INTERMISSION
The Alexandria Singers
And All That Jazz by Patti Crescenzi

The Alexandria Singers are a mixed chorus of approximately 75 members who perform American popular music throughout the D.C.metro area, billing themselves as "Washington D.C.'s premier adult showchoir." The Singers have been continuously performing since their inception in 1975, and have enjoyed the exceptional leadership of Music Director Roger Oliver and Accompanist Nancy Reid since 1978. Recently, the Singers performed a melange of music which was primarily a tribute to American Jazz. The show was narrated by Master of Ceremonies Dick Reed, whose fascination with the theater has made him a familiar fixture around the Beltway as a singer, musician, and director. Mr. Reed provided a contiguous thread of facts and oftentimes obscure historical tidbits that wove together musical selections by various great Jazz composers such as Kirby Shaw, Fats Waller, and Cole Porter. The Singers harmonize and blend beautifully and under the choreography of Geri Geis, the group as a whole moved a bout very nicely, providing their own unique take on Fosse moves. Six female "Front Row Dancers" (who all had "great legs" according to my companion, a veteran singer/dancer) were also featured throughout the evening. One highlight of the jazz portion of the show was "Orange Colored Sky" sung by soloist Kay Green who was magnificent. Another was the Gershwin piano solos by pianist Nancy Reid. The Singers also performed large staged show pieces that were made up of medleys from different musicals. Although it was a bit jarring for the audience to have to make the transition from a smooth jazz piece to "Grease" and then back to jazz, for the most part, the large show pieces were very well done. I especially enjoyed the rendition of Disney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame" with its Freudian subtext of Marissa Dolcich playing both the mother and Esmerelda, and the imaginative staging of the medley from "Ragtime. "The Alexandria Singers are a top notch show chorus that are a pleasure to both listen to and watch.