Out of the Loop Festival: 'Diana Sheehan Sings: The Jerome Kern Songbook'

Famed American composer Jerome Kern is known as the father of the American musical. Diana Sheehan is one of DFW's leading ladies of the theater. Combined, "Diana Sheehan Sings: The Jerome Kern Songbook," the 90 minute cabaret act, makes an attractive start to Water Tower Theatre's "15th Annual Out of the Loop Fringe Festival" running now through March 6 in Addison.

Over the course of his career Kern wrote over 700 songs and won two Oscars but is perhaps best known for his masterpiece "Show Boat" that changed musical theater as we know it.

Kern's songs have entered the public vernacular; you know them even if you don't know who composed them. Examples include "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Look For The Silver Lining" (which Sheehan closes the show with, by inviting the audience to join her in singing.)

Sheehan shines in romantic classics such as "I'm Old Fashioned," which she describes as one of her theme songs, and "All The Things You Are." But Sheehan, the comedienne, sparkles too, especially in the clever "I'll Be Hard to Handle."

Accompanied by Musical Director James McQuillen, Peggy Honea (Bass) and Sarah Choi (Cello), "Diana Sheehan Sings: The Jerome Kern Songbook" is a great fix for cabaret and musical theater junkies.

A staged reading of Eric Bentley's "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been" gives you an idea of the breadth of material available in the "Out of the Loop Fringe Festival."

"Are You Now or Have You Ever Been" isn't so much a play but a docudrama. The dialogue is taken directly from transcripts from the 1950s Hollywood Communist Witch Trials where the House Un-American Activities Committee investigated the communist influence in the entertainment industry. The investigation boiled down between artists who named or didn't name Hollywood artists who were or at any time were a member of the Communist party. The years-long investigations are famous for leaving wrecked lives and blacklisted artists in its wake.

The dozen plus cast members play multiple (real life) characters whose pictures are projected on the large screen upstage. The minimalist set is striking and foreboding in its simplicity. And the cast features familiar DFW actors including Cameron Cobb, Rene Moreno, Alex Organ, Calvin Scott Roberts and Jeff Swearingen, all turning in memorable work.

If this doesn't sound like an entertaining night at the theater, you're right. It's disturbing and hypnotic. It's riveting and compelling and because of its authenticity, it's horrific. And it's likely a more historic account of this dark chapter of 20th century legislative and judicial abuse than can be found in any Texas history tome.

"15th Annual Out of the Loop Fringe Festival" runs through March 6 at Watertower Theatre, 15650 Addison Road in Addison. For complete festival schedule, information or tickets call 972-450-6232 or email [email protected]