I'll Be Seeing You: The Songs of World War ll
Quality Hill Playhouse
As usual, Kent Barnhart has produced an evening of solid
entertainment. This isn't the sort of music I normally
listen to (I don't believe I have a single recording of
any of the songs he included). However, Kent, along with
the three singers and wonderful rhythm section he brought
on board, really sells these songs. Molly Hammer is a
thorough professional. Colleen Grate, an outstanding
Broadway belter, is one of KC's rising stars. And while
it may be unfair to single out any one of the three,
Lauren Braton was definitely my favorite. Her rendition
of "P.S. I Love You" was breathtaking. Let's face it,
however. The real star of a QH production is Kent
Barnhart himself, with his well-researched narration that
lets us understand how the songs reflect the times in
which they were written. Thanks to him, the show is much
more than the sum of its parts. The show closed with a
beautifully understated rendition of "God Bless America,"
including the rarely heard verse that puts the song in
its historical context.
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