I Love a Coney Island Roller Coaster

From the C-T
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Berlin musical familiar fun
by Tony Kiss, TKISS@CITIZEN-TIMES.com
updated February 21, 2008 8:35 am

ASHEVILLE — Irving Berlin’s “I Love a Piano” is like a Coney Island roller coaster ride. You know where it’s going, but it’s a fun and entertaining ride.

This collection of 60-plus songs written by Berlin is a feel-good performance powered by a talented singing, dancing cast of six, plus three musicians. It follows the same format as the John Denver tribute “Almost Heaven,” and the Johnny Cash celebration “Ring of Fire,” with lots of familiar songs.

The touring production, running through Sunday at Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place, takes a musical trip through the first half of the 20th century, when Berlin was one of America’s top songwriters.

Show creators Ray Roderick and Michael Berkeley have divided the piece into various settings — among them, a music shop in the 1910s, a 1920s speakeasy, a 1930s New York street scene, the World War II years and after, and a 1950s summer stock theater.

Among the show’s best moments are “Blue Skies,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “Pack up Your Sins and Go to The Devil,” “White Christmas” and “Anything You Can Do.” The show has its goofy moments — “Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning,” among them, but is equally touching with “White Christmas” and the stirring “God Bless America.” The choreography and vocal blending is often stunning.

The cast features Mark Baratelli, Sean Schwebke, Jason Weitkamp, Summer Broyhill, Darcie Bender and Karla Shook. Jillian Nyhan Zygo will take over Broyhill’s spot Friday-Sunday. All perform with skill, but the standout is Shook, with big brassy vocals and fine comedic skills. Also adding to the production is the live music by pianist/conductor Alex LeFevre, Jared Young and Chris Conte plus five local musicians not credited in the playbill.

Contact Tony Kiss at 828-232-5855, via e-mail at TKiss@CITIZEN-TIMES.com