ON STAGE
Chorus/Line/Cabaret
Where: Belfry Studio, 1291 Gladstone Ave.
When: Monday, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Info, reservations: 250-385-6815
Maury who? Chances are Clayton Baraniuk and his creative cohorts at Gotta Getta Gimmick have heard that question at least once or twice announcing their fifth Chorus/Line/Cabaret event would focus on composer Maury Yeston.
While Yeston might not have the instant name recognition of Broadway legends such as Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne or John Kander and Fred Ebb, he's a gloriously distinctive composer with an impressive body of work.
He's best known for Nine, the Broadway hit that became a movie starring Nicole Kidman; the score he re-wrote for Grand Hotel and Titanic, the musical that sailed onto the Great White Way before James Cameron's movie was released.
"His music speaks for itself," said Baraniuk, who will co-host Monday night's musical theatre party at the Belfry Studio with Gouda Gabor, the resident singing drag queen who, when firing on all creative cylinders, can be a show unto herself. "Yeston's music is very grand, a very unique style," GGG's artistic producer adds. "It's also a bit of a throwback to the heyday of musical theatre with a modern edge, which we love."
Celebrating the centennial of the Titanic was "a natural way to fit Yeston in," Baraniuk said.
Shining the spotlight on Yeston also afforded the local arts society an opportunity to unearth some juicy trivia.
It was Yeston, for instance, who had originally planned to bring his own American musical version of The Phantom of the Opera to Broadway, a production he had work-shopped for months before Andrew Lloyd Webber's mega-musical opened.
"It was a great musical and way more accurate in terms of story," Baraniuk said. "The characters were much more true to the book. Carlotta owned the opera house rather than just being the diva and there was more realism to the love story."
As always, Monday's showbiz showcase will be "all musical theatre, only musical theatre" in keeping with GGG's mandate.
Act I will feature a cast of the region's top professional and amateur talents and what Baraniuk says will be some "wicked" surprise performers singing selected Yeston compositions, with the GGG Chorus/Line featured on larger ensemble pieces.
In Act II, the company will go "below deck" for a "no holds barred" musical theatre party with Gabor, Baraniuk added.
Participants who bring their own sheet music can belt out a musical theatre favourite. In keeping with tradition, the night will include Diva Tag, where performers take turns singing lyrics when being "tagged," often with hilarious results. An overhead projector will also beam lyrics for singalongs, and prizes will be handed out.
Chorus/Line/Cabaret, curated and executed by Brad L'Ecuyer and his GGG team, gets under way at 8 p.m..
