| CLOSER THAN EVER Directed by LINDA SUGHRUE & JAMES TALLACH Music Direction by JOSHUA FINSTEIN Choreography by LINDA SUGHRUE JUNE 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 2007 at 8pm June 10, 2007 at 2pm Cambridge Family YMCA Theatre Central Square, Cambridge Tickets may be purchased online through our online ticketing center or by calling (617) 524-5013. |
Closer Than Ever
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
METRO STAGE COMPANY
In this brilliant companion to their hit revue “Starting Here, Starting Now,” Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire
follow up their earlier “songs of innocence” with twenty-four funny, wise and witty “songs of experience.”
As with their earlier revue, each song in “Closer Than Ever” is a story: an intimate, insightful tale about love,
security, happiness – and holding onto them in a world that pulls you in a hundred directions at once. Maltby and
Shire bring their celebrated craft and contemporary sensibility to songs about aging, mid-life crisis, second
marriages, and role reversals with parents, as well as wicked satirical jabs at Muzak, working couples and
unrequited love. Included are several songs that were cut from the acclaimed “Baby.”
follow up their earlier “songs of innocence” with twenty-four funny, wise and witty “songs of experience.”
As with their earlier revue, each song in “Closer Than Ever” is a story: an intimate, insightful tale about love,
security, happiness – and holding onto them in a world that pulls you in a hundred directions at once. Maltby and
Shire bring their celebrated craft and contemporary sensibility to songs about aging, mid-life crisis, second
marriages, and role reversals with parents, as well as wicked satirical jabs at Muzak, working couples and
unrequited love. Included are several songs that were cut from the acclaimed “Baby.”
CAST
Aaron Velthouse
Abigail Cordell
James Tallach
Mary O'Donnell
Paula Markowicz
Tracy Nygard
Will Larche
Robert Case
A New Brain
Heart & Music
Closer Than
Ever
About MSC
Support MSC
Links
Site Guide
Join Our
Mailing List
Volunteer
Heart & Music
Closer Than
Ever
About MSC
Support MSC
Links
Site Guide
Join Our
Mailing List
Volunteer
Metro Stage Scores with Closer Than Ever
- Robin Chamberlain, New England Entertainment Digest
Metro Stage Company closes its 3rd season with a rich, varied, and vocally
astounding rendition of Maltby and Shire’s Closer Than Ever. Closer Than Ever’s
songs, each its own little story focuses on growing up from young adulthood
through middle age, and on accepting the changes that come with physical and
emotional maturation. The revue format and Maltby’s uncommon ability to tell these
little stories with resonance, wit, and depth make Closer Than Ever a rich
exploration, food for the soul. It’s not a surprising choice of material for this
company, which also performed Jason Robert Brown’s similar but less-perfected
Songs for New World in this same slot last season.
The vocally gifted cast consists of, in alphabetical order: Robert Case, Abigail
Cordell, Will Larche, Paula Marcowicz, Tracy Nygard, Mary O’Donnell, James
Tallach, and Aaron Velthouse. Each individually sells their songs well, but when
they sing as a whole they are unstoppable – Shire’s complex harmonizations come
to life with a sumptuousness that leaves you feeling breathless.
Special mentions for a few numbers; Tracy Nygard’s passionate yet amusing patter
during “You Wanna Be My Friend” – a lament on a bad breakup, Abigail Cordell’s
hysterical “Miss Byrd” (I’m not giving the secret away), and Paula Marcowicz and Will
Larche’s comic take on traditional musical theatre ballads with “Another Wedding
Song”.
Ably backed by Joshua Finstein’s trio and Rob Case’s simple but elegant set
centered by a revolving door, the show is a feast for eyes and ears. You shouldn’t
miss it!
- Robin Chamberlain, New England Entertainment Digest
Metro Stage Company closes its 3rd season with a rich, varied, and vocally
astounding rendition of Maltby and Shire’s Closer Than Ever. Closer Than Ever’s
songs, each its own little story focuses on growing up from young adulthood
through middle age, and on accepting the changes that come with physical and
emotional maturation. The revue format and Maltby’s uncommon ability to tell these
little stories with resonance, wit, and depth make Closer Than Ever a rich
exploration, food for the soul. It’s not a surprising choice of material for this
company, which also performed Jason Robert Brown’s similar but less-perfected
Songs for New World in this same slot last season.
