ISLAND CITY NEWS

RESPECT Deserves it all at Stage Door
By Bill Hawkins

Audiences are thoroughly enjoying a mixture of women’s history plus great musical numbers in the lively production of RESPECT now at the Stage Door 26th Street Theatre. Billed as a musical journey of women, the creative show uses more than 60 musical numbers to tell the story of how women have seen their roles change since 1900.
Written and conceived by Dorothy Marcic and directed by Peter Loewy, the production was a sell-out this past fall in West Palm Beach and producers decided to move it to this area to entertain local audiences. Marcic serves as narrator of the show, giving a bit of history about women in her family, who were housewives, World War II factory workers, single mothers and feminists in their own special ways.

Adding to the narration and musical numbers are slides shown on each side of the stage giving a glance back at familiar faces of women, magazine covers, product advertisements and other sights that only added to the enjoyment of each production. Marcic said she reviewed more than 2,100 songs that had been sung by women since 1900 in her own quest to mix music with historical perspectives of how women’s lives have changed.

From fashion to fads, from housewives to heartbreakers, and from sex sirens to single mothers, the show doesn’t miss a beat in linking familiar songs with an era of women’s growth. But it’s the trio of talented entertainers, who belt out the songs with such passion, who make RESPECT such a hit. Emily Price is a show-stopper as she comes alive as the cartoon character, Betty Boop, in singing, I Wanna be Loved by You. Flashing her big eyes and lots of physical energy, Price sets to the tone of the early part of the show, depicting women in dependent-on-men roles as they searched for the right man to make them respective wives.

Jeanette Fitzpatrick and Paulette Dozier join Price in a series of productions reflecting the 1950s era of stay-at-home women. If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’da Baked a Cake and the hopelessly romantic ballad of Tammy were standouts. Becoming Barbie dolls, the ensemble had fun with I enjoy Being a Girl.

Moving into the 60s when teenage girls and sexual awakening came alive, the ensemble presented Where the Boys Are and Mean to Me, while Fitzpatrick took over the spotlight as a hysterical blonde waiting for her would-be boyfriend to make an all-important phone call as she sang It Must be Him. The trio then sparked in presenting Stand by Your Man. Dozier, an accomplished jazz artist, gave a touching narration about Civil Rights and the struggle of black women, like Rosa parks, whose refusal to give up a seat on a bus led to historical rights for Blacks. The ensemble sang You Don’t Own Me and Price sang These Boots are Made for Walkin’ as the era of women’s rights and independence took over.

Closing out the show were hits like I am Woman and I will Survive bringing the musical journey to the current time of independent women carving out new roles are breadwinners, single moms, corporate leaders and political champions. Music Director Phil Hinton and his musical ensemble kept up with the lively pace going through one production after another thanks to Loewy’s effective direction. RESPECT clearly deserves all of the applause each audience is handing it every night of the show.