originally published in The Chattanooga Times Free Press
We live in a time of chaos and raging hate. How do we survive? The Arts can help and we should turn to them. My dad read poetry non-stop when serving as a US military intelligence officer during World War II. He said that’s how he kept his sanity dealing with the horrors of war. Dad summoned the Arts generations ago, when we moved reluctantly to American and us kids were heartbroken leaving Bermuda behind. He took us to art galleries and art museums and, fantastically, to a Broadway theater to see the musical, “West Side Story”. Wow! Maybe this America thing isn’t so bad!
Decades later, I try to picture the song and dance scene of “America”, as the agony in the Middle East threatens to totally flatten me. Praying for sanity, I set off for the Jewish Cultural Center and its Broadway Cabaret event. The cafe-style round tables were packed with folks from around Chattanooga chatting energetically until the piano music called us to order.
The event’s instigator, Marilyn Goler, came onto the glittery stage and introduced the pianist, Michael Huseman, explaining that he was central to the evening’s success as a producer, composer, teacher as well as a performer.
The evening’s singers of the musicals, best defined as operas for the common folks, ranged in age from 14 to 93. Us older ones knew that the musicals wouldn’t have existed if it weren’t for immigrants in the early 1900s. The younger ones got a taste of the artistry that inspired the poetic lyrics of musicians like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel. All of us swayed along with the music as the cast sang.
The singers’ connection to Chattanooga varied from remarkable to amazing. Harv Wileman leads 3 local choral groups and has worked with churches, organizations, schools, colleges in our area for decades. With a voice so powerful, he needs no microphone, his rendition of “Younger than Springtime” from South Pacific brought me to tears. His duet of “Memory” from Cats with Marianna Allen gave me goose bumps. Marianna has performed across the USA and Europe, including the Vatican and Carnegie Hall. They were a great match, as were Marianna and Susan Caminez, Executive Director of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera (CSO). Both women now work with Chattanooga’s Mizpah Congregation and their “For Good” from Wicked, was better than good.
Another remarkable duet included Bill Lefton whose rich voice is an asset to the Chattanooga Theatre Center. I had to remember to breathe during his incredible rendition of “Memory” from Cats. Then he paired up with his 14-year old grand daughter, Darin Bowles, who had bowled over the house when she had sung “The Wizard and I” from Wicked. Not a dry eye in the house with these two or with the two seniors, Barbara Oxenhandler and Sheldon Gelburd, when they sang “do you Love Me?” from Fiddler on the Roof.
How I wish I had a voice like Beth McClary-Wolford! I told her so during the intermission. Appropriately dressed in glitter, this powerful soloist has sung in 22 season at the Chattanooga Theater Center. What motivated to do all that work? “What’s the point of singing if you don’t sing for people?”
So true, and that’s why I admire Warren Pasternak, who took me back to my youth when he sang “Tonight, Tonight” from West Side Story. He also sings for Alzheimers patients and his kindness should remind us despite the rage embedded in our world, our best selves can still surface. So let’s be grateful for our artists and sway to the music. Stay sane and humane.
I find remembering great songs and great plays peaceful too.
Will you marry me?