This may be hard to imagine, but just days after the 100th Anniversary of the visions at Fatima, the Actors Temple, on West 47th Street, celebrated theirs. And the celebration was most unconventional....but delightful.
My beloved and I attended, last Friday evening, joined by those two wild and crazy kids, Dan and Norma, who are, really, the Marge and Gower Champion of the place! I must get them to do "Rain On The Roof," from "Follies," at some point.
Imagine an evening consisting of a conventional shul, combined with the music of Cole Porter, Bock and Harnick, and Jacques Brel.
That's right. In between all the religion, came "Night And Day," by Cole Porter, "Sabbath Prayer," from "Fiddler On The Roof," and "If We Only Have Love," by Jacques Brel.
The last was sung by that Legend Of The Musical Stage, Neva Small, one of the guests gathered for the occasion. She still has the throbbing emotional yearning in her voice, which won her fans ever since singing "I Wonder How It Is," back in 1967. Her present day rendition of Brel was as beautiful and moving as Elly Stone herself might have done. I, personally, cannot wait to see Neva, next month at 54 Below for the "Henry, Sweet Henry" tribute!
I'll be frank. I love the Actors Temple, but Neva was the drawing card that night. Too bad she did not sing more songs. Especially the "Sabbath Prayer," having been in the 1971 film version of "Fiddler On The Roof!"
Mazel-tov, Actors Temple! May you go on for another 100 years!!!!!!!!!!!!
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