NOTRE DAME PRESENTS `MY ONE AND ONLY' AND `'S WONDERFUL'

PLEASE! PLEASE! Do not talk about seating accommodations. PLEASE! PLEASE! Do not talk about performing a major Broadway musical in a gymnasium. It doesn't matter! Go to Notre Dame High School, sit down, and lose yourself in a flight of fancy called "My One and Only," playing tonight, Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m

It is a flight that only master aviators George and Ira Gershwin could have gotten off the ground, a grand journey into nostalgia, love, and soaring music, presented with color, flair, and scintillating style by Director Cynthia King's cadre of well-taught tappers. You like dance? This show's got it! You like song? This show's got it! You like humor? This show's got it! In fact, there's very little this show doesn't have.

Who can ever quarrel with the Gershwin brothers' music ("'S Wonderful," "Strike Up the Band," and "Funny Face"), especially when it's performed by such talented teens? David Tanner (as Captain Billy Buck Chandler) and Lori Maurer (as Edythe Herbert) complement each other vocally and physically. Both are fine singers, but it's their dancing that dazzles. From wondrous taps to wet toes, this pair delights the ear and eye. Director King's creativity and imagination allow these two to "splash it up" in the deserted beach scene, and there's no doubt that "'S Wonderful." Maurer is a joy to watch, and Tanner's lithe, limber form parallels his partner's every move.

In the traditional style of musicals of the '20s and '30s, "My One and Only" gives its audience a tale of love, fun, and heart-rending conflict as it takes Captain Billy on his quest for fame and love. Torn between his desire to be the first to fly solo across the Atlantic and his desire for Edythe, the lovely Aquacade star, Billy tries for both, only to lose Edythe to the clutches of her mercenary manager, Prince Nikki (Rick Fehr in a delightfully evil performance). Billy then determines to pursue his dream of fame, telling Paris to "Strike Up the Band" in preparation for his triumphant landing. Act II's fast pace resolves all conflict~ love wins out, and Billy and Edythe, joined by Reverend Montgomery (well played by Tom Jansen ... related to~ multi-talented Debbie?) and the entire full-voiced chorus, "Kick the Clouds Away" on their own way to living "happily ever after." The efforts of all the players are evident in Deana Pecord's intricately staged dance numbers (check out the Legionnaires and the Harem Girls in Act II's delightfully danced "What Are We Here For?"). It is rare to see so many young talented tappers on one stage at one time. But the show stealers are the New Rhythm Boys: Jeff Augustine, Adam Cox, and Matt Strohmeyer. They achieve near perfection in their tightly woven harmonies and charmingly complex choreography (again, kudos to choreographer Pecord). Strohmeyer is a member of a wonderfully talented family (brother Danny is in the chorus, and brother Marty was featured in the Community Theatre's "Babes in Arms"), and he and his equally talented partners provide a continuously entertaining thread which pulls all the scenes of this marvelous show together.

P~articular recognition:~~~~~ Greg Rubel as the slick, suave Mr. Magix, who teaches Billy the nuances of sophistication in the clever "High Hat" (check out Director King's special effects for this one); Sally Iten ( as mechanic Mickey), who possesses the deepest talent onstage, shown in a crusty characterization and in a magnificent duet with Rubel (what a rich alto she has!); and Emily Fisher, a chorus member who smiles, shines, and sashays her way through the production numbers with exactly the type of "show biz" flair that a chorus member must have to fully support the principals.

Dina Strickert's all-volunteer orchestra (faculty members and folks from the community. Yeah, like you and me! You can help, too. Just ask! Any theatre group in town would love to have YOU be a part of the joy of creating a theatrical production) does a fine job with a difficult score. The costumes and sets are beautifully constructed, coordinated, colorful, and a pleasure to see. The special lighting effects (Act I's "He Loves and She Loves" is a flickering bit of fun), the smooth set changes, and the overall professional demeanor with which the tech crews go about their duties are testimony to King's inspiration and the crews' dedication.

Smooth moves, soaring solos, and the RAT-A-TAT of tapping toes combine to bring Cape audiences a wonderfully entertaining "My One and Only." 'S Wonderful!