The Broadway Boys are six guys from the New York stage who feel right at home in The Villages.
That was evident Sunday night at Savannah Center as a half-dozen Broadway veterans stormed through an energetic set that covered the history of the Great White Way.
The song list included everything from George Gershwin and Harry Warren to John Lennon and Jonathan Larson.
Watch video of their performance here:
The Broadway Boys feature: Jesse Nager, Marshal Carolan, Brad Greer, Julius Thomas III, John Krause and Jamison Scott.
They showcased their individual talent and also a glorious display of six-part harmony. Also, each one would give a mini-biography of their path from small towns around America to the bright light of the big city.
The guys went back to the 1930s, as they paid tribute to Harry Warren’s “Lullaby of Broadway.” Then came some silky harmony on “Luck Be A Lady,” from “Guys and Dolls.”
The Broadway Boys have a knack for taking the old songs and giving them a modern, contemporary twist.
“We’re six different guys and we’ve all been in different shows,” said Brad Greer from the stage. “We’re here tonight to tell you our stories and sing the songs from Broadway.”
Jesse Nager talked about his upbringing and love of performing as an intro to a rousing version of “Fame.” As Nager sang the song, the five other performers danced in a circle around him on stage.
A highlight was a Four Seasons’ set from “Jersey Boys.”
The performers ripped through “December, 1963 (‘Oh What A Night).” Next came a tender “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
Then they turned up the lights, as the six Broadway Boys sat on the front of the stage. They sang a gospel-flavored version of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” from the musical “Lennon.” They finished on an upbeat note with a chorus of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.”
Another familiar number from the ‘60s’ was a lively take on “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In” from “Hair.” That was followed by a moving, almost spiritual “Seasons of Love” from “Rent,” written by the late Jonathan Larson.
The Boys then offered one of their showcase numbers: “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked.” The sound was pitch-perfect and these guys showed why they can make it anywhere, including the Big Apple.
They took George Gershwin’s “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” and give it a nice, edgy modern sound.
The show finished with “Ease On Down the Road” from “The Wiz.”
But the Boys weren’t finished.
“We’re going to go out with some rock,” Brad Greer said, as they came back for an encore. They blasted off with Queen’s “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions” from the musical “We Will Rock You.”