The vocally gifted cast consists of, in alphabetical order: Robert Case, Abigail
Cordell, Will Larche, Paula Marcowicz, Tracy Nygard, Mary O’Donnell, James
Tallach, and Aaron Velthouse. Each individually sells their songs well, but when
they sing as a whole they are unstoppable – Shire’s complex harmonizations come
to life with a sumptuousness that leaves you feeling breathless.
Special mentions for a few numbers; Tracy Nygard’s passionate yet amusing patter
during “You Wanna Be My Friend” – a lament on a bad breakup, Abigail Cordell’s
hysterical “Miss Byrd” (I’m not giving the secret away), and Paula Marcowicz and Will
Larche’s comic take on traditional musical theatre ballads with “Another Wedding
Song”.
Ably backed by Joshua Finstein’s trio and Rob Case’s simple but elegant set
centered by a revolving door, the show is a feast for eyes and ears. You shouldn’t
miss it!
REVIEWS
Closer Than Ever
Better than ever
By Beverly Creasey (Theater Mirror)
If you haven’t seen a Metro Stage production, you’re missing out—and you have only
two more weekends to see this one. Metro does musicals: simply, elegantly and
usually with the same company actors (who are also consummate singers).
What makes a musical like CLOSER THAN EVER more than just a revue? The
songs by Richard Maltby and David Shire are connected by their style and wit---Who
else would rhyme ‘second’ and ‘fecund’ so cleverly--- but there’s no story to pull
them together. Metro makes the characters connect and these characters make the
songs sizzle. Each song becomes a scene and each scene becomes a
showstopper. That translates to two dozen surprising and delightful moments.
The Metro cast acts the heck out of every song: Some are ensemble numbers, like
“There’s Nothing Like It,” deliciously choreographed by Linda Sughrue. Some are
hilarious turnarounds like Robert Case’s coda to Abigail Cordell and Aaron
Velthouse’s “She Loves Me Not.” Some are comic tour de forces like Paula
Markowicz’ tongue in cheek paean to creatures female, “The Bear, The Tiger, The
Hamster and The Mole.” Some, like Tracy Nygard’s sexy, jazzy, scat-filled “Back On
Base” are brilliant gems. Sugrue and James Tallach co-directed and the
collaboration shows in the tight, dramatic flow of the numbers, with subtle touches
like Case’s revolving door for songs which fade gently away in John MacKenzie’s
soft light. Music director Joshua Finstein gets a gorgeous sound from the band,
especially from Dirk Hillyer on “Back on Base” and Steven Prouty on “The Sound of
Muzak.”
Mary O’Donnell nails heartbreaking songs like “Life Story” and Will Larche captures
the desperation of a jilted lover in “What Am I Doin?” If you miss Metro’s CLOSER
THAN EVER, you’ll be wondering what were you doing?
Better than ever
By Beverly Creasey (Theater Mirror)
If you haven’t seen a Metro Stage production, you’re missing out—and you have only
two more weekends to see this one. Metro does musicals: simply, elegantly and
usually with the same company actors (who are also consummate singers).
What makes a musical like CLOSER THAN EVER more than just a revue? The
songs by Richard Maltby and David Shire are connected by their style and wit---Who
else would rhyme ‘second’ and ‘fecund’ so cleverly--- but there’s no story to pull
them together. Metro makes the characters connect and these characters make the
songs sizzle. Each song becomes a scene and each scene becomes a
showstopper. That translates to two dozen surprising and delightful moments.
The Metro cast acts the heck out of every song: Some are ensemble numbers, like
“There’s Nothing Like It,” deliciously choreographed by Linda Sughrue. Some are
hilarious turnarounds like Robert Case’s coda to Abigail Cordell and Aaron
Velthouse’s “She Loves Me Not.” Some are comic tour de forces like Paula
Markowicz’ tongue in cheek paean to creatures female, “The Bear, The Tiger, The
Hamster and The Mole.” Some, like Tracy Nygard’s sexy, jazzy, scat-filled “Back On
Base” are brilliant gems. Sugrue and James Tallach co-directed and the
collaboration shows in the tight, dramatic flow of the numbers, with subtle touches
like Case’s revolving door for songs which fade gently away in John MacKenzie’s
soft light. Music director Joshua Finstein gets a gorgeous sound from the band,
especially from Dirk Hillyer on “Back on Base” and Steven Prouty on “The Sound of
Muzak.”
Mary O’Donnell nails heartbreaking songs like “Life Story” and Will Larche captures
the desperation of a jilted lover in “What Am I Doin?” If you miss Metro’s CLOSER
THAN EVER, you’ll be wondering what were you doing?