Life Begins at 8:40

SarahB – the knower of all things Broadway related in and out of New York City. It’s like she’s my enabler, always encouraging me to step out of my opera boundaries to explore the music that comprises America’s songbook. After alerting me to the Millennium Stage concert with Kate Baldwin, she told me about another free opportunity to see Kate and several other Broadway stars at the Library of Congress. As soon as I read the email from her I called the LoC to reserve two tickets. Easy as pie!

On Monday, March 22, Dustin and I made the short little trek from our Capitol Hill homes to the Library of Congress for Life Begins at 8:40. The foyer was jam packed with people. Aside from the five-year old girl accompanying her father, Dustin and I were the youngest there by at least 20 years. It was that kind of a crowd. We piled into the Coolidge Auditorium situated in the northwestern part of the building. It was a pretty cool theatre.

Sidebar on the Coolidge Auditorium: Named for Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, the 511 seat theatre was built with financial backing from Mrs. Coolidge in 1925. She was a notable patron in the history of American music. In addition to her contribution to the theatre, Mrs. Coolidge set up the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation to help the Library promote and advance chamber music through commissions, public concerts, and festivals. In a letter dated February 4, 1925, she stated that the ultimate aim was:

to make possible, through the Library of Congress, the composition and performance of music in ways which might otherwise be considered too unique or too expensive to be ordinarily undertaken. Not this alone, of course, nor with a view to extravagance for its own sake; but as an occasional possibility of giving precedence to considerations of quality over those of quantity; to artistic rather than to economic values; and to opportunity over.

So that’s what we were here to see. A piece of music that hadn’t been heard in its entirety in 75 years and probably would not have been ushered out had it not been for Mrs. Coolidge and her foundation. Did I mention the tickets were free? Again, goes with the aim of the foundation – rolling out stuff for artistic rather than economic values. God bless you Mrs. Coolidge!

Life Begins at 8:40 is a revue with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Yip Harburg. It opened in 1943 and ran for 237 performances. The cast that has assembled this time around for the concert will reassemble sometime this week to record the work. Both will include a large amount of unpublished and unrecorded material. In addition to Mrs. Coolidge being posthumously generous, thanks must be given to The Ira and Leonore Gershwin Trust for making this whole shindig and subsequent recording possible. Muchos Gracias!

So Life Begins at 8:40... It was awesome! I was slightly unfamiliar with the work, because you know, it hadn’t been performed in 75 years. But it was just the right amount of upbeat, catchy and fun. The stellar cast was comprised of some of Broadway’s brightest stars – David Glenn Armstrong, Kate Baldwin!!, Philip Chaffin, Christopher Fitzgerald, Aaron Gandy, Montego Glover, Rebecca Luker, Brad Oscar, Faith Prince!!!, Graham Rowat!!, and Jessica Stone.

I came for the dynamic married duo of Kate and Graham and stayed for the magnetic stage presence of Faith. The entire cast was really just spot on and brought charm and energy to the 20 or so songs.

Graham came out after the men and women’s chorus looking pretty dapper in his suit. One by one the eight other men and women joined him in singing the show’s opening number “Life Begins (At Exactly 8:40 or Thereabouts).” And then out came Faith Prince all sassy and with stage presence to spare and a voice just so awesomely awesome! My attention was completely caught and I sat intently as the remaining 2 ½ hours unfolded.

There is not one gripe that I can think of in regards to the performers. The only thing that I had a problem with was the miking. It favored the orchestra over the singers so I had a difficult time hearing most of the singers throughout the performance. For some reason I was waiting to be impressed by Rebecca Luker, but just wasn’t. Brad Oscar was absolutely hilarious in his solo turn in “Things!” where he conducted himself and the orchestra. Christopher Fitzgerald and Jessica Stone played very well off of each other in several songs. Faith Prince was truly stunning and very comedic in the several numbers that she turned out. I tell you what, she owns that stage when she’s on it. And hers was one of the few voices that I didn’t have to strain to hear over the bad miking situation. Kate Baldwin is just fun to watch on stage and I seriously love her voice.

Dustin and I left the theatre humming tunes from the show. I wanted to stick around to try and catch up with Kate and Graham. They’ve been super generous – she signing a CD gifted to me from the wonderful SarahB, and he offering to snag some tickets to the show for me – and I wanted to give them my thanks. Dustin and I stood in the foyer for several minutes as the old folks, and chorus and orchestra members filed out. Then out came the rest of the cast.

Talking to Kate is like talking to a good buddy. She’s super nice and so unpretentious. It was like catching up with old friends. Dustin and I told her how much we enjoyed the show. We chit-chatted a bit and gave some tourist advice to the couple who had a few hours to kill the next day before heading back to NYC. We suggested several of the hotspots, but Graham seemed to be set on sleeping in. I think Kate’s next venture is taking her across the pond, but hopefully she and Graham will be doing something nearby that I can check out.


On our way out the door, we walked past Faith Prince. I had a vague idea of who she was – I used to watch Spin City. I meant to just throw out a quick “you were fabulous,” and walk on by, but we ended up talking to Faith for a few minutes. I guess when you tell a fifty-something-year old that they look and sound awesome, especially when they’re on stage with a bunch of youngsters, they really appreciate the comment. Faith pulled me in for a hug and told Dustin and me that we made her night. Dustin asked where she got her shoes. You know, when you get a chance to talk to a Tony winner, the important things to ask are about shopping secrets and shoe fashions. After a few more “you’re awesomes” and “loved your voice” and a quick snap of the camera, Dustin and I were off.

Lucky us, the CD for this quirky, entertaining revue should be out sometime this summer and I can sing along to this once forgotten music and relive the fun from last week’s performance.

Full song list with some of my favorites in bold:
ACT ONE
Overture - The Orchestra
Life Begins (At Exactly 8:40 or Thereabouts) - Graham & The Company
Spring Fever - Kate & Girls
You’re a Builder-Upper - Christopher, Jessica & Ensemble
My Paramount-Publix-Roxy Rose - Graham, Faith & Boys
Shoein’ the Mare - Montego & Ensemble
Quartet Erotica - Brad, Christopher, Graham & Philip
Fun to Be Fooled - Kate & Philip
C’est la Vie Prologue - Rebecca & Ensemble
C’est la Vie - Faith, Brad & Christopher
What Can You Say in a Love Song? - Rebecca, Philip & The Company

ACT TWO
Entr’ Acte - The Orchestra
Let’s Take a walk Around the Block - Graham, Jessica & Ensemble
Things! - Brad
I Knew Him When - Montego, Kate, Philip & Ensemble
All the Elks and Masons - Christopher, Jessica & Ensemble
A Weekend Cruise - Kate, Graham & Brad
It Was Long Ago - Rebecca & Girls
I’m Not Myself - Christopher
I Couldn’t Hold My Man - Faith
Life Begins at City Hall - The Entire Company