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Aug 13 - Sep 11, 2004
"It's nostalgia time at the Pewter Plough Playhouse as the songs of Johnny Mercer are sung with great affection by a fine ensemble of Cambria singers who can recall the songs as background music of their lives" — Joan Crowder, The Cambrian and The San Luis Obispo Tribune.
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An exciting and delightful musical celebrating the genius and magic of the extraordinarily prolific and versatile lyricist of American popular song!
The Pewter Plough is pleased to present a musical celebration of the Bard from Savannah and Tin Pan Alley! A man of enormous talent, Johnny Mercer's distinction lay in his prodigious output, longevity and versatility. He penned hundreds of hit songs — some of the biggest hits of the century — while writing over the course of five incredible decades. From the 1930's through the 1970's, his work covered musical styles from pop to jazz, Broadway, R&B, even country and blues!
Mercer worked with the best bands, the best singers, and the best composers: from Paul Whiteman and Benny Goodman to Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin and Barry Manilow. "Johnny Mercer was the greatest lyric writer that ever lived!" said Yvonne King, one of the original King Sisters.
Some of Mercer's all-time hits that have become part of America's great songbook and core musical landscape include:
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Mercer was greatly admired for his strong, intelligent lyrics that define a song, are catchy and optimistic. During his long career, he had eighteen Best Song Oscar nominations, winning four times.
Our show features performances of nearly thirty Mercer songs (including all of the gems above), by our talented cast of nine wonderful singers and our fabulous pianist. Our featured singers are George Anderson, Wayne Attoe, Ruth Fleming, Viv Goff, Judith Kingsmill, David Manion, Roberta Lemming, Lloyd Oksen and Marylyn Villeneuve (in a cameo role). Liam Kingsmill appears in a non-singing part. Our pianist is the multifaceted David Manion. Our Musical Director is Ruth Fleming. Original book for the show was written by Roger Pond. Concept inspired by Lloyd Oksen. The director is Bobbie Monroe. Many of our ensemble members have appeared previously on the Pewter Plough stage, in the PPP Cafe or are well known around the local music scene.
"The voices are all good, and the singers move easily from the uptempo numbers like 'Goody Goody' and 'Jeepers Creepers' to the sentimental, poetic songs like 'I Remember You' and 'Laura.'" — Joan Crowder
Woven into the show is also the tale of Johnny Mercer's incredible life, how he collaborated with most of America's greatest composers — including Harry Warren, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington, Henry Mancini and John Williams. Mercer was also a fine singer in his own right; he discovered and nurtured many up-and-coming stars, and was a cofounder and inspirational spirit behind Capitol Records.
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Too Marvelous for Words is a continuation of the Pewter Plough's Great Composers and Songwriters Series — special musicals devoted to outstanding songwriters of popular song: Noel Coward, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart and Oscar Hammerstein, and (in 2003) Jerome Kern.
"[Marilyn] Villeneuve stops the show with a beautiful version of 'Autumn Leaves,' sung in both French and English...[David] Manion holds it all together at the piano, singing with his charming, gravelly voice now and then. He's not just an accompanist, but a star in his own right on the keyboard." — Joan Crowder
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales for the run of this show will go to the Cambria Educational Foundation, to be used to help fund the Vocal Arts Program for Cambria's Grammar School and Santa Lucia Middle School. This is part of the Pewter Plough's nonprofit commitment to support local education. The singers, writer, and director are fully volunteering their efforts in this production. The Cambria Educational Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated toward raising critically needed supplementary funds for local school programs affected by state budget cutbacks.
Come join us for the PPP's Too Marvelous For Words: The Life and Music of Johnny Mercer. The show will entertain and enthrall you, while illustrating how Mercer's wondrous musical magic changed the sound of American popular song forever!
"If Johnny Mercer were alive today, he would have been proud of the production the cast and crew have created in 'Too Marvelous for Words.' ...the real standout is piano player David Manion, who not only provides the entire accompaniment but sings beautifully as well." — Carolyn Margon, New Times
