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December • 2012 |
SPEND THE HOLIDAYS WITH MAUREEN McGOVERN |
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December • 2012 |
Maureen McGovern 54 Below
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Remembering when.... |
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McGovern and Other Assorted Divas: (left to right) Leslie Uggams, Maureen, Marilyn McCoo, Domingo, Stefanie Powers, Patti LaBelle and Susan Anton and (not pictured) Juliet Prowse, on "Placido Domingo Steps Out," May 1985. |
"Different Worlds" by Maureen McGovern named Top 10 of Best TV Theme Songs!
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October • 2012 |
August • 2012 |
Boston Pops pays grand tribute to Gershwins
By Clarence Fanto, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Monday August 27, 2012 A better tribute than the one assembled by the Pops team for a highly appreciative audience of well over 10,000 would be hard to imagine, thanks not only to the orchestra's ability to capture the essence of George Gershwin's jazz and Ravel-influenced synthesis of symphonic style but also luxury casting of Broadway baritone extraordinaire Brian Stokes Mitchell and Maureen McGovern, the 40-year show-biz survivor who still remains best-known for "The Morning After," from "The Poseidon Adventure" that topped the pop charts in 1973. "It was recorded when she was 5," Lockhart quipped as he introduced the ever-glamorous songstress (now 63) for a 20-minute set that began with a torch-song melange of "Love Walked In" and "Embraceable You" but quickly segued to a moody take on "Summertime," a scat-inflected "Little Jazz Bird" and a trio of Harold Arlen classics (the only non-Gershwin element of the program) that included "The Man That Got Away," "Stormy Weather" and the showstopping "Blues in the Night." Vocally, McGovern demonstrates considerable prowess in her ability to spin a long lyric line and weave sentiment as well as hard-headed cynicism into her musical tapestry. Her mellifluous, wide-ranging soprano is an especially good fit with the orchestra and remains well-preserved, in the best sense of the term. Mitchell united with McGovern for an inspired collaboration on the class-conscious "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" from the Gershwins' first Hollywood musical score, the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers 1937 film "Shall We Dance." Despite the high-wattage star power, the night belonged to the Pops, Lockhart and stalwart arranger Don Sebesky, whose orchestral transcription of the piano Prelude No. 2 was especially memorable. Likewise, kudos to Sid Ramin, the Boston-based orchestrator who's now 93, for his version of "Love is Sweeping the Country," performed by the Pops with big-band virtuosity. However, Russian pianist Ilya Yakushev delivered an idiosyncratic, improvisational version of "Rhapsody in Blue," marred by a few dropped notes, some off-kilter rhythm and several mangled passages. His small-scale pianism was no match for Lockhart's boldly sweeping interpretation. Though he cuts a cute figure on stage, Takushev turned out to be a not-ready-for-prime-time player. As their final piece de resistance, Lockhart and the Pops synched nearly perfectly to the closing ballet scene from "An American in Paris," the colorful 1951 MGM musical that won the Oscar for Best Picture as a showcase for the impossibly debonair Gene Kelly and the sweetly charming ingenue Leslie Caron in her cinematic debut. Although the big screen in front of the Shed initially balked for its descent to join the show, all went well during the 16-minute sequence. The Gershwin score was modified with some typical Hollywood touches for the film; thanks to precision timing (only slightly off the mark during the brief tap-dance scene), chalk this one up as another Tanglewood triumph for the Pops players, Lockhart and veteran PBS-TV classical-music producer John Goberman. For sheer dynamism and professional flair, the orchestra remains in the best of hands with Lockhart (in his 18th season) presiding over an ever-widening range of popular repertoire. |
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May • 2012 |
MUSIC REVIEW
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April • 2012 |
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Check Itinerary for theatre information!
| Maureen McGovern charms in 'Carry It On' | |||
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Published: Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 8:00 AM By Peter Filichia/For The Star-Ledger |
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She doesn't just answer the famed question, "Where were you in '62?" Maureen McGovern also assesses where she is at 62.
Of course, fessing up to one's age is what people always do when they don't remotely look that age. And McGovern definitely doesn't. Her vocal cords have remained in shape as well. |
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"Carry It On," now enjoying a substantial success at Two River Theater Company in Red Bank, is mandatory theatergoing for Baby Boomers. McGovern mentions a time when Buffy meant "St. Marie" and not a vampire slayer. She's here to talk and sing about Howdy Doody, "Father Knows Best," the Beatles and the doors. No, not Jim Morrison's group -- she's talking about the many metaphorical doors through which she's gone since she grew up Catholic in Youngstown, Ohio. The doors opened wide for her skyrocket success as the voice of two Oscar-winning songs from disaster movies. Then they slammed shut. McGovern doesn't shy away from telling about her bouts with obscurity and many humiliations. As she wisely notes, "An artist never wastes a good heartbreak." Nor does an artist fail to make a comeback if she has the talent, determination and good fortune. And this is a splendid return. There's got to be "The Morning After" in any McGovern show, and the lady does not disappoint. In addition, there's one selection from "A Chorus Line" and a couple by the Beatles. She beautifully sings a Bob Dylan song, which may annoy those who prefer his gargle-with-razor-blades voice but will please everybody else. Add to these a "Happy Birthday" song that's hardly the four-line one we've all sung since time immemorial, but an actual happy birthday march. Through it all, McGovern proves herself equally at home with pop, jazz, folk and musical theater. Another tune a -- medley of snippets of '50s and '60s pop songs -- may, on the surface, sound unexciting. After all, how many thousands have there been? But McGovern's hit parade doesn't involve actual words. She instead assembles all the nonsense syllables that were the backbone of novelty songs. Even those Boomers who bought every 45 single, eight-track tape and album will be surprised that there are so many. It's the evening's most hilarious highlight. Pianist Jeffrey Harris accompanies McGovern with skill and sensitivity. The rapport they share goes a long way in making the evening seem to be a lovely after-dinner entertainment. McGovern makes the stage her own personal living room and is cozy-comfortable in it. McGovern tells many a story about friends and relatives. She and director and co-writer Philip Himberg somehow make them universal, as if they're about everyone's folks and friends. And now that her audience members are no longer babies and are hardly booming, McGovern tackles the inevitable issues of health care and health scares. At one point, she asks, "How did we gawky girls turn out to be such captivating women?" There's no denying that McGovern made that leap. While "Carry It On"will run only two more weeks, it deserves to run two more years. Yes, we'd still need her, yes, we'd still feed her when she's 64. 'Carry It On' |
