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They're back and they're bursting with song

A Tampa troupe returns to bring 50 years of show tunes to stage via Broadway in Concert.

By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN
Published November 10, 2006

The Salerno Theatre company of Tampa makes a fourth sojourn to Richey Suncoast Theatre, this time to do a tribute to 50 years of Broadway tunes, Broadway in Concert.

Earlier shows have been Grease, She Loves Me and Jekyll & Hyde.

This show, put together by Salerno founder Mike Mathews, will feature music from Evita, Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and other favorites.

"It takes place in a wax museum, the night before the museum is scheduled to open," Mathews said.

The wax figures are dressed like characters from famous Broadway musicals. As actor Jorge Acosta, playing the museum janitor, wanders through, recalling his favorite songs, the figures come to life and sing their characters' songs.

Because of licensing restrictions, most such shows are performed in formal clothes, not in costumes suggesting the original characters.

"I actually contacted the composers or agents to get permission," Mathews said - no small task with so many shows and writers involved.

Spring Hill resident Wendy Starkand is dressed as Evita Peron. Leah Monzillo of Tampa portrays the supposedly evil, but actually misunderstood, Wicked Witch of the West from Wicked.

Nicole Allegretto dresses as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, and Ms. Monzillo re-creates the character Nellie Forbush from South Pacific. Catherine Ernst does Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady.

"Several of the performers have been seen by Richey Suncoast audiences earlier," Mathews said. Kyle A. Davis, for example, played in She Loves Me and Jekyll & Hyde.

Salerno is bringing Jekyll & Hyde back to Richey Suncoast in March, and in April will do a new review, Music of the Night, featuring the songs of Webber and other composers, Mathews said.

[Last modified November 9, 2006, 23:00:22]