“The New York Times, the Daily News…The New York Times, The Mirror too,” sang John Gallagher ’06 as he slightly altered Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind”. The opening performance set the theme of the Fairfield University Glee Club’s final performance of the year: “The Glee Club Takes Manhattan”.
Broadway was brought to North Benson as the glee club sang Tony award-winning songs from the classics such as “Cats” and the contemporaries such as “Rent”.
But the show was more than just solo, duet and group vocalists in front of microphones; the singers also tried their hands at other forms of entertainment such as acting and dancing.
The audience applauded as Keith Maczkiewicz ’04 broke into tap dancing during his solo “Can’t be Bothered Now” from “Crazy for You”. The audience, as well as the glee club seated in the background, cheered as pianist Galen Tate joined in with his tap shoes on as well.
Much of the cheering was accompanied by laughter. Maggie O’Connor ’04, Caitlin Wagner ’06 and Erika Ludwig ’07 sang “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now” from “Hairspray”. Alan Ghaly ’04 played the distressed “mama” dressed in drag.
Thirteen of the glee club’s young women performed “Vamps!” in pink- feathered boas.
As they turned the Quick Center into a New York City lounge in the 1920’s, two men from the ensemble played the “big spender” and the man that “Lola wants”, strutting around their ladies dressed in slick suits.
The audience was not only hyped during comedic performances, but during the slow songs as well. The largest standing ovation for a solo or duet was for Alex Pavone ’04 who sang “Gethsemane” from the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar”, a song with unreserved lyrics about Jesus’ last thoughts before he was captured by soldiers.
“I was very moved by how soulful he sang such a controversial song,” said Kathleen Bacha, a Trumbull resident.
The last solo from “Cats” also received a standing ovation.
“Waiting for ‘Memory’ was definitely worth it,” said Nick Caruso ’06 about the performance of Deena Crimaldi ’06. “She showed off her extensive vocal range for the anthem of all Broadway songs.”
The glee club’s seniors all sang “Thank You for the Music”, where they paid tribute to maestro and producer Carol Ann Maxwell. The stage turned into a glee club graduation for its senior members who all hugged one another as their class song ended.
The final performance of “Dancing Queen” and “Best of Times”, sung by the entire glee club, evoked the largest standing ovation altogether.
“The singers were great,” said Erika Viera of Bridgeport. “But I was surprised when duets would dance in sync and at the entire glee club’s choreography.”
“The last song was great because the singers maintained the same enthusiasm for the songs as they did when they began the show,” said Gabriella Hernandez ’06.
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