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| Over the River for Sinbad, Lidia Bastianich, Maureen McGovern |
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| Check out what's going on at the Count Basie and Two River theaters this week. By Edward Van Embden |
Maureen McGovern in Carry It On Preview |
March • 2012 |
Maureen McGovern Takes Listeners on a Long and Winding Road
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St. Louis-In an award-winning career that has spanned 40 years and over 25 recordings, singer-actress Maureen McGovern keeps coming back to her true passion - performing live. "I just love performing," McGovern said by phone from an extended concert stop in Palm Springs. "The show is a journey every night. It's a train we get on together - the audience and myself - and take this journey. It's cathartic in a way, for me. It's also just a joy - I work with such incredible musicians, and I feel very blessed about that. And at 62, to still be doing what I love, I'm grateful for that too.' McGovern is the vocalist behind Oscar-winning songs "The Morning After" from "The Poseidon Adventure" and "We May Never Love Like This Again" from "The Towering Inferno," which earned her the nickname "The Disaster Theme Queen" in the '70s. But McGovern's current nickname, "The Stradivarius Voice," is perfect for her performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at The Sheldon Concert Hall, a cozy, acoustically perfect venue in St. Louis. |
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"I love small, intimate theater, and I always do something in the show a cappella and off mike," she said. "I love it, because the audience, I can feel them breathing with me. So I'm looking forward to that." The majority of The Sheldon concert will feature McGovern singing from "The Long and Winding Road," her latest CD. "It's all Boomer, singer-songwriter classics from what the New York Times calls the second half of the Great American Songbook," she said. "In the '70s I was the Disaster Theme Queen, and then I went to Broadway in the '80s and started doing jazz and theater and classical, pop, Great American Songbook and big band stuff. I immersed myself in all that music. So this is kind of a coming home." McGovern started out as a folk singer, singing and appreciating the music of James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Jimmy Webb, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman and others. "Great songs by those iconic singer-songwriters. Putting the show and the album together was like re-living my whole youth," she said, laughing. "I decided not to do it as a museum piece, but as what's relevant about these songs today. You take Bob Dylan's 'The Times They Are a Changing' and that could have been written this morning. That's just a classic, classic piece." Revisiting songs by those artists, plus The Beatles, Peter, Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez and Judy Collins, was a pleasant trip down memory lane. "Going back to explore this - it was just a very rich time of my coming of age,' she said. "Listening to the songs informed my very philosophy of life. So it was a joy to do this." McGovern is an accomplished actress who has performed numerous times on Broadway and other stages in dramas and musical comedy. She has also appeared on television and in films, including memorable roles as the lounge singer in "The Towering Inferno" and the singing nun in "Airplane" and its sequel. Her acting chops came in handy when McGovern created her one-woman show "Carry It On, an on-stage memoir she has performed several times. There will be elements of that at The Sheldon. "'The Long and Winding Road' just takes the music and some of the things that we miss from our youth, and how times have changed," she said. "Whereas the other is literally a storyline of my life." McGovern enjoys interacting with the audience. "When I first started out, I was profoundly shy and would go immediately from one song into the next, hoping never to have to say anything. But now you can't shut me up," she said, chuckling, "so yes, I do talk." Regardless of the music's time of origin, it reaches across the generations. "People seem to respond," she said. McGovern helps frame the songs for those who may not be familiar with them. "I kind of put them into context as to what the inspiration for the song was, or what was happening during that time," she said. "And I've approached the songs in a new way. I'm not just doing a copy of how they were originally done. I obviously try to make them my own, but also (find) what's relevant, wha't's fresh about this... So that was the challenge, but also the fun part of putting this together. People will say to me, 'I've heard that song a million times - I never knew what it was about (before).'" Music can speak to people in many ways, which is why McGovern is a strong advocate of music therapy. "Music has an innate power to it that reaches inside and grabs you in a very profound and deep way, more than any conversation could do," she said. "And it sort of stays there. I've worked with music therapists and patients, and it's amazing - music therapy is not necessarily a cure for cancer, but it certainly aids in the healing process. It also aids in education, it aids in physiotherapy. People, after strokes, learn to walk sooner if they integrate music into the actual physiotherapy of it. There are a million applications as far as how music is helpful and is complementary in the healing process." Clearly, McGovern understands the power of music, and what her singing can do. "Music to me is a heightened conversation," she said. "It prints upon your mind and soul, just in a deeper way than a normal conversation would." After 40 years, McGovern's musical conversations are still highlighted by her rich, sonorous voice. A fact her fans heartily acknowledge after shows. "I'm signing CDs at the end, and people come back and they go, 'Yeah, you still got it.'" Hearing this never gets old, and McGovern works to make sure she continues to hear it. "If you treat your voice well, it treats you well back," she said. "You have to approach your life as if you're an athlete in training." So McGovern makes sure to exercise, eat right, get plenty of sleep and do regular vocal warm-ups before concerts and even when she isn't performing. "I feel it's a gift I've been blessed with, and you have to treat it with respect," she said. Besides, when people call you "The Stradivarius Voice," that comes with high expectations. Speaking of which, what does she think of that nickname? "It beats the 'Disaster Theme Queen,'" she said, laughing. McGovern is at a point where she can pick and choose when and where she performs, allowing for plenty of relaxation time back home in central Ohio with her dogs Rocky, a 16-year-old Yorkshire terrier, and Hannah, a 12-year-old Yorkie/Silky cairn terrier mix. But even though travel can be a challenge, she has no plans to slow down. "Most people talk about 'when they retire,' and that's always been a foreign word to me," she said. "I hope to sing till I drop. As long as people want to hear what I have to sing and say, then I'm glad to do it." Getting There Maureen McGovern will sing at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. Tickets are $40 orchestra, $35 balcony and are available at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. |
