Broadway at Mason

By Broadside Staff Writer Laura Hampton

Last Tuesday night, the University Chorale delivered an exciting, high-energy performance in Harris Theatre. The fast costume changes, fantastic dancers and sometimes emotionally stirring pieces had audience members tapping their feet to the beat and humming along to a variety of Broadway classics.

The evening featured selections from some of the best Broadway musicals of the past 50 years, including the works of Rogers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and Claude-Michael Schönberg. Some of the more notable musicals included in the program were Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, West Side Story, Spamalot, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and Les Misérables.

While all of the choir’s performances were a feast for the ears, some of the most exciting moments of the show came when the soloists stepped out on stage to strut their stuff. Probably the most hilarious moment of the evening was a duet, titled “The Song That Goes Like This,” from John DuPrez and Eric Idle’s hit Spamalot performed by senior Jonathan Hoffman, who wore a blonde wig for his role as Sir Galahad, and alumnus Christine Padua as the Lady of the Lake. The two made a fantastically humorous pair as they performed certain keys at a ridiculous volume. Hoffman, frustrated by the obscenely high notes, tore the long blonde wig from his head and hurled it to the stage, cursing at the band to lower the key.

Another crowd favorite was the GMU Broadway Singers and the Chorale Dancers in a wonderfully refreshing dance number to “Doin’ the Latest Rag” from the musical Titanic. The choreography was very well carried out, with two-steps and twirls abound, bringing a feeling of an old dance party from the twenties. The female dancers were dressed delightfully in period dresses, which added a feeling of authenticity to the performance.

The best selection of the evening was the one the chorale saved for last—the finale “One Day More” from the musical Les Misérables. Performed by the entire chorale and led once more by soloist Hoffman, “One Day More,” was an excellent, powerful finale number. The patriotic act was accompanied by full choir choreography and right near the climax of the song, a lone singer hoisted a massive green and gold flag with the George Mason University logo emblazoned upon it and waved it proudly to the cheers of the crowd.

The University Chorale group can stand proud after an evening of such wonderful performances. The musical selection felt rather tame in contrast to the flash and flair that is typically associated with Broadway. Notably missing from the concert were modern numbers from recent Broadway productions such as Rent, Avenue Q, Hairspray and Wicked, which may have better showcased the vocal talents of this gifted group of performers. Still, for one night, the audience was treated to the spectacles of Broadway that they will likely never forget.