After their first collaboration in 1965, John Kander and Fred Ebb worked together on many musicals until Ebb’s death in 2004. Now the Kennedy Center is celebrating that collaboration in an expanded version of the musical first performed at Arlington’s Signature Theatre called “First You Dream: The Music of Kander and Ebb.”
Co-conceived by David Loud and Eric Schaeffer and directed by Schaeffer, the musical celebrates not simply the songs that Kander and Ebb wrote, but a certain Kander/Ebb philosophy about life that rejects cynicism or idealism. Though some days may not be as great as others, the theory goes, life is all we have and it should be lived to the fullest.
The cast that performs “First You Dream” is exceptional. Heidi Blickenstaff, Patina Miller, Leslie Kritzer, Alan Green, Matthew Scott and James Clow are impressive whether crooning gentle ballads or belting out huge numbers
| Onstage |
| ‘First You Dream: The Music of Kander and Ebb’ |
| Where: Eisenhower Theater, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW |
| When: Through July 1 |
| Info: Tickets start at $65; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org |
One reason that Kander and Ebb are so engaging is that they address a wide variety of topics: love, anger, jealousy, happiness, show business, luck, to name a few. But their approaches to these topics are continually changing. The songs in the show range from thoughtful musings on life to a satirical view of revenge.
Although all of the songs hit home, there are some outstanding moments, for instance when Miller sings “City Lights,” or Blikenstaff and the company sing “Ring Them Bells.” Clow and Kritzer are delightful in “Not Every Day of the Week.” Scott’s gentle version of “Cabaret” is moving and his “I Miss the Music” is a show stopper. Green is especially touching in “Love and Love Alone” and “Life Is.”
Even Kander and Ebb enthusiasts are bound to hear something new in these 37 selections from 19 shows and movies. And if all you know of Kander and Ebb are “Cabaret” and “Chicago,” you owe it to yourself to check out “First You Dream.”
