In The Mood - A Time to Remember

On Wednesday night, I had the opportunity to see the opening show of ``In the Mood - A Time to Remember`` produced by The Hudson Music Company. Although it was a more intimate production than 42nd Street, it still had quite the impact. My dad, who was a DJ for more than 25 years installed in me a great love for music from the 40`s, 50`s and 60`s. It was great hearing the old times favorites such as ``Chattanooga Choo Choo`` and ``Boogy Woogy Bugle Boy``.

The story (Script by James Milvain) is about a WWII veteran named Charlie who reminisces about the war while playing some favorite songs on the jukebox. Produced by Andre Marchand and directed by Philippe Gobeille, the production was a heart whelming rendition of the life and music of the 1940`s.

Sophie Protopoulos was as great as she was in 42nd street, her enchanting voice and her ability to capture the audience makes her stand out in any production. Fred Gagnon and Mike Melino gave capturing solo performances enchanting the audience with their tenor voices. I always enjoy watching and hearing Gail Marchand perform, she has an ingenious way of making people laugh, definitely a highlight of the show. My favorite number goes to Alicia Rice with a soulful performance of a 1940`s gospel choir song. This woman blew me away with this deep intense performance that showed not only how great her voice was but how powerful a song can be when someone feels it deep within. I think all the vocal performances were absolutely astounding, another great production from The Hudson Music Company. A hand of applause to Sheila Engel Katz (Musical Director) and Jean Claude Olivier (Set Design). I`m looking forward to the next production!