Connecticut Singers Shine On New "Irving Berlin Ragtime Rarities"

Pictured: Jack Saleeby

CONNECTICUT SINGERS SHINE ON NEW “IRVING BERLIN RAGTIME RARITIES” ALBUM

The cover of the new CD “Chip Deffaa’s Irving Berlin: Ragtime Rarities” proclaims: “...with an All-Star New York Cast.” But Connecticut residents can take pride in the fact that six key singers heard on the album–Mary Cantoni Johnson, Mathew Nardozzi, Emily Bordonaro, Peter Charney, Katherine Paulsen, and Jack Saleeby--plus others who’ve assisted behind the scenes--have deep Connecticut theatrical roots.

Deffaa, an award-winning New York-based playwright, director, and producer, notes: “Over the years, I’ve found many of the best singing actors I’ve worked with–performers who’ve become invaluable members of my theatrical family--in productions in Connecticut. I’ve spotted them in shows at the Thomaston Opera House in Thomaston, the Warner Theater in Torrington, and the Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury; and in secondary schools that present first-rate theatrical productions, like the Waterbury Arts Magnet School and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts; and at Connecticut colleges noted for theater, like the University of Hartford/Hartt School and Yale University. Or they’ve been recommended by Connecticut theater folk I like and respect, such as Sharon Wilcox, Agnes Duggan Dann, Ed Bassett, Renee Purdy.

“I’m proud to feature some of Connecticut’s best performers on this CD, which focuses on rare–and in many cases, never-before-recorded--songs by Irving Berlin. This CD is part of an ongoing series. You’ll hear more from these performers, and others--who got so much of their training in Connecticut theater–on subsequent albums in the series. And they’re getting a chance to make history–by being, in many cases, the first people to ever record some of these rare Berlin songs. Berlin was the most successful single songwriter in history. He wrote more hits and made more money than any of his contemporaries. Berlin’s songs were introduced and popularized by some of the greatest performers of all time–Judy Garland, Al Jolson, Fred Astaire, Ethel Merman, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong..... And now, some of the notable talents from Connecticut can say on their resumes something that very few artists can say–that they introduced on record songs by Irving Berlin.”

For this ongoing project, Deffaa–one of the world’s foremost experts on Berlin’s music and the author of five plays about Berlin–has gone through every song in the Berlin archive, more than 1,200 in all. He searched for high-quality lost, forgotten, and unknown songs of Berlin’s. And then tried to find the right singers for the songs.

Deffaa notes: “Mary Cantoni Johnson--who grew up in Naugatuck, lives today in Thomaston, and teaches in Southbury–has starred in productions of my show, ‘One Night with Fanny Brice,’ in New York and Connecticut. She just finished a run at the Square Foot Theater in Wallingford. Director Sharon Wilcox of the Phoenix Stage first had the idea that Johnson would make a great ‘Fanny Brice’–and boy, was she right! Johnson sings with a terrific mix of warmth, heart, and power. When I found a song that Irving Berlin had written for Fanny Brice, ‘Ephraham’–which Brice introduced in The Ziegfeld Follies but never recorded–I asked Johnson if she’d like to be the first person to record it. And she does a great job, as you’ll hear on this new album. The album also includes Berlin’s ‘The Dance of the Grizzly Bear’–which was cut from ‘One Night with Fanny Brice’ but is a fascinating song–and a complete rendition of ‘That Mysterious Rag,’ which Johnson performs in shorter form in ‘One Night with Fanny Brice’ and on the cast album for that show, which was released in September. I love the fact that Johnson gets to sing some rare Fanny Brice-associated songs on this new ‘Irving Berlin Ragtime Rarities’ CD. While she’s played countless great roles in Connecticut theater–starring or co-starring in productions of ‘Gypsy,’ ‘Man of La Mancha,’ ‘My Fair Lady,’ ‘Jekyll and Hyde,’ etc.–‘Fanny Brice’ is her favorite role. “

Deffaa first spotted Emily Bordonaro, 21, from Avon, in a production at Thomaston Opera House, “Les Miserables,” when she was just 11, and he invited her to work with him. She appeared in Deffaa’s “Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue” at the 13th Street Theater in New York City. She’s sung on the cast album of that show, and on other albums of Deffaa’s. A protégé of Tony Award-winning actress Betty Buckley and winner of the Betty Buckley Award, she has the honor of being the first person ever to record a high-spirited Berlin song, “Anna Liza’s Wedding Day” (a duet with Timothty Thompson). Deffaa adds: “On the new CD, you’ll also hear Emily–who’s as talented a singing actress as anyone her age I know–sing duets with two other favorites of mine, Matthew Nardozzi and Jack Saleeby.

“Matt Nardozzi, of Fairfield, got his start in Connecticut theater, doing shows like ‘Stuart Little’ with Sharon Willcox, at the Thomaston Opera House, when he was a very little kid. I saw him on Broadway, in shows like ‘Inherit the Wind’ and ‘Dracula.’ And he’s got assorted film credits, too. He’s appeared in my ‘Seven Little Foys’ and ‘Irving Berlin’s America’–and may be heard on the cast album of the latter. And he’s won the national ‘Young Entertainer Award’ for his work in my ‘Irving Berlin’s America.’ He’s not just highly talented, he’s as reliable as anyone I know; and we created the ‘Matt Nardozzi Ard’ at the 13th Street Theater to honor reliability, as well as talent, in the theater. Benjamin Grier won the award last year; Kate Solomon-Tilley is winning it this year. Matt’s so reliable, I let him record for this album while I was out of the country–directing a show of mine in Korea. Normally, as producer, I’m in the studio with the all of recording artists, trying to offer guidance. Matt’s the only one I let record, even though I couldn’t be there in the studio that day; I had total confidence he’d do just fine, whether I was able to be there or not.

“Peter Charney, of Bethany, was in the original cast of my musical comedy ‘The Seven Little Foys’ at Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury, a decade ago. Since then, he’s worked on countless projects with me, from readings to show, to recordings. On the new album, he delivers a fine, true rendition of ‘Ragtime Violin.’ I’m always glad to work with Peter. And I’m enjoying watching him spread his wings in the theater world. I’ve gotten to witness, in recent times, his New York debut as a playwright, and also as a composer, with shows at Dixon Place in NYC.

“Jack Saleeby, from Southbury, played Peter Charney’s brother in my show ‘The Seven Little Foys,’ and they’ve remained like brothers in the years since. This year, I got to watch a staged reading of a new musical they’re developing in New York, ‘Bright and Brave,’ and it was the best reading of a new work I’ve seen all year. Jack may be heard on five albums I’ve produced over the years–a terrifically talented young man. He’s enhanced assorted shows in Connecticut. I thought he was great fun, for example, in Foster Evans Reese’s production of “Footloose” , at Thomaston Opera House. And he’ll soon be doing the national tour of ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ He’s on his way and I’m happy to include him on another album.”

Katherine Paulsen, who sings the rare “Ragtime Mockingbird” on the new album, honed her singing/acting skills at Yale. And others who’ve assisted Deffaa behind the scenes on the Irving Berlin project–like Michael Kasper, Bailey Cummings, Tyler DuBoys–are Connectticut singers/actors who’ll be heard on future albums in the series. Deffaa adds: “Most of them have worked with one another in Connecticut productions, one place or another, learning from directors and music directors like Foster Reese Evans, Sharon Wilcox, Marianna Vagninni-Dadamo, Eric Larivee. They’ve been trained well, and I’m glad to include them on recordings when I can.”

For more info on the album, or to order a copy, please visit:
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ch...