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No doubt about it: "Respect," a "Girl Em-Powered Musical" that
examines women's roles in American popular music, packs plenty of entertainment
value. In the show's West Coast premiere at the El Portal's Forum Theatre,
a crack ensemble performs a plethora of popular standards, from 1900 to the
present, from the sad laments of fluffy female victims ("A Bird in a
Gilded Cage") to the angry anthems of women who are mad as hell and
not going to take it anymore ("I Am Woman" and "You Don't
Own Me"). Respect is an engaging and fun mix of music, song, theatrical shtick. Dorothy
Marcic's script is based on her book, Respect: Women
and Popular Music, and
wittily broaches core feminist issues - sans sledgehammer - along with issues
of love, family, heartbreak and relationship angst. Vanderbilt professor Dorothy
Marcic has avoided many obvious theatrical and political
pitfalls in her survey of women in popular music in 20th-century America.
What began as a scholarly book has morphed into a lively, entertaining
journey through heartache, joy, and liberation, avoiding the preachiness
or stridency of some academic feminists. Although it's a dizzying trip,
with more than 70 song snippets, performances by a sizzling ensemble
make for a fun ride. Researched and written by Vanderbilt Professor and noted popular music authority,
Dorothy Marcic, with relatable humor and a lot of spunk, we had a good
ole’ time!
This popular show has been seen and revered in over a dozen U.S. cities
and in Australia, South Africa, England, Holland and Israel. Her clever use
of pertinent and hilarious film clips, historically chronicling the experiences
of famous ladies and well-known couples, was a crowd-pleasing stroke
of genius! Director Peter J. Leowy couldn’t have found a more talented quartet
of women that Repect’s four stars. Petite dynamo (and powerful
vocalist) George serves as narrator, and occasional co-conspirator, as when
she joins the gals for a rocking rendition of Martina McBride’s anthem
to women, “This One’s For The Girls.” Alet Taylor
brings a comic flair (and a wow of a voice) to her numbers, and Nraca not
only lends her soulful pipes to songs like “What’s Love Got To
Do With It?” but pays moving tribute to Rosa Parks. Best of all is
the gorgeous triple-threat Jackie Seiden, fresh from the Jersey Boys
tour and on the fast track to stardom. Predicting stage success is an unscientific process. But based on
her performance in "Respect: A Musical Journey of Women," Timotha
Lanae is well on her way. This dynamo
tops out even higher in Dorothy Marcic's jaunty jukebox revue, which
opened over the weekend at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.
Staged and choreographed with sassiness by Tamara Kangas and backed by a nimble
trio led by pianist Tom Mustachio, "Respect" uses top-40 songs from
the 20th century to limn the expansion (and contraction) of women's roles inside
the home and out. "Respect" goes down as easy as dessert. “Respect” is a 4-woman show featuring CDT veteran Timotha Lanae,
who was chosen to go to Hollywood as a finalist in American Idol last
season, as well as newcomers Seri Johnson, Emily Skinner and Andrea
Uselman-Brandt. Understudies are Melinda Moore and Austene Van. More
than 60 songs from 1900 to 2000 are intermingled with monologues and
representations of famous real women and archetypes including Rosa
Parks, Rosie the Riveter and Betty Boop. It’s entertainment first and
foremost but don’t be surprised
if you relearn a thing or two. It
looks like the Gem Theatre has another huge hit with its new production
of Dorothy Marcic's ''RESPECT - A Musical Journey of Women.'' Given
the high production value of this show, its talented cast, great music and
wildly appreciative mostly female audience, ''Respect'' has all the earmarks
..
A jukebox musical revue at it’s
finest, Respect strives to tell the tale of the American woman’s
journey from 1900 to the present through the Top 40 hits of the times.
Peppered with Ella Fitzgerald classics like “Hard Hearted Hannah”
and ballads like “Bewitched,” as well as female anthems
like Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” and MarTina McBride’s
“This One’s For the Girls,” Respect is a respectable
slice of bubble gum fare. Once you accept this show for what it is,
you’ll be in for one heck of a fun ride, complete with some of
your favorite songs from the twentieth century.
If you could pick one song as the soundtrack of your life, what would it be? Such is the premise of Dorothy Marcic’s “Respect: A Musical Journey of Women,” the jukebox revue on the 14th Street Playhouse mainstage that charts the history of the American female as a chronicle of hard work, disappointment, strength, integrity and love. --Wendell Brok, the Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionClick here to read more.
"Respect: A Musical Journey of Women" will inevitably be compared to its predecessor at the Gem Theatre,
"Menopause the Musical," which ran for a record-setting two years and nine months. So, let the comparisons start here.