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Kennedy Center sets new seasonRare perf of 'Guardsman' skedded
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The Kennedy Center will revive Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar's 1910 farce "The Guardsman" next season and host six touring productions including "The Book of Mormon" and "War Horse," the center's president Michael Kaiser said Tuesday. Kaiser unveiled the theater schedule along with all other performance elements of the center's 2012-13 season. Sked will include touring productions of Roundabout Theater Company's "Anything Goes," "Irving Berlin's White Christmas," "Jekyll and Hyde" and "Million Dollar Quartet." The center will also host a return engagement of Ireland's Druid Theater Company with three plays by writer Tom Murphy and host a festival of five productions from Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Dubbed "Nordic Cool 2013," the fest will include a production of Henrik Ibsen's "The Wild Duck" by Oslo's National Theater and the Royal Dramatic Theater of Stockholm's "Fanny and Alexander," a stage performance of Ingmar Bergman's Oscar-winning feature film. The monthlong affair will also include Nordic dance, music, film, visual arts and literature components. The KenCen's musical theater skein will also include the sixth season of its Barbara Cook Spotlight series of cabaret-style performances with perfs by Judy Kuhn, Maureen McGovern, Donna Murphy, Adam Pascal and Terri White. |
Nathan Gunn, Garry Hynes, Donna Murphy, Adam Pascal |
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By Brian Scott Lipton • March 6, 2012 • Washington, DC |
The Kennedy Center has announced its 2012-2013 season. Highlights of the season will include a new production of Fernec Molnár's The Guardsman, adapted by Richard Nelson and directed by Gregory Mosher; Tony Award winner Garry Hynes' production of DruidMurphy, featuring the works of Irish dramatist Tom Murphy; and Francesca Zambello's production of Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein's Show Boat, currently playing in Chicago. From February 19-March 18, the Center will present Nordic Cool 2013, which celebrates the arts of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Among the performers are Norway's National Theater, Tamperere Workers Theatre, Royal Dramatic Theatre, Teatre Gruppet 38, ice percussionist Terje Isungset, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Danish Dance Theater, and the jazz pianist Víkingur Olafsson. The Center will also present the national touring companies of The Book of Mormon, War Horse, Anything Goes, Jekyll & Hyde, Million Dollar Quartet, and Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Cabaret performers in the Barbara Cook Spotlight Series will include Tony Award winner Donna Murphy, Adam Pascal, Judy Kuhn, Terri White, and Maureen McGovern. The National Symphony Orchestra will feature such guest artists as Lang Lang, Emanuel Ax, Anne Soffie von Otter, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and Anne Sophie-Mutter, while the NSO Pops, led by conductor Steven Reineke, will feature Robert Flack, Chris Botti, Seth McFarlane, Julia Murney, and Jennifer Laura Thompson. In addition to Show Boat, the Washington National Opera will present Anna Bolena, Norma, Manon Lescaut, Don Giovanni, and Hansel and Gretel, along with two large-scale concert performances by Nathan Gunn and Diana Damrau. Dance performances include presentations by the National Ballet of Canada, Mariinsky Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet West, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Monica Bill Barnes & Company, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Shen Wei Dance Theatre, among other companies. Jazz performers will include Tony Award nominee David Alan Grier with Jason Moran, along with The Heath Brothers, Kurt Elling, Kenny Barron and Dave Holland, Charles Lloyd, Jack DeJohnette, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. For more information, visit www.Kennedy-center.org. |
January • 2012 |
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PS Follies' HOT!HOT!HOT! Lives Up To Its Title | |
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Incredible to believe but the Palm Springs Follies is in its 21st season with an all new production called "Hot!Hot!Hot!" Equally unbelievable is the fact that I have seen and reviewed 10 of these shows since 2005, which means I've returned sometimes twice in one season. I'm really hooked on the Follies. You know why? It's one-of-a-kind. There's nothing like it anywhere. It has beautiful ladies - and none under 60. It has stunning gentlemen - the youngest ... 58 years young. These folks can dance and sing and lead the parade as if they were still in their prime. Well, I guess they are, and age, like the saying goes, is just a state of mind - at least if you look that good. Their music includes the good old standards of the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s-songs that they truly know how to sing, because they grew up listening to and singing them. | |
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And of course, those glorious costumes are simply gorgeous to look at! The performers, the music, the costumes - is that enough? Hell, yes! Hot!Hot!Hot!, tributing summer music madness of the 50s and 60s, hardly falls short of its colorful apparel in lovely shades of orange, pink and purple. And the blue/green sequin outfits in Act II for the dance tribute are to die for. The blue sequined baseball uniforms for a tap sequence in honor of America's greatest pastime at the end of Act I ain't too shabby either to the strains "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "Shoeless Joe" from Hannibal Mo. Praise to Joan Palethorpe for her resourceful staging and choreography. Guest star Maureen McGovern is truly one of our greatest singers with an instrument that has been compared to a Stradivarius. What a range! The voice soars on "Over the Rainbow" and then gets down and gritty with "Blues in the Night." It's such passionate artistry, you could listen for hours, so bring her CDs home with you! She's there through March 10: don't miss her! Ventriloquist Brad Cummings and his mini dinosaur Rex are back again due to popular demand. Pre-hysterical!! These two acts certainly contribute to making this edition of the Follies live up to its title "Hot!Hot!Hot!"
