An exceptional edition of Broadway Sessions at the Beach took place on June 27 at the Ice Palace. Ben Cameron, introduced with “Everyone Knows It’s Bendy,” was the host; the Pines’ Jack Aaronson, singing and playing his Grove vs. Pines “Part of That World” parody, “Part of the Pines,” was at the Privia keyboard; and DJ Chuck McTague was responsible for music, lights, and sound.
The special Broadway guests were Michelle Dowdy (“Hairspray”), who was a regular at Broadway Sessions predecessor Broadway at the Beach, offering “Good Morning, Baltimore,” with the twist that, every time she sang the name “Baltimore,” we were obliged to drink from our drinks; Michael “Bucky” Buchanan (“Cry-Baby,” “Book of Mormon”), who gave us a free-wheeling free-association medley that ranged from Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Little Buttercup” and “Poor Wandering One” to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Memory” and “Music of the Night” to “Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me,” from “Rocky Horror:” and the up-and-coming Bre Jackson (“The Color Purple”), who stunned us with her heartfelt “I’m Here,” and also sang the high note in our final joint effort “Seasons of Love.” My black leather “I’m Still Here” didn’t get too bad notices: the audience was in a tipping mood and I made $5.
Michelle will be the guest host for Broadway Sessions for a couple of weeks while Ben is away.