By Maryann Lopinto
Steven Reineke and the New York Pops treated us to “Broadway Today”. The contemporary Broadway Musicals of today at Carnegie Hall.
Betsey Wolfe, Darren Chriss
Guest artists were Darren Criss known for starring in “GLEE” on tv, and has appeared on Broadway in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”. Betsey Wolfe appeared in “The Last Five Years” “Mystery of Edward Drood” and “Bullets Over Broadway.”
Some of the composers represented were, William Flynn, Kander and Ebb, Flaherty and Ahrens, Menkin and Ashman, Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Maury Yeston, Boublil and Schonberg, Robert Lopez and Jason Robert Brown.
Beautifully performing these songs there were a few surprises. Jason Robert Brown made his way to the piano accompanying Betsey Wolfe in “A Summer in Ohio” from “The Last Five Years” and then both Betsey and Darren in the duet “Before and After You/One Second and a Million Miles” from “Bridges of Madison County”. It doesn’t end there, Act 2 brought Robert Lopez, accompanying Betsey with his Academy Award winning song, “Let it Go” from “Frozen” which is being written as a Broadway Show. To top the evening off, Steven Reineke came from behind his baton tossing a duet with Darren in “You And Me (Bur Mostly Me)” from “Book of Mormon”.
To top it off Betsey Wolfe changed her gown five times during the show wearing six different gowns and Darren Criss not only sang, he accompanied himself on the piano and later on the guitar.
Photography: Maryann Lopinto
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Steven Reineke, Betsy Wolfe, Darren Criss
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Darren Criss, Betsey Wolfe, Jason Robert Brown