Follies creator Riff Markowitz' stand-up comedy - no matter how many times I have heard the same jokes about Palm Springs being a haven for gays and the aged ... "You all come here eventually ... to die!" - remains a dependable laughfest. His inimitable way with audience members is uniquely entertaining. Hot!Hot!Hot! is a great show. Will I be back next season? You'd better believe it. |
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November • 2011 |
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Tanglewood celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2012 with a spectacular lineup of musical guests and programs |
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Boston, MA (PRWEB) November 17, 2011 Tanglewood, one of the world's most popular music festivals and the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) located in the beautiful Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, celebrates its 75th anniversary season, June 22-September 2, with a spectacular lineup of musical guests and programs that spotlight Tanglewood's rich tradition of presenting summertime concerts at their best since 1937. Highlights include Tanglewood's 75th Anniversary Gala with appearances by John Williams, Keith Lockhart, Andris Nelsons, James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, Peter Serkin, and Anne-Sophie Mutter, performing with the BSO, Boston Pops, and Tanglewood Music Center Orchestras (July 14), a special John Williams 80th Birthday Celebration (August 18), an all-Beethoven (BSO opener on July 7) and an all-Wagner program (July 21), replicating two programs from Tanglewood's first season in 1937, and eight world premiere performances. Tanglewood's 75th anniversary season will present James Taylor (July 2, 3, 4), Yo-Yo Ma with his Silk Road Ensemble (June 22 and 24); Joshua Bell (July 7); Jean-Yves Thibaudet (August 5); Mark Morris Dance Group (June 28 and 29); and Chris Botti (August 5). Bernadette Peters (July 8) and Maureen McGovern and Brian Stokes Mitchell (August 24), make welcome returns with the Boston Pops. Details about new media initiatives, including international radio broadcasts and major new streaming offers, free to a worldwide audience, as well as information about Tanglewood's new lecture series, Concerning Music and Society, are available at tanglewood.org. Tanglewood is only two and half hours from both Boston and New York City and presents culturally rich vacation offerings during the summer season for families, couples, or travelers looking for an experience beyond a usual country retreat. Tanglewood is within driving distance of charming inns, local artisanal food shops, and fine dining restaurants, destination spas, as well as art galleries and such cultural institutions including Jacob's Pillow, Shakepeare & Co., the Clark Museum, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Williamstown Theater Festival, and the Norman Rockwell Museum. For an online press kit with full season details about the 2012 Tanglewood season, including downloadable photos and video, program listings, artist photos and biographies, and a Tanglewood 75 timeline and history, click here. One of the most popular and acclaimed music festivals in the world, Tanglewood attracts an average annual attendance of more than 300,000 visitors each season, and has a $60 million impact on the Berkshire economy each summer. Tanglewood presents orchestra concerts by the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, and visiting ensembles, featuring many of the greatest classical musicians of our time; recital and chamber music concerts in the intimate setting of Ozawa Hall; programs highlighting the young musicians of the Tanglewood Music Center, the BSO's prestigious summer music academy; performances by some of today's leading popular artists; and a season-ending Labor Day Weekend festival. |
Maureen McGovern's dangling conversations at Birdland Posts by Charlene Giannetti |
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Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four? John Lennon, Paul McCartney Remember when those lyrics seemed like an amusing hypothetical situation? In her wonderfully nostalgic cabaret show at Birdland, Maureen McGovern (herself "62 and change") reminds us that, yes, time has passed, but we're still here and the songs that we loved in the 60s are still relevant and enjoyable now that some of us are in our sixties. While Thursday night's sold out crowd at Birdland included many Baby Boomers who grew up with McGovern (remember "The Morning After" from The Poseidon Adventure?), there were many new fans present, too. McGovern can still belt out a song, taking us soaring with "Up, Up and Away," the breezy tune made famous by the Fifth Dimension, then switch gears and deliver an emotional ballad like Joni Mitchell's "Help Me" or Laura Nyro's "And When I Die." In between songs, she held those "dangling conversations," expounding on everything from marriage, to kids, to growing up and moving on. The subtitle of the program, "Looking for Time and Love in the Digital Age," was best represented by Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover." After her energetic presentation, McGovern mused that breaking up via Facebook and Twitter must now be added to the list. A show stopper was McGovern's rendition of "If I Had a Hammer," that timeless anthem to protest movements, no matter the cause or the decade. Including the song near the end of the program guaranteed that the evening would finish on a high note and give us much to think about for days after. Maureen McGovern |
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"For me, McGovern's rendition of Paul Simon's "American Tune" was unbearably poignant. The song is so relevant today it's almost heartbreaking." D. Toppeta |
