BWW Reviews: I LEFT MY HEART Celebrates Music of Tony Bennett at MTC

Christopher DeRosa, Johnny Orenberg and Jordan Wolfe. Photo: by Regina Madwed/Capitol Photo Interactive

I LEFT MY HEART . . .: A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF Tony Bennett
Conceived by David Grapes and Todd Olson (original production directed by Olson)
Directed by Kevin Connors
Musical Direction by Max Haymer (original piano/vocal arrangements by Vince DiMura)
Music Theatre of Connecticut, Westport

Summary:
More than 30 tunes made famous by Tony Bennett are combined with short stories about the singer by three performers (Christopher DeRosa, Johnny Orenberg and Jordan Wolfe) accompanied on stage by musicians Max Haymer, piano; Chris Johnson, drums; Dan Asher and Richa Zurkowsky, alternating bass in a brisk one-hour-10-minute revue.

Highlights:
A mostly grey-haired matinee audience the day I attended thoroughly enjoyed, smiling, bopping heads, tapping feet and singing along with classics like "Fly Me to the Moon," Night and Day," "That Old Black Magic," and of course, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."
DeRosa has a nice singing voice and brings a stylish, confident smoothness to his solos. All three do a nice job of presenting Bennett's songs without trying to imitate him.
Scenic and technical designer Scott Holdredge gets kudos for creating a really terrific sound mix which allows us to hear all three voices harmonizing, all of the instruments and doesn't blow us out of our seats in the very tiny space.

The real star here, though, is the talented Haymer, skillfully tickling the ivories. He's great, whether providing accompaniment in the background or getting a chance to show off his jazz skills.

Lowlights:
Though the voice blend nicely, Orenberg and Wolfe are weak on solos.

Information:
I Left My Heart runs through May 6 at MTC's studio theater, 246 Post Road East, Westport. Performances are Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 4 pm and 8 pm, Sundays at 3 pm. Tickets: $25-$45. $5 off for seniors/students (subject to availability). Reservations suggested. Call 203-454-3883.

This show concludes the theater's 25th anniversary season. Just announced for next season: Next to Normal, Ancestral Voices and The Cole Porter Project. For information, visit http://www.musictheatreofct.com/1213.html.

I LEFT MY HEART received its world premiere at American Stage in St. Petersburg, FL in 2005.

Lauren, a former newspaper editor, is the editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com) and Reflections in the Light (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com) where she reviews Broadway, Off-Broadway and Connecticut theater. She also is a freelance writer and consults and produces for the theater. She is a member of The Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association, the CT Critics Circle, The League of Professional Theatre Women and the National Book Critics Circle. She and her husband live in Granby, CT. Visit her writing site at http://laurenyarger.wordpress.com.

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