Zephyr Singers Bring A Taste Of Broadway to Logandale

By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA

Moapa Valley Progress

Broadway may be far away from Logandale, Nevada, but the Zephyr Singers brought it closer to home last Saturday with their annual spring concert. This year’s performance was centered on popular music from decades of Broadway productions, and it delivered nostalgia and fun for a packed audience of all ages.

The concert began with a powerful performance of the title song from the longest-running show on Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera. This moving piece was followed by two more songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s darkly fascinating drama: “Music of the Night” and “All I Ask of You.”

Next, the Zephyr Singers sang the cheerful “Till There Was You,” which comes from the 1957 romantic comedy The Music Man.

Sopranos and altos exited the stage for the next two numbers, leaving basses and tenors to perform, with gusto, two pieces from the 1964 production Man of La Mancha. They sang the title song as well as the classic piece “Impossible Dream.”

Following these enthralling performances, the Cliffrose String Quartet took the stage. This talented group of musicians comes from Moapa Valley and Mesquite and features two violins, a cello, and a viola.

The quartet presented a tribute to Broadway composer Cole Porter with three of his most popular show tunes: “Night and Day,” “Begin the Beguine,” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” A moving performance of the Christian hymn “Nearer My God to Thee” was added to the show in honor of violinist Josephina Romero’s uncle, who had passed away earlier that week.

Next, sopranos and altos returned to the spotlight for a charming performance of “For Good.” This endearing song comes from the 2003 production Wicked, which reveals the backstory of the witches of Oz. In his introduction to the song, Zephyr performer Merlin Wollenzien called it “a tribute to all of those people in our lives who make us better.”

Sopranos and altos continued their performance with “Tonight” from West Side Story, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein’s modernized take on Romeo and Juliet. Basses and tenors took their spots next for a sweet rendition of “Maria,” after which all of the singers joined together for a spirited performance of “America.”

The Zephyr Singers ended the delightful evening with classic performances from the beloved The Sound of Music. Their medley featured the title song, along with “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”

Singer Kelly Booth concluded the performance by teasing, “Our only regret is that there are so many musicals, and we didn’t sing all of the songs! You’ll have to come back!”

Coming back would certainly be a privilege, thanks to the remarkable talents of the Zephyr Singers, who succeeded in bringing the marvels of Broadway home.