In the vernacular of old Vaudeville, the Access 51 Hurly Burly Vaudeville Extravaganza "killed it" with its evening of variety entertainment!   

Produced by the Players' immediate past president Tracy Wall and board member Linda McConchie, staged and choreographed by current president Jay Newlon, and hosted by board member Brian Kelly, the night proved to be as entertaining as any revue at the old Palace, and probably lots more fun.

   

Brian Kelly's entrance on the new stage lift, scored by Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries", set the high-spirited tone for the night.  The audience immediately got the joke and all the others that followed, applauding, laughing, and whooping in all the right places.   

Miss Helena's little ballerinas stole all the hearts with an adorable performance to Singin' in the Rain to open the show.  A Concord Band ensemble followed, energizing the room with a jazzy set that featured sax, trombone, and keyboard solos all met with enthusiastic acknowledgement from an appreciative crowd.  When an oafish, oversized ballet dancer played by a most good-natured Mike Haddad interrupted an exquisitely graceful performance by four ballet beauties, hilarity ensued. He was finally dragged off-stage with a classic vaudeville hook, much to the delight of the audience and the satisfaction of choreographer Jay Newlon.

Jenn Bubruski, Amanda Casale, and Linda Burtt brought down the house with a rowdy performance of "Gotta Get a Gimmick", from the Broadway show Gypsy, while Jon Linden and John Valleley delivered laugh after laugh with a rapid-patter rendition of Who's on First that ran through the show.  A gypsy violin by Siri Smedvig of the Concord Orchestra, opera divas from Opera 51 who spoofed themselves, and a Shakespeare Company who would surely have had Elizabeth I cutting off all funds for the Bard added delightful texture and variety to the show.  Connie Benn and Tom Frates amused with a witty version of Traveling Hopefully, that gently skewered some "other" performing arts center in Concord. 

A sweet interlude was provided by Charlie Atherton and Amanda Casale singing "I See the Light", from the Disney movie Tangled.  The ever-versatile Amanda also entertained in a duet with Players member Doug Hodge as Adelaide and Nathan from Guys and Dolls in a charming medley of Sue Me and Adelaide.  Kathy Lague didn't fool anyone with her comical rendition of "I Want to Be a Prima Donna" - we all know she's an opera goddess. A besequined ensemble from the show reminded the audience why we were all there with a zippy rendition of "Money, Money" from Kander and Ebb's Cabaret.

Irish Step Dancers brought rhythm to the boards with tremendous energy.  Audiences loved the captivating sound of their clicks and steps  and the mesmerizing precision of their choreography. Pianist Pat Bently accompanied the show with hands that glided like air across the keyboard, always in time with the performers and always smiling. 

While the audience was enjoying the performances, ace stage manager Cathie Regan was backstage, corralling wee dancers, grown up singers, musicians and actors of all stripes into an orderly queue.   It's nothing short of a miracle that she managed to block and time transitions, entrances and exits as if she'd had weeks of rehearsals instead of just a few days.  And when a teeny dancer signaled he needed a trip to the loo just minutes before his entrance, she responded with characteristic aplomb! Ably assisted by Nadine Sa, Cathie demonstrated once again why she's in such demand by directors all over eastern Massachusetts.

Out front, Gail Penrod and members of the 51 Walden board kept concessions moving and money changing hands in a most agreeable way toward the goal of funding capital improvements to the building. 

The costume divas delivered as they always do.  Most notable: the "strippers" in Gimmick were hilariously burlesque while appropriately family-friendly, and every performer was able to cross the boards in a costume that perfectly suited their character.

A finale of gravity-defying hip hop break dancing led by instructor Carl Alleyne provided a stupendously entertaining close to the evening, leaving everyone feeling happy and pretty hip-hoppity themselves.

Why did we do it?  For money, money, money of course, for much-needed capital improvements to our beloved 51 Walden.  And so we did - almost $10,000 are now in the pot bringing us even closer to our $500,000 goal.