With sweeping melodies, smart lyrics and a host of spot-on performances, the Lyric’s Show Boat is the musical event of 2012! Show Boat is filled with humor, powerful drama (miscegenation and family abandonment) while telling the story of a nation struggling with social, political and economic change. The haunting thematic “Ol’ Man River” was nailed by the rich-voiced bass baritone Morris Robinson while Ashley Brown (Magnolia) and Nathan Gunn (Gaylord Ravenal) exuded their love at first sight with “Make Believe,” “You Are Love” and “Why Do I Love You?” We hear a pre-love song, the lush “Make Believe,” a foreboding lament with “Mis’ry’s Comin’ Aroun” with several uptempo ‘happy songs’ such as “Can’t help Lovin’ Dat Man.” In Show Boat, the songs emerge seamlessly and naturally from the dialogue. Kern’s score was flavored with era correct harmonies (1880’s – 1920’s) diversified including work songs, love duets, comic ditties and heartfelt anthems. Book and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II worked with composer Jerome Kern to convert Edna Feber’s novel, Show Boat, for the stage with the enthusiastic backing of producer Florenz Ziegfeld.

It was the first show to combine a strong story about human relations as it integrated songs to further the story and to reveal character. Running an unheard of 575 performances in 1927-28, Show Boat changed the Broadway musical forever. The original orchestrations and the blending of full-voiced opera stars with the cream of “A” list Chicago musical comedy and stage actors gave depth and full character development to the classic operetta/Broadway musical. Their Show Boat has all the freshness and rich operetta tone of the original yet it still resonates today. But I must say that Francesa Zambello and the creative folks at the Lyric Opera of Chicago need to be proud of their triumphant rendering of the 1927 classic. I have seen several terrific productions of Show Boat including the Hal Prince production that played at the Auditorium Theatre in 1994-95. Show Boat is a triumph as it blends the best of opera tradition with musical theatre in a truly American songfest

Based on the Novel Show Boat by Edna Ferber

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