Defiance With a Demure Smile and Tunes of the Ms. Brooke's song is inspired by the 19th-century British poet Coventry Patmore's narrative poem exalting his selfless, submissive first wife, Emily, as the Victorian feminine ideal. Her lyrics are a feminist critique in which she expresses her frustration at living under the long shadow cast by that influential poem, which reflected her parents' marriage and her own ambivalence about making nice. "Even in my wildest heart, I cannot kill the angel in the house," she admits. Vocally Ms. McGovern, now 62, is a pop-jazz embodiment of that ideal. Unfailingly demure, unabashedly romantic, with a voice as strong and flexible as Barbra Streisand's, she can go anywhere she pleases. It is a voice especially well suited to songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein and Alan and Marilyn Bergman. In her Birdland show "Dangling Conversations (Looking for Time and Love in the Digital Age)" Ms. McGovern, accompanied by Jeff Harris on piano and Jay Leonhart on bass, roughs it up, sort of. The show consists mostly of soft-rock songs from the 1960s and '70s sung with an attitude of cheerful defiance. Its righteously upbeat tone is distilled in three folk songs by Pete Seeger. But that's not all. At Tuesday's opening-night show Joni Mitchell's "Help Me" was taken further into the jazz realm, as Ms. McGovern vocalized the instrumental riffs. For the Beatles' "When I'm 64" she affected a modified gramophone voice and humorously commented on how the words resonate with baby boomers. The torchiest number, J. D. Souther's "Faithless Love," found the beauty of her voice harnessed to a tune with the flavor of a cowboy lament. The wittiest number, Mr. Leonhart's " Double Cross," was an absurdly complicated film noir parody; the most sobering, Paul Simon's wistfully prescient "American Tune." The show's bookends were two Laura Nyro songs, "Time and Love" and "And When I Die," in which Ms. McGovern let go and wailed. Maureen McGovern performs through Saturday at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton; (212) 581-3080, birdlandjazz.com. |
October • 2011 |
Maureen McGovern Will Offer 'dangling conversations...' in November at Birdland By Andrew Gans
Grammy Award nominee McGovern will play the Manhattan venue Nov. 8-12. Audiences can expect to hear songs by Paul Simon, J. D Souther, Joni Mitchell, Don Henley, Laura Nyro, Bruce Springstein, Jimmy Webb and Pete Seeger - including "Help Me," "The Dangling Conversation," "Faithless Love," "An American Tune," "Time and Love," "Turn, Turn, Turn" and more. McGovern will be accompanied on piano by her musical director Jeffrey Harris and on bass by Jay Leonhart. Show times are Tuesday-Saturday at 8:30 PM and 11 PM. There is a $40 music charge for all performances. Full dinner menu available. For reservations visit www.birdlandjazz.com or call the club, which is located at 315 West 44th Street, at (212) 581-3080. |
August/September • 2011 |
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Maureen McGovern to Play Endicott Performing Arts Center in October August 15, 2011 Endicott, N.Y. (WBNG Binghamton) -- The Endicott Performing Arts Center announced Monday that Grammy and Oscar nominated artist Maureen McGovern will appear in concert at the Robert Eckert Theater on October 15 at 8 p.m.. McGovern's new show "dangling conversations" will offer audiences an intimate evening of classic songs by iconic singer/songwriters including Paul Simon, J. D. Souther, Joni Mitchell, Don Henley, Laura Nyro, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Webb and Pete Seeger - including "Help Me," "The Dangling Conversation," "Faithless Love," "An American Tune," "Time and Love," "Turn, Turn, Turn" and more... Often called "The Stradivarius Voice," McGovern has been thrilling audiences on world-wide concert stages, on Broadway and on recordings throughout a career that has spanned over 40 years. Her current PS Classics CD, A Long and Winding Road has been praised by The New York Times as "... a captivating musical scrapbook from the 1960s to the early 70s. Ms. McGovern's vocal technique is second to none." Grammy nominated for "Best New Artist" (1973) and "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance" (1998), McGovern's recording career began with the Oscar-winning International Gold Records "The Morning After" (Billboard #1) and "We May Never Love Like This Again." She is a guest artist on the Grammy winning CD, "Songs From The Neighborhood: The Music of Mister Rogers." Maureen has recorded more than 25 albums, including songwriter tributes to George Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, and Marilyn & Alan Bergman. In 2008, she received the MAC Lifetime Achievement Award and the AMEE Award from the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists for her life's work in television, radio and recording. Tickets are $35, all seats reserved. A limited number of $50 tickets are available for a special "Meet and Greet" fundraiser following the performance in the EPAC Cafe'. The "Meet and Greet" price includes admission to the concert and a wine & cheese reception with McGovern in attendance following the concert. Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit EPAC's educational programs. For tickets, call EPAC at 607-785-8903, or visit their website at www.EndicottArts.com. |
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From: Lou Ligoun, Executive Director,
"dangling conversations..." I received a phone call on September 13 from world renowned vocalist and performer Maureen McGovern and her tour manager Jennifer Howe. As you may know, Maureen McGovern will be appearing in concert here at EPAC on October 15 at 8:00PM. They heard about our flood troubles here in the Southern Tier and Maureen has very generously decided to donate her fee, after expenses to the local area flood relief. In the event of a sellout, that means that we would be able to donate almost $5000 to assist local area flood victims. Maureen & Jennifer heard about the flood from Jill Weston,a local performer who is a big fan of hers and is actually the person who asked me to see about bringing Maureen in to EPAC originally. Tickets for the Maureen McGovern concert are $35, all seats are reserved and are available by calling the EPAC Box Office at 607-785-8903,in person at EPAC (102 Washington Ave., Endicott) Mon - Fri. 9am to 5PM or at the EPAC web site at www.endicottarts.com. To quote Mel Torme: "Maureen McGovern is, quite simply, the most glorious singer to come down the pike in several months of Sundays. Possessed of one of the finest vocal instruments in the world... it's easy to understand why she is a world-class performer."