A SHOW with a specifically feminine theme runs the risk of capturing one half of the audience and alienating the other.
Respect is a fun trip through time, focussing on the way women’s songs have told the story of women across the 20th century.
Like the song says, R-E-S-P-E-C-T means a lot - especially to writer
Dorothy Marcic. She traced how the changes in women's music over the
last century reflected the empowerment of women - politically, socially
and economically. The concept meant so much to her that the Vanderbilt
University professor wrote a book about it. Yes, this time the You go, girl! shouts are being triggered by a musical
march through the 20th century, tracing the travails and triumphs of
women as they have clawed their way from second-class citizenship to
empowerment. And … imaginative staging and a relentlessly effusive
cast make it all work disarmingly well. When I first heard the concept of “Respect: A Musical Journey”
— using pop music to trace the progress or lack thereof among
the female of our species — my first reaction was: Great. “Pre-menopause
the Musical…” To understand the progress of women in America, you could read dusty-yet-worthy
tomes about the fight for suffrage. You could take a college class in
womenís issues. Or you could pull that old record player out of the
closet, dig out that stack of 45s and sing along with Aretha, Janis,
The Supremes and Dorothy Marcic. As soon as I got around to sitting down in the audience to watch "Respect:
A Musical Journey of Women," now playing at the intimate Cuillo
Center for the Arts in beautiful downtown Clematis Street, I had an
aching feeling in my stomach, thinking the worst... Respect: A Musical Journey of Women is a wonderfully entertaining show containing three extremely talented performers who combine strong voices with the ability to sell a song. Free from the expected man-bashing tones of 'women's' shows, Respect sure gained some from me. This is a commemoration of womanhood in song and dance. Featuring over 50 songs scientifically selected by author Dorothy Marcic to chronicle the lives of women in the century of change, Respect contains the songs women listened to during various periods of their lives. "From doormat to rebel to cynic to Wonder Woman! What a journey! And told by the women themselves--and embellished and enriched by the music that chronicled their feelings, their ideas and their promise. It's more than just a story worth telling, it's a must-see and must-hear story ripe with Broadway and hit musical possibilities." --Robert Guenette and Julian Ludwig, Hollywood producers . There’s a wonderful little theatre tucked away in a wonderful
little strip mall, with a wonderful little show that’s sure to
make it wonderfully BIG! Currently enjoying a respectable run at The
Stage Door’s 26th Street Theatre, Wilton Manors, after completing
a successful sold-out run at The Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West
Palm Beach, RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women, raises the bar on all
its forerunners and can set the standard for this particular form of
presentation. -- Phyllis Green, Theater Columnist, Entertainment
News & Views Don’t think this is a woman’s show, the songs and performances
can be enjoyed by all. I loved it, my mother loved it. Joy was contagious
throughout the house. This is definitely one entertainment you will
want to see. Who knows, you mayb even want to go back and see it again,
it’s that good. Heed my advice and go. --Condo News Predominantly female, with supportive or long-suffering men dotted
here and there, these crowds hoot and holler as if they were congregants
at a revival meeting. And in a way, they are: There's something very
spirit-refreshing and empowering about seeing your life experiences
(even something as hormonally fraught and sweat-inducing as menopause)
reflected in an uplifting way onstage. Theater for the ages it isn't,
though both shows feature some powerhouse vocal performances. It's the
been-there, felt-that resonance that makes them work. -- Christine
Dolen, Miami Herald 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. --Bill Hawkins, Island City
News "From powerless to powerful, women have come a long way baby, in lyrics and in life. Author Dorothy Marcic said one way to track those shifts is through a close look at the top 40 songs of each decade." --Denver Post
'Respect' -- and they ain't lyin' RESPECT, which recently aired on CSPAN, is an engaging and entertaining
look at the evolving roles of women in the 20th century. Using popular
Top 40 hits, music, video images, and costumes, Dr. Marcic illustrates
how, in the early part of the century, song lyrics resonated with women's
dependency and submissiveness; echoed their rebellion in the late 1960s;
and reflected their independence in the 1990s. 'Respect' Creator Traces women's progress |
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Halli's
Comment! "Your hair will literally stand on end at the conclusion
of “I Will Survive” when people from the audience are invited
to come on stage and sing and dance along with the performers. After
four curtain calls, my hands hurt from applauding. DON’T MISS
IT!! --Halli 
“Respect:
A Musical Journey of Women,” is a feminist musical history trip
that will either cheer you or annoy you, depending upon your orientation.
For an opening night crowd at the Cuillo Center, where the show runs
through Aug. 8 at 201 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, the reaction was
a big thumbs-up from a cheering throng...