Rodgers and Hammerstein tribute a cheery at Pleasant Run

"Some Enchanted Evening" knows exactly what it is. And to its credit, this cheery little tribute to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein does not try to be something it's not.

Conceived by Jeffrey B. Moss as a showcase of the duo's greatest hits, it's comprised of standards from "Oklahoma," "South Pacific," "The King and I," "Carousel" and "Flower Drum Song," with a couple of tunes from "State Fair," the little-known "Allegro" and a single confection from the written-for-television "Cinderella" rounding out the score.

Unencumbered by dialogue, this is truly a jukebox musical, with one tune following on the heels of another and nearly every one striking a familiar chord.

Other directors have mistakenly tried to impose a plot on the show. Noble Fool's Bill Jenkins doesn't make that mistake. He understands that "Some Enchanted Evening" is about the song, pure and simple.

To his credit, Jenkins doesn't try to shoehorn an artificial narrative. Instead, he allows the music to dominate. And boy, does it, especially in numbers like the beautifully arranged and impeccably sung medley of "Some Enchanted Evening," "The Sound of Music" and "People Will Say We're in Love" performed by the cast in the style of a Mozart vocal quintet or the combination of "Out of My Dreams"/"I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair" - a spunky number with a seamless transition - that spotlights the exceptional trio of Cassandra Liveris, Catherine Lord and Andrea Prestinario. The cast also includes vocalists Mike Arthur and David Meadows and tireless, rock-solid pianist Tom Clear.

Smartly imagined and well-sung (with the right combination of reverence and vim), the show unfolds concert-style on Kevin Depinet's raked set, uncluttered save for a baby grand and a couple of chairs and set against a screened backdrop depicting the interior of a grand theater - the perfect setting in which to celebrate some of musical theater's crown jewels.

Branimira Ivanova costumes - stylish black cocktail dresses and sparkling jewelry for the women and black suits and tone-on-tone shirts for the men - suggests cabaret more than Broadway. And frankly, the singers adopt a saloon singer's pose as often as that of a Rodgers and Hammerstein ingénue or leading man. Lord comes closest to the former with her torchy version of the wry "The Gentleman is a Dope" from 1947's "Allegro" and the hushed, emotional "Love Look Away" from "Flower Drum Song," while Meadows channels the latter in a reverent "This Nearly Was Mine" from "South Pacific." Lord and the winsome Prestinario re-imagine"Sixteen Going on Seventeen" as a mother-daughter duet and Arthur captures the heady rush of a new romance in his gleeful, insistent "Younger than Springtime." Also deserving mention is Liveris' sparkling "It Might as Well Be Spring" from "State Fair."

If I could make one suggestion, it would be for the folks at Noble Fool to include the names of shows alongside the listing of the songs. Familiar as the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon is, only a connoisseur would recognize "Allegro's "A Fellow Needs A Girl" and the furrowed brows and whispers from some audience members suggest I'm not the only one in need of a cheat sheet.

"Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein"

☆☆☆

Location: Pheasant Run Resort and Spa, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles

Times: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1. Also 2 p.m. Sept. 25, Oct. 9, 23 and 30

Running time: About 90 minutes, with intermission

Tickets: $27 weekdays; $38 weekends (dinner theater packages available)

Parking: Free lot adjacent to theater

Box office: (630) 584-6342 or noblefool.org

Rating: For all ages

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