"That she is a singer with an astonishingly versatile instrument is no longer news. Nor is it headline information
that she can range from Gershwin to Faure to Mann and Weill with ease. What is continuously fascinating about
McGovern is the intelligence and perspective she brings to her performances... Stephen Holden in The New York Times wrote: "Maureen McGovern is a singer who moves comfortably from jazz to soaring movie themes and from classical pop standards to operetta... a coloratura jazz singer at ease in any medium." Please join us on October 15 at 8PM. for an incredible night of world class entertainment benefiting local area flood relief. |
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| Maureen is scheduled to perform in two slots this evening, Sunday, between 6:00-7:00 PM PST and again in the Finale, between 11:00-Midnight PST. Those not on the West Coast, please adjust your time. The 46th annual MDA Labor Day Telethon is getting ready to squeeze 211/2 hours of entertainment, awareness-building and fundraising into six prime-time hours on Sunday night, Sept. 4. The shorter show, which is expected to draw more viewers in its prime-time slot, will be fast-paced and jam-packed with top-notch entertainment. In addition to the shorter national broadcast, each hour of the local Telethon will feature two local segments of seven and eight minutes each. How to Help > Donate
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July • 2011 |
Cape May Stage Presents Maureen McGovern
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June • 2011 |
| Maureen McGovern in "dangling conversations..." Her all new show! |
Maureen McGovern returns to the concert stage with a brand new show "dangling conversations..." featuring the classic song written by Paul Simon. Celebrating the 2nd half of The Great American Songbook, "Dangling Conversations" will offer audiences classic songs by iconic singers/songwriters including Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, J.D. Souther, Joni Mitchell, Jonatha Brooke, Burt Bacharach, Don Mclean and Pete Seeger. "Turn "Turn Turn," "Suzanne," "Help Me... I Think I'm Falling" and "Anyone Who Had A Heart," are just a few of the classic songs Maureen will include in this concert evening celebrating our lives through song. This new show, stated to appear in NYC later this season, is a follow-up to the very popular and critical hit "A Long and Winding Road." See an exclusive "workshop" preview performance in the intimacy of the Robert Shackleton Playhouse on the Cape May stage before it officially opens in NYC in November 2011.
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May • 2011 |
Listen to Interview on WGVU
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January • 2011 |
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Maureen McGovern, Jimmy Webb Dazzle at Landmark |
The audience got twice its money's worth when a fabulous
double bill of Maureen McGovern and Jimmy Webb -- two musicians so talented and versatile that they easily deserve
an entire show to themselves -- took to the stage at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street on Jan. 29. Maureen McGovern opened the sold-out show. Looking great at 61, McGovern sounds equally as impressive with a wide vocal range and a strong, pure voice. She's a consummate professional -- wooing the audience with stories, smiles and eye contact. Her set was aimed at baby boomers, and covered mostly songs of the 1960s and 1970s. I confess that I knew every song she performed, even though I was born in the very last year to be considered a baby boomer. McGovern opened the show with Bob Dylan's "The Times They are a Changing," effortlessly accompanied by her musical director Jeff Harrison on piano. Harrison sang back-up vocals on her excellent rendition of Simon & Garfunkel's "Feeling Groovy." McGovern also covered two other songs by Simon & Garfunkel -- "The Dangling Conversation" and "America." Other standouts from her hour-long set included The Beatles' "Let It Be," Joni Mitchell's "The Circle Game," and Carole King's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." McGovern was humorous and charming. "Want to sing along?" she asked at one point, then quipped "Please don't." Also humorous was her excellent rendition of Tom Leher's "Vatican Rag." She closed, very fittingly, by covering some songs by the evening's second act, Jimmy Webb. McGovern's performance alone was well worth the cost of a ticket. After an intermission, Jimmy Webb took the stage, and the piano. I spent the next hour jabbing my husband in the side, repeatedly asking "Jimmy Webb wrote THAT song??" "He wrote that one TOO???" I left the concert, and remain today, in absolute awe of Jimmy Webb's songwriting abilities. You may have known that Webb wrote "By The Time I Get to Phoenix," and "Witchita Lineman," both covered most notably by Glen Campbell, but did you know that he wrote "Up, Up, and Away" covered by The 5th Dimension? Or, most surprising to me, was the fact that Webb wrote "All I Know," the exquisitely beautiful song that was Art Garfunkel's first hit after Simon & Garfunkel broke up. The show was a wonderful revelation of Webb's talent, not just as a songwriter, but as a singer and pianist as well. He spent a great deal of time talking about the inspirations for some of his songs, and his experiences working with such notables as Frank Sinatra, Richard Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. He was both casual and charming, giving the audience the feeling of sitting in his living room hearing stories and listening to songs. Webb played many of his hits during the concert, including "Highwayman," "Witicha Lineman," "Didn't We," and a heartfelt rendition of "All I Know." Most impressive, and surprising, to me was his interpretation of "The Worst That Could Happen." The song was covered most notably by Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge, and I'd always found a bit sappy and schmaltzy. But Webb's pared down version was heartrending, touching and very viscerally real. Webb's finale was the perpetually perplexing "MacArthur Park," which has been covered by both Richard Harris, and the familiar disco version by Donna Summer. It's a fascinating song with unfathomable lyrics and a catchy chorus -- "Someone left the cake out in the rain" I couldn't get it out of my head for the rest of the night. For his encore, Webb was joined by McGovern, and the two did a beautiful version of "Galveston," which he analogized to today's soldiers going off to war. All in all, it was a spectacular evening of entertainment not soon forgotten.
