Stephanie Blythe Joins the New York Festival of Song
Stephen Blier's Humorous and Touching Take on Goyishe Christmas
By: Susan Hall - Dec 02, 2011
A Goyishe Christmas to You!
Created by Stephen Blier
New York Festival of Song
Merkin Hall, Kaufmann Center
December 1, 2011
The Kaufmann Center and the New York Festival of Song presented Yuletide classics by Jewish songwriters. Was organizer Stephen Blier’s intention to sing for a Jewish audience only? For Jews Christmas may be goyishe, but for non-Jews, well, what would we do without O Holy Night. A non-traditional tradition has been launched.
Blier, ever impish, allowed as how Adolphe Adam, composer of O Holy Night might or might not be Jewish. For the purposes of this evening, for four minutes, and also to make sure that the Christ child had a place in this sunny stage, baritone John Brancy offered a lovely rendition. Brancy is a 23 year old singer to listen for. He has a lovely legato line, a richly hewn tone and a stage comfortability which belies his age. His performance was so compelling that the lyrics heralding the dear Savior’s birth did not have time to offend anyone.
Other songs were presented straight up. Brancy captured the beauty and the sadness of I’ll be Home for Christmas. Blier had pointed out that his mother could not listen to the song as she neared the end of her life. She was overwhelmed by feeling as she heard the first lines. Brancy drew out these same big emotions as he wrapped the song’s words in warmth and understanding.
The opening song, Candle in My Window, arrived in Blier’s email box only five weeks before the program. Blier immediately recognized it as his opening song, suggesting all the ambiguous feelings Jews have when they put up a Hanukkah bush and stuff their stockings.
Songs that followed were sung with a full-throttled enthusiasm for the holiday, some with bold ethnic and sexual preferences inserted. With the recent legalization of same sex marriage, Brancy, joined by charming baritone, Joshua Jeremiah, made Winter Wonderland into an amusing and touching story of same sex romance. Of course, we smiled. “In the meadow we can build a snowman, then pretend that he is Parson Brown. He’ll say: Are you married?, We’ll say, No man, But you can do the job when you’re in town.” Not at all an old-fashioned Christmas take or a Jewish one.
The Broadway great Judy Kaye and up and coming babe Lauren Worsham pitched in to deliver more pleasure. Joshua Breitzer, among other assignments a cantor at Beth Elohim, did a broad ethnic take on Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Only a Jew could paint a picture of Rudolph with a big nose. Yet some of us remember Gene Autry with a big Schnozz.
Jeremiah was merciless on his people in What Makes Santa Run. Poor Sammy. Poor Budd. They nailed Madoff early on. Why can’t you step all over people if they are your own?
Stephanie Blythe is not only a force of nature, but a big-hearted one as well. Her rendition of Let it Snow and Chestnuts Roasting on a Open Fire were bold and beautiful. Her good humor showed through when she messed up a phrase and complained that she was disoriented as she looked for her accustomed prompter. This great voice, which makes our time immeasurably richer, was perfect for the holiday season.
Part of Blythe’s charm is that she still can be a singer among singers, performing with this talented ensemble in the finale, White Christmas. Composer Berlin famously married a Catholic heiress whose father said, 'Over my dead body.' This marriage of Jew and Christian was a great love affair, which lasted over six decades.
Standing in the room of contributors to the American musical theater at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, my cousin by marriage remarked, “You would have no songs in this country if we hadn’t come.” This evening's ‘night divine’ also made ‘before the midnight’ clear that the great gifts of the Jewish peoples have been enjoyed by people of all castes and hues in our melting pot.
Perhaps the lesson is that we can not only 'just get along' but also thrive together, sharing each other’s cultures. Blier suggested his next program might be non-Jewish writers songs on Jewish holidays. This evening's Klezmer takes, punctuated by brilliant clarinetist Alan Kay, and Blier’s accompaniment and comments, suggest that an evening of Goyishe songs celebrating Passover will be terrific. Blier will surely dig them up.