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Legendary singer to perform at Liberty
Like the song from "Follies," Marilyn Maye is still here. And she's returning to Fort Scott -- the Liberty Theatre, 113 S. Main St., to be exact -- at 8 p.m. Sept. 10. The show is called "With Marilyn Maye, It's a Party."
A Wichita native, Maye is a veteran chanteuse, musical theater actor and teacher. She's had a long recording career and appeared dozens of times on "The Steve Allen Show" and "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson. Although she's been out there a long time, Maye was rediscovered in 2006 when she appeared as a special guest of The Mabel Mercer Society at New York's Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, her website said. She followed this with a second Mercer concert and a performance at the annual Cabaret Convention at Lincoln Center, plus series of "glowingly-reviewed" performances at New York's Metropolitan Room, the site said. Last November, she was invited by the New York Pops Orchestra to appear at Carnegie Hall for Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday.
"I did 'I'm Still Here' and stopped the show cold. They applauded so long, I had to go back and take a second bow, which is unusual in Carnegie Hall and for a pops concert," Maye said in a telephone interview. The legendary composer came backstage and congratulated her.
"In the intervening years, she has received a bevy of awards for her performances," the site said.
It has been several years since she's taken the stage in Fort Scott, but she's looking forward to it. Not to ruin any surprises, she said, but her show will include "some tributes to legends like Fats Waller," Margaret Whiting and Ray Charles.
"This is our fifth time there. I always love being at that theater. I think they did a wonderful job restoring that old movie house. In fact, they turned it into a cabaret. There's not a bad seat in the house. It's just an absolutely great stage and theater. The piano's great. We always have a wonderful time because it's such a great venue for us. It's perfect for the kind of entertainment we do because I communicate with the audience."
That "intimate, personal feeling" sends the audience out of the theater feeling uplifted -- "no matter how happy they were when they came in, or however sad they were when they came in."
Maye said her talent is God-given, but it's something she's honed all her life. "I've never stopped working. This is what I love. It's something that was given to (me) that's kind of overwhelming. You really don't have a lot of say-so in it. ... In the last five years, the reviews in New York have been overwhelming -- just rave reviews. It's kind of a marriage with the audience that I have."
Her profession is all consuming with traveling, interviews and rehearsals. "I'm very happy in my work. It's not easy. It's not ... a 9-5 job. ... We're now at a club for sometimes it's a week, sometimes it's 10 days. (When) we work Feinstein's (at the Regency Hotel in New York City), we do two weeks there from Tuesday through Saturday and we'll be there again Nov. 1. ... We've been there three times in the past year and a half for two weeks at a time."
When she's in New York, she also teaches master classes to professional singers. "I always listened to male singers rather than female. I tell my students, don't just listen to one singer because you will unconsciously take on that sound. You will take on that sound and style. You never copy anybody. When they hear something, they know that's Marilyn Maye, not some other style of singer."
Her band includes Tedd Firth on piano, Tom Hubbard on bass, and Jim Eklof on drums. Elkhof has been with her for 50 years. "They are world-class musicians. They are absolutely incredible. You need to hear the musicians, too, because they're sensational," she said.
Tickets are still available and cost $50. They can be picked up at 108 Scott Ave., or by calling Business Manager Jill Gray at (417) 824-0931. Dinner is available at the Crooner's Lounge prior to the show and will feature seafood cioppinno -- San Francisco's Famous Seafood Stew, carved prime rib, appetizers, dessert, vegetables and salad.
"She puts on a great show," Gray said. "I think she holds the record for the most appearances on the Johnny Carson show."