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December • 2010 |
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October • 2010 |
"Carry It On"
City Newspaper "Carry It On" is a new show, McGovern explained in a recent interview, a third incarnation of what started as a typical promotional tour following the release of her 2008 CD, "A Long and Winding Road," devoted to such singer/songwriters as Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and James Taylor. In the course of an hour-and-40-minute performance, done without intermission, she emphasized mainly the folk-like ballads of the 1970's - the songs that she grew up on and that initially defined her musical life. She is now 61, but her voice possesses the fluidity and strength of someone 25 years younger. "Carry It On" is far removed from all those autobiographical cabaret acts that clutter up so many small clubs in big cities. McGovern and co-author and director Philip Himberg have written what she calls a "theatrical musical memoir" that tells stories from her life and finds their emotional counterparts in the songs of her time. It sounds straightforward and familiar enough, but it is also compelling, even deeply moving, because McGovern tells it so well, and because the collaborators have been willing to break the narrative line to weave disparate events together and link them through music for greater emotional effect. It also helps that she receives such strong accompaniment from pianist Jeffrey Harris. McGovern can belt and whisper in the same song, but her musical acrobatics are never for mere show. Because she knows how to "read" a melody and a lyric insightfully, she can lift an otherwise ordinary song to a level of rare artistry through the character of her singing. She rediscovers each song, no matter how familiar it is. The story of the death of a high school friend in the 1970 Kent State massacre led, for instance, to Paul McCartney's treacle-like "Let It Be," but McGovern's trenchant singing transformed it into an acceptance of heartbreak and an assertion of determination. Because most of the songs from the 1970's lack any sense of jazz or theatricality, the narration creates a series of set pieces in which McGovern interweaves talk and song to create rhythm and movement. She stands stock still only when her voice alone carries a song's emotional burden. Otherwise, she walks, turns her back and talks over her shoulder, watches a film clip with us, or walks down a few steps to be closer to the audience. Together, these elements combine seamlessly to create a sense of drama, even of theater. Projection Designer Maya Ciarrocchi's nuanced linking of projections of photographs and film clips from the time helped to propel the narrative forward suggestively and satisfyingly. I'm older than the Baby Boomers, a little too old to have The Beatles in my blood, but also too young to be part of the Greatest Generation, even though I remember World War II and its great songs of longing and hope. Perhaps that's why I found the set piece about McGovern's father the most moving of all as it culminated with the English wartime anthem, "(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover," sung with sadness and hope, and then segued seamlessly to the Civil Rights movement and one of its great anthems, the spiritual-like "Carry It On." . . . . . .Two related themes run through McGovern's story, just as they do in so many popular songs - a refusal to give up hope combined with a need to do things one's own way despite the restraints people always encounter. But the good Catholic girl from Youngstown, Ohio, is all grown up now. In fact, she has become one of the most authoritative singers of the last half-century. In this show, she is already wonderful and stands on the cusp of being wondrous. "Carry It On" Through November 14 Geva Theatre Center, 75 Woodbury Boulevard |
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Maureen McGovern carries it on |
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But my first impression led to other thoughts while watching Carry It On at Geva Theatre Center: 1. McGovern can still belt out the songs with heart, soul and panache. All it takes is one listen to her sublime voice, and you're sold. 2. She didn't need to tell us her life story to validate her worth. 3. Her accompanist, piano man Jeffrey Harris, could easily do a one-man show of his own. McGovern is a true boomer, and we believe her when she says she "will not go quietly" into the sunset. In fact, she's right where she belongs in the world premiere of her musical memoir at Geva. Sometimes when you are as good as she is, people stop asking for better and you just glide. McGovern doesn't adhere to that. After jumping ship on The Poseidon Adventure and her Oscar-winning rendition of "The Morning After," she's enjoyed an enviable 40-year career in music -- from concerts and Grammy-nominated recordings to stints on Broadway (Pirates of Penzance) and film appearances in classic spoofs like Airplane! Carry It On is a mixed bag of old and new numbersduring which McGovern exudes a sense of proprietorship over what she reveals about her life. Set against a simplistic set by Neil Patel, Harris plays piano stage left while McGovern occupies front and center. In the background is a rolling video feed of snapshots of her family, friends, recording artists and historical events that serve as a biographical timeline during McGovern's nearly two-hour performance. We learn of the good, the bad, and perhaps even the ugly -- yet McGovern's retrospective is always laced with a sense of humor. She talks about her Catholic upbringing and childhood in Youngstown, Ohio, and her devoted parents, James and Mary, who claimed their daughter started singing at age 3 by replicating what she heard on the radio. Married young and divorced -- "You Loved Me Too Late" -- she is still waiting for Mr. Right: "There's a sign-up sheet available in the Geva lobby." Not surprisingly, Kent State, Vietnam and the American civil rights movement made an impact. So did fellow artists of the times: Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Carole King, Joni Mitchell -- she says all of them helped shape her musical odyssey. This show isn't a comeback for McGovern. It's a rebirth for a legend who is still at the top of her game. Her voice remains lyrically intact and she handles subtle tempo and key changes like a pro. Shining moments were during a West Side Story sequence, an upbeat 1960s tribute to doo-wop, a sensitive portrayal of "Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line, and during renditions of "Rocky Raccoon" "If I Had a Hammer" and "Let it Be." Carry It On is exactly right and kudos to McGovern who hits all the right notes. Marcia Morphy is a Rochester-area freelancer who writes about the arts |
September • 2010 |
Ace Young, Maureen McGovern, Casts of "Glee," Memphis, Rock, Quartet Set for Jerry Lewis Telethon
