need to “Open a New Window” everyday. After a breath-taking counterpoint section of all three we end the act with a jubilant reprise of “Before the Parade Passes By.” Act Two begins with a visit to the movies and the world of silent film. Mack Sennett introduces us to the days when “Movies Were Movies” and we follow the Mack and Mabel love story through the eyes of a cameraman who sings “Look What Happened to Mabel” to inform us about her burgeoning career. Mabel enters dressed as one of Sennett’s famous bathing beauties and dances a youthful Charleston to “That’s How Young I Feel” before reprising “Look What Happened to Mabel” backed by Mack, the cameraman, a stage manager and a few extras. Jeanette MacDonald, wearing a bonnet over her blonde curls, and Nelson Eddy, sporting his Mountie uniform, enter for Take 113 of “My Best Girl.” At the end of the number, an exasperated Mack yells “Cut!!!” as Nelson exits. Jeanette, left sprawled on the floor wearing her hoop-skirt, sings of the difficulty of appearing opposite the talent-free Mr. Eddy (“Nelson”). The cast enters and sits facing the audience as if they were watching a movie. They ask the audience if they “need to relax? need to escape?” and advise “Go see Fay Wray in the palm of an ape” in “Just Go to the Movies” – a celebration of the Golden Age of Hollywood in a remarkable “list” song. As the cast exits, a woman helps one of the men with a costume change and they exchange a glance – a moment of unrequited love (“It Only Takes a Moment”). As the beautiful ballad finishes, a very pregnant Agnes Gooch enters singing, “It only took a moment…” and segues into her big number “Gooch’s Song.” In response to Agnes’ final question of “What do I do now?” a man enters wearing tap shoes and encourages Agnes to “Tap Your Troubles Away” and is soon joined by all the other men in a rousing tap number. As if Agnes Gooch weren’t woman enough for these guys, Dolly Levi enters in her red feathered headdress as the men welcome her with “Hello, Dolly!” Not one to be outdone, Mame Dennis enters wearing her signature white satin turban and full-length gloves as the men greet her with an abbreviated chorus of “Mame.” The two women acknowledge each other in a biting little exchange, setting up the “friendly” rivalry that the two must have shared as leading ladies of the Broadway stage as they launch into “Bosom Buddies.” The number ends in a hilarious cat-fight between the two! Now that we’ve seen the funny side of Jerry Herman we visit the serious and deeply romantic side as one of the men, in a moment of optimistic denial, sings “I Don’t Want to Know.” As we are swept into his world we discover that there are more inhabitants here – bitter lovers with unresolved issues who, as we find out, still have beautiful memories of their love (“Song on the Sand”). The couples all embrace the beauty of the love that they have or once had. As peace comes to their relationships, the audience is tenderly instructed in the various meanings of “Shalom” which is responded to by the stirring “I’ll Be Here Tomorrow.” A woman enters and wonders about the way she conducted herself in the poignant “If He Walked Into My Life.” She is consoled by a man who says, “I Promise You a Happy Ending” like the ones that you see on the screen, but before he finishes the last line the cast struts on in silk top hats for the Finale singing a rousing medley of “Mame,” “The Best of Times” and topped with a reprise of “It’s Today.” As if this hadn’t been enough entertainment for one lifetime, the cast takes its bows singing “Hello, Dolly!” while encouraging the audience to join in and celebrate the remarkable music and career of Jerry Herman. Footnote: The entire show is quickly paced with brilliantly arranged medleys of Herman’s wonderful songs, constructed so that each has its own unique dramatic commentary. The complete show features 40 songs from Milk and Honey, Hello, Dolly!, Mame, Dear World, Mack and Mabel, The Grand Tour, A Day in Hollywood, and La Cage Aux Folles. The abridged one-act version contains the same basic structure of the full show with condensed medleys, but still featuring a full 30 songs from the above-mentioned hits!
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