Rosemary Ends BRSC Summer on High Note
Musical Premiere Takes Audiences on Sentimental Journey

By Jeff Eason for the Mountain Times

The rise and fall and rise of Rosemary Clooney's career takes on new life in the fantastic new musical A Dash of Rosemary. The musical is in the middle of its Southeastern premiere at the Blowing Rock Stage Company and should not be missed.

A Dash of Rosemary will be presented from now until September 5th at the Blowing Rock Stage Company Theatre on Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock.

Written and directed by Doug Kampsen, the musical is very similar to the popular Frank Sinatra tribute, My Way, that was produced by the BRSC in 2002. It features three singers and a band breathing new life into songs made famous by Clooney while also telling the audience about the highs and lows of the great singer's life.

A Dash of Rosemary stars young singer-actors Nicole Fenstad, Gregg Kapp and Jill Roberts. The swinging band features musical director John C. Brown on piano, Dr. William Harbinson on trumpet, Dr. Jay Jackson on percussion, Dr. William Gora on woodwinds, and Brandon Miller on bass.

Although A Dash of Rosemary features over 40 songs associated with Clooney's career, there are some notable omissions. Director and playwright Kampsen attempted to gain clearance for as many of her signature tunes as possible but ran into difficulty with the Irving Berlin classic "White Christmas" as well as several others. Kampsen stated that the omissions caused him to dig a little deeper into Clooney's oeuvre and uncover some forgotten gems such as "Straighten Up and Fly Right" and "There's a Man at the Door."

Despite her slight appearance, Fenstad has a voice that carries throughout the theatre. Her soulful singing voice was in finest form as she sang the classic American tunes "That Old Black Magic" and "Our Love is Here To Stay."

Roberts has a much more traditional theatre voice and it was used to great effect in the punchier, more comedic numbers such as "Too Old to Cut the Mustard" and "Man and Woman."

Although it might seem unusual to have a male singer presenting the songs of Rosemary Clooney, Kapp is indispensable in providing the "guy's voice" for the large number of duets Clooney sang. He also proves a formidable dancer and together with Fenstad and Roberts, helps give the show a distinctive swinging sexiness.

The singers show the most enthusiasm for the group numbers and it is in the beautiful harmony numbers that their voices really shine. "I'll Be Seeing You," "I Only Have Eyes for You" and "Sentimental Journey" never sounded as fine as they do in this new production. It is also during the ensemble numbers that the singers and the band really hits their apex as they belt out rousing renditions of "Come On-a My House" and "Mambo Italiano."

A Dash of Rosemary is the last production in the Blowing Rock Stage Company's 2004 summer season. It is a fitting conclusion to a stage season that has seen a stirring mix of comedy, music, drama and thrills.

A Dash of Rosemary will run through September 5th. Evening performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with additional Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22-$25 for adults and can be purchased in advance by calling the BRSC box office at (828) 295-9627.