An Evening of Music, Fun, and Human Harmony with Rodgers & Hammerstein Musical

Just thought I would add a little something from my portfolio as a freelance writer. I'm currently writing, among other things, arts and entertainment features for the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pennsylvania. Occasionally I have the opportunity to not only preview concerts and plays, but I also have the opportunity to do reviews as well. Last month I wrote a preview for a sing-along in Bellefonte and had the good fortune of being invited to attend the event. The organizer asked me if I would want to do a review of the SING!, which she could put on her website. I thought while I'm doing that I might as well add it to my blog too. So here it is!

 

 

 

Human Harmony, Joy and Laughter Shared Through Songs of “South Pacific”

 

As a freelance writer, I quite often have the opportunity to interview some very interesting people. I usually get some very in-depth interviews and plenty of valuable information to work with. More often than not, my interview subjects will engage in small talk and if they have time, we can have a conversation on a more personal level. They are usually very kind and gracious of their time, and they compliment me as well for the same reasons.

But one person I’ve had the opportunity to interview on a couple of occasions has given me more advice and encouragement, both personally and professionally, than anyone I’ve ever known. That person is Jessie Barth, former choir director at Bellefonte and State College High Schools. Originally from Pleasant Gap, Jessie organizes and leads sing-alongs, or SINGS! as she prefers to call them, celebrating the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Jessie has held these SINGS! in different places, most notably at the home of Oscar Hammerstein in Doylestown. I first previewed a SING! at the Reynolds Mansion in Bellefonte back in April, but then was given an opportunity to preview this most recent engagement, a “South Pacific SING!,” on June 1. Not only did I preview the event, but Jessie also invited my mother and me to come and participate.

We did indeed accept the invitation and had a memorable evening. I had the opportunity to meet some interesting people, including Carolyn Johnson, a retired assistant professor from Penn State, Carol Lindsay, who played percussion, innkeeper Tricia Andriaccio on piano, and Sam Rocco, a music teacher at Mount Nittany Middle School in State College. Everyone was pleasant and kind. They really made my mom and me feel right at home.

The SING! included all of the songs from the musical, including “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There is Nothing Like a Dame,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” and “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy.” There were also opportunities to lead the singing, as different participants volunteered to sing solos. I volunteered but wasn’t chosen; which was okay with me, having not sung in quite a long time. I sang in chorus and ensemble in high school and briefly in my church’s choir, but that had been a number of years ago. However, I did have the honor of reading some thoughts written by the composers of “South Pacific,” Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

One of the highlights of the evening was the women singing “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair.” My mother actually joined in singing that song as one of the nurses. I could tell she really enjoyed herself.

My personal favorite was singing a number with the men. “There is Nothing Like a Dame” gave me an opportunity to really test out my rusty voice. What made it easier for me were the lower notes, having been a bass in my high school chorus and ensemble. Before the sing, I had watched videos of the 1958 musical production of “South Pacific” on YouTube, hoping to familiarize myself with the songs. It did help to a degree, but I still found it a little difficult to follow along with the words to the songs at first. After a while, it became much easier with each song we did.

What I usually do is listen to the people next to me and then I can sort of feed off of them. This is what I did when I first joined my high school chorus, as I was among a number of experienced singers. Over time, I became more experienced myself and eventually had to be the one to lead. I never was able to read music very well, and I think I sang more from what I heard than from what I read. So this SING! was a great outlet for me to find my voice once again.

I was really amazed at how talented some of the singers were. Many of them had obviously done this more than once, while for me it was something totally new. Though many of the participants had some experience singing as I have, either in school choral groups, church choirs or both. A few also had professional experience or training. But the evening was not about who was the best singer. It was about a group of people coming together to sing in harmony, to be taken to a different time and place, and to have fun and enjoy each other’s company.    

After experiencing my first SING! I can honestly say that if the opportunity arises in the future, I will most definitely take part in the harmony and joy that was shared by all who participated. As Jessie has said, the music of Oscar Hammerstein is joyful and uplifting, and it was Oscar’s philosophy that we all try to get along with one another and spread his message of hope and optimism for future generations.