By Thomas Peter The 21 1/2 hour Labor Day weekend tradition will be hosted by veteran entertainer Lewis and co-hosts Allison Sweeney, Nancy O'Dell and Jann Carl. Guest co-hosts will include "American Idol" and Broadway vet Ace Young; actor, comedian and former Hairspraystar John Pinette; "American Idol" executive producer and "So You Think You Can Dance" co-creator Nigel Lythgoe; actor/comedian Richard Belzer; and actor Brandon Barash. Maureen will perform on the Telethon Sunday, Sept. 5 between 6:55pm to 7:45pm PDT and Monday Sept. 6 between 10:10am to 11:00am. Check your local TV listing for channel. |
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July •
2010
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SINGER/ACTOR MAUREEN MCGOVERN RECEIVES TOP MDA HONOR |
TUCSON, Ariz., The Muscular Dystrophy Association has awarded its highest philanthropic achievement honor - the MDA Director's Award - to entertainer and Academy Award-winning singer Maureen McGovern. MDA Chairman of the Board R. Rodney Howell, M.D., presented the star-shaped Stueben Glass Award to McGovern at a group dinner preceding the Association's annual meeting in Los Angeles. Upon receiving the news, the Ohio native and 30-year MDA volunteer delighted the audience with an a cappella song about gratitude, friendship and her MDA family. The award, now in its fourth year, honors organizations and people who have made significant and outstanding contributions in supporting MDA's fight against neuromuscular diseases in areas of medical research, corporate and organizational sponsorship, media and entertainment industry support and personal fundraising. "Ever since her first MDA Telethon performance in 1980, Maureen has been making an important difference for families affected by neuromuscular diseases," said Howell. "Maureen has done extraordinary work behind the microphone, in front of the camera, and as a volunteer leader serving with distinction on the MDA Board of Directors. The only thing bigger than her talent, is her heart." McGovern, who was re-elected to serve another one-year term on the MDA Board during the July meeting, has a personal connection to MDA's lifesaving mission. Twenty-one years ago, after nine years of dedicated volunteer work for MDA, McGovern learned her then 3-year-old niece, Carolyn, had dermatomyositis, one of the neuromuscular diseases covered by the Association. "MDA immediately referred my family to one of the nation's top neurologists, Dr. Jerry Mendell, an MDA Clinic Director in Columbus," said McGovern. "Thanks to his excellent medical attention and a myriad of services from MDA, my niece, a recent OSU graduate, is in remission and continues to thrive and lead a happy, healthy life." McGovern, who has co-hosted both New York and Los Angeles broadcasts of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, is national chair for the Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis Division of MDA. She also chairs the annual "Shamrocks against Dystrophy" campaign that raised more than $20 million for MDA in 2010. McGovern's professional career spans nearly four decades, beginning with her Academy-award-winning "The Morning After," the mega-hit from the original movie "The Poseidon Adventure." She followed it with "We May Never Love Like This Again" for the disaster movie "The Towering Inferno." McGovern has performed on television, in movies, on Broadway, and with every major symphony orchestra. The Association, which annually invests more than $40 million in research worldwide, is the first nonprofit to earn a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Medical Association ("for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity"). More than one million people in America are affected by neuromuscular diseases. Residents of greater Columbus affected by any of the 43 diseases covered by MDA's program can receive excellent medical care at the MDA Clinics at Ohio State University Hospital (614-292-1156), and Children's Hospital Outpatient Care Center (614-722-2203). Individuals affected by ALS are encouraged to contact the MDA/ALS Center at Ohio State University (614-293-7715). MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education. The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon will be broadcast Sept. 5-6, originating from the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas. The 45th Telethon broadcast, featuring more than 65 top acts, plus special concept hours dedicated to country music; comedy; rock-and-roll; Broadway shows; soap opera stars; and four new artists selected from the national "Get Discovered!" competition being promoted nationwide by 845 Clear Channel radio stations, can be seen on WSYX-TV, Channel 6, in the Columbus area. -MDA- |
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May•
2010
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Maureen McGovern Joins Boston Pops; Listen Online Saturday, May 29th The show begins at 7pm with an hour of interviews and features, and the concert begins at 8pm. Produced in Boston, shared with the world. An evening with Maureen McGovern!!! Vocalist Maureen McGovern joins the Boston Pops, led by conductor Keith Lockhart, in a concert performance that features songs from McGovern's newest album, "A Long and Winding Road." |
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April•
2010
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 Local troupes dominate the IRNEs
By: by Jules Becker -- Wednesday Apr 28, 2010
Savvy Hub theatergoers know that their best options often lie right in the South End.
In fact, they had only to look at the top 2008 and 2009 IRNE Awards - annually handed out at the Boston Center for the Arts's Cyclorama -- to have a good sense of the area's best offerings. Last year, the Independent Reviewers of New England gave their best play production-small stage and best musical production-small stage prizes to BCA productions. The respective winners, "The History Boys" and "The Light in the Piazza," were both mounted by SpeakEasy Stage Company at the Calderwood Pavilion. Recently, the IRNE critics gave top prizes to more local efforts: best production of a small stage play to "Spring Awakening: The Play," produced by Zeitgeist Stage Company at the BCA, and best musical-small stage to "Grey Gardens," premiered by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston. Both best production winners also earned best director prizes -- David Miller for "Spring Awakening: The Play" and multi-IRNE-winner Spiro Veloudos for "Grey Gardens" and Lyric Stage's "Kiss Me Kate." Also cited for both Lyric Stage efforts was best music director Jonathan Goldberg. Resident Calderwood troupe SpeakEasy Stage shared two honors as busy Marianna Bassham won the best actress prize for roles in its "Blackbird" and "Reckless" as well as one in Boston Playwright Theatre's "Little Black Dress" and Timothy John Smith was picked for parts in S peakEasy's "Jerry Springer -- The Opera" and Lyric Stage's "Kiss Me Kate." For complete article, click here.
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