Judy, Frank and Dean: Once In A Lifetime–A Review

Just watched the 1962 television special entitled, “Judy, Frank and Dean:  Once In A Lifetime,” and I really enjoyed it.  The song list was:

Judy, in a black short v-neck dress with black hose and heels, and a burgundy shiny jacket with sequin detailing around the neck and front, singing the opening:

–Just in Time

–A bit of The Man That Got Away

–When You’re Smiling (with the verses)

She changed to the same black dress but with a light blue jacket with sequin accents, to sing:

–You Do Something To me –partway through this song, Frank Sinatra appears and they end the song together.

Patter ensues, then Frank sings:

–Too Marvelous For Words

Patter, then Judy sings

–You Do Something To Me–partway through this song, Dean Martin appears and they end the song together.

Patter, then Dean sings:

–You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby

Patter, then all three sing:

–You Do Something To Me (reprise)

Patter with Dean and Frank, then Frank sings:

–I See Your Face Before Me

Judy appears next, in the same black dress, but this time with a black jacket accented with black fur around the neck line and cuffs, and she is seated at a table in a room adorned with red, and she sings:

–The Man That Got Away

Frank and Dean next appear at a 1960’s bar, and they are smoking and drinking and they sing:

–The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else–they start by singing together, then alternate lyrics between the two of them.  At the end of the song, they turn upstage and throw focus to Judy, who appears behind them.  She is in the same black dress,  but this time with a pink jacket with sequin adornments.  She sings:

–I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (very slowly, unlike the way it is typically played at most trad jazz jam sessions)

Next is a medley with the three of them, which includes:

–Let There Be Love, into

–You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

The end of the show is all Judy.  She wears an ultra-mod, 1960s black pants and flats with a dark blue v-neck sequined shirt.  She sings, in a theatre in the round, so she is smack dab in the middle of the entire audience:

–You Made Me Love You

–The Trolley Song

–Zing!  Went The Strings Of My Heart

–Rockabye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody

–Swanee, How I Love You

and the closer was:

 –San Francisco, Open That Golden Gate

The show on video ran 50 minutes, and there were 18 song selections, some of which were reprises.

I liked that they appeared to be having fun.  I liked that it felt personal, that we as audience members wanted to be one of them and having that kind of fun.  They were the epitome of sophisticated style, but they didn’t act snobby.  Instead, they included the audience in the moment, and allowed them in, to share in their moment in each song.  They were all middle aged at this point, but all were so very sexy and all were in good voice, despite the cigarette smoking and alcohol swilling that appeared to be going on.

What really struck me was how they caressed the lyrics.  There was no glossing over the meaning, but each moment was held up as a jewel, and the audience was allowed to see it through the singer’s lens, which helped the audience to understand it, and thus they related to it, and thus loved it, as was apparent in the thunderous applause at the end of each segment.  Each song told a story, and they used their acting–story-telling abilities as well as their beautiful voices to bring each song fully to life.

Many good lessons in this short video for cabaret performers.  I recommend you watch it if you get the chance.  It is available on Netflix.

Clothing For Cabaret

In addition to rehearsal, putting the music books together and memorizing songs, we also worked on clothing choices for our upcoming cabaret sets.  Tuxedos work very well for the men.  You can add personalized touches by the color of bow tie, vest and pocket handkerchief, plus studs that you select.  A local store that has great men’s clothing and good prices is Mr. Formal in downtown Portland, OR. 

As you might suspect, ladies’ clothing choices require more time and work to put together.  The clothing doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive, but it does have to look good on you and fit properly.  Some local stores that I like that have some bargain but beautiful clothing include The Glass Butterfly, Ross Dress For Less and Kohl’s, but of course there are many others that you might prefer.  It might be easiest to begin with taking your current measurements and taking those to clothing stores with you as an aid to finding the correct sizes.  Having said that, every brand tends to size their clothing differently, so feel free to grab a couple of different sizes in everything that you like and want to try on, to save a bit of time in the dressing rooms.  If I’m doing a two-piece outfit, I like to start with the bottom half, which tends to be plain.  A short or long black skirt that fits well, along with appropriate hose and heels are a good place to start, and they are pieces that you can use in a wide variety of cabaret settings and performance situations.  Then you will need a top.  You want to think, in advance of hitting the stores, what colors you look good in, and what basic styles are flattering on your body type.  Play up whatever your best body features are, and downplay those that need it–you will know what I mean–upper parts of arms on those of us who are older are not always best to be displayed, for example.  If you have a great bustline, flaunt it–sex sells, after all, and this is a marketing strategy that has worked over time in the entertainment industry.  Once you have some tops, try them on and see how comfortable they are–can you raise your arms and have freedom of movement without the fabric constricting?  The answer should be yes.  Also make sure the waistlines are not too tight–you do need to breathe to sing, after all.

Once you have some separates, then consider a dress.  Colors and design styles vary widely, so they need to be tried on–take some extra time with this. 

Accessories are important.  Consider the earrings, necklace, possible bracelet and any hair adornments that might work well with the outfits.  Gloves are another possibility.  Think about not breaking up lines in the clothing, to create a sleek and slim appearance.  This means you might go for a short black skirt with black hose and black character shoes, for example, to keep a long line and not break up the leg area, especially important if you are short.  This also goes for the arms of clothing–you might want to add long gloves to keep the line long.  Be careful of necklace placement–a choker can break up your neckline, which might not be beneficial if you are a little thicker in the neck area, whereas a longer necklace may help to keep the line more vertical and give a nice long line to the front of the outfit.  Hair up or down–it’s your choice, but pick a style that you look good in, and one that will stay in place for the duration of your sets.  Shoes are important as well–they should be comfortable, and should stay put on your feet, which is why character shoes are always great.  Select a heel that works for you, or flats–whichever is most flattering to your legs.  After you have selected clothing, make sure that you have the appropriate undergarments to work with the outfits, so that straps don’t show or pantylines, and so that you are sufficiently covered even in a revealing evening gown.  A dance store may offer a nude leotard that can work well under these types of dresses.

Once you have a great outfit, wear it with confidence.  The bottom line is you want to feel and look great when you are on stage performing, and your clothing should do its part to help in this regard.  It is a major contributing factor to the style and look of your show, so it is worth paying attention to, especially when it comes time for taking headshots and publicity photos for flyers and other promotional materials.