Spruce st, New York, NY.

See you at the Schimmel!

Michael Torbet

Pace Presents’ Blogger

The ball dropped over a week ago and many of us have already broken our New Years resolutions but there is one promise for this 2014 that has not and will not be broken. Pace Presents will continue to bring a stellar line up of performances to the Schimmel stage. We are very excited about the offerings in this, the second part of our season.

On the heels of our popular Jamie Barton recital engagement, our “Voce at Pace” series continues on January 26th, with the tremendous, tenor pipes of rising star, Paul Appleby. Appleby recently wowed Metropolitan Opera audiences while playing the lead in the Met’s debut production of Two Boys this past fall. Mr. Appleby will show off his skill in, what is sure to be a remarkable recital. The series will culminate for the season with a recital by the skillful soprano, Nadine Sierra on February 9th. The successful “Voce at Pace” series is curated by Matthew A. Epstein and is designed to showcase the talents of rising operatic stars.

Paul Appleby will grace our stage as part of the “Voce at Pace” series on January 26th at 3:00pm.

In February and March, Dr. Janetta Rebold Benton will once again step to the Schimmel podium and continue her “ART HISTORY ALIVE” series with a look at four “Great Masters.” Artists discussed include Raphael, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Frank Loyd Wright, and Frida Kahlo. As always, you can continue the discussion with the lecturer at our lobby luncheons. For an additional $25, you get a catered meal and a chance to discuss what you have just learned with the Dr. herself.

Fred Barton will also be bouncing back with his joyous 13- piece orchestra and star-studded cast of Broadway singers. This time, he will be celebrating the tuneful career of the celebrated show-stopping composer, Jerry Herman. Songs will be belted from great American musicals such as Hello Dolly!, Mame, La Cage Aux Folles and many more. It is surely an event not to be missed.

March is “Dance Month” at the Schimmel Center. We are very excited to announce that we will be hosting three exciting New York debuts of three brilliant and diverse dance companies as well as welcoming back an old favorite in the month of March. Brian Sanders of Philadelphia will bring his experimental company JUNK. JUNK is known for its, “ingenious use of found objects and clever inventions that bridge the gap between dance and physical theatre.” Israel Galvan comes to our floor boards with his inventive brand of Flamenco in his show, “La Curva,” which has been dubbed “genius,” by The Guardian. From Montreal, the ground-breaking RUBBERBANDance Group will introduce us to their unique fusion of hip-hop dance technique and classical ballet. Speaking of Ballet, we are very excited to end our dance month with the extraordinary American Ballet Theatre Studio Company which the New York Times has called, “a little bit like fireworks.”

The Montreal- based “RUBBERBANDance group” will take to the Schimmel floor boards March20th-22nd.

Our world music offerings continue with “RAGAMALA: A TRIBUTE TO RAVI SHANKAR” on April 5th, the Orquesta Aragon in April 13th and Belgian rapper/crooner, Balogi on April 17th. Our season will round off with a visit from the TAYLOR 2 company on April 24th-26th and Tina Croll and Jamie Cunningham’s “From The Horse’s Mouth” May 30th-June 1st.

To purchase tickets to any of these events, simply call (866) 811-4111 or (212) 346-1715, visit our website, schimmel.pace.edu or visit our boxoffice directly at 3 Spruce St, New York, NY.

From all of us at the Schimmel, we look forward to your next visit.

See you at the Schimmel!

Michael Torbet

Pace Presents’ Blogger

Its all about the costumes!!!! Sit back and enjoy my interview with wardrobe mistress, Jennifer, who gives us a special behind the scenes preview of the exquisite costumes in this magical retelling of, “The Nutcracker!”