TENDERLY:  The Rosemary Clooney Musical by Carol Kaufman Segal

            Ensemble Theatre Company in Santa Barbara presented the opening of their first show of the new season at the New Vic, a Southern California premiere entitled Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical.  Santa Barbara is quite a distance for me to travel to see a play, but this was one I really had a strong desire to see.  Therefore, I went many miles away to a lovely theatre that I had never been to in my many years of reviewing plays, and I must admit it was very worthwhile.

            Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical is a biographical-musical about Rosemary Clooney told with just two actors, the lovely singer/actress Linda Purl as Rosemary Clooney and David Engel as her therapist as well as a multitude of characters such as members of her family, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Jose Ferrer.

            A wonderful jazz band is on stage throughout the play accompanying Linda Purl’s voice, which by the way comes across as very similar to Rosemary Clooney’s voice.  Throughout the production, she performs a multitude of songs that were connected to Clooney.  I was also especially impressed with David Engel and how he changed characters, seemingly one after another, and how he still kept the plot moving.

            The book, Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical was written by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman, directed by Jenny Sullivan, music direction by George Friedenthal, and choreography by Jean Michelle Sayeg.

            There is still time to see the production at the Ensemble Theatre Company at the New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23 at 8 PM, and Sunday, Oct. 24 at 2 PM and 7 PM.  For tickets visit www.etcsb.org, or call (805) 965-5400.