I had a very pleasant Friday evening!

I ate in. Was undeceided whether to go out. Some days it is just too much work to get ready. Then said…..what the hell! So I shaved off a 4 day beard, showered and hit the road.

Bobby Nesbitt and Terri White were doing Happy Hour at the Keys Piano Bar. A 5 to 9 gig.

I got to the Keys around 8. A good crowd. And good music! I love listening to both singers separately. Together was an over the top situation!

I never tire of Bobby. I can’t get enough of Terri. Each time I hear them, they are better than the last time! I guess you might say I enjoy their singing.

When they finished, I sat around for a while talking with Terri and friend Donna. And listened to a couple of newly imported Broadway singers.

Terri is an experienced performer. A lovely person inside and out. No spring chicken, however. She is in her early 60s. I must say she does not look it.

Terri has spent a life time on Broadway. She is one of those singers and dancers who does 6 shows a week, day after day, week after week and, when lucky, year after year!

Her talents have been duly recognized. A Tony nomination for Barnum. An Obie for her work with Tommy Tune in The Club.

Several months ago, Terri came to Key West to do a one week gig at the Keys Piano Bar. She stayed on for another week, fell in love with Key West and then with Donna. What a combination!

Terri decided it was time to slow down. Do the smell the roses a bit thing. She gave up the apartment in New York, put her furniture in storage and moved to Key West.

Broadway was behind her. Not forever as it turns out. Broadway is beckoning again. And Terri, who thought the Broadway part of her life ended, is returning to New York!

Finian’s Rainbow is being revived. First opened in 1947 and then about 15 years later was made into a Hollywood movie starring Fred Astaire.

Many hit tunes came out of the show. If you are my age, you remember How Are Things in Glauca Mora. Or a song that Frank Sinatra later recorded, Old Devil Moon. And the famous Look to the Rainbow.

The theme of the show is bigotry. A daring intrusion into the issue back in 1947 when discrimination existed as an unspoken cancer. The story involves a white man who is unquestionably a bigot. Through the magic of theatre, he turns black. And the impact of bigatory befalls him personally!

A you don’t know my problems till you walk in my shoes thing.

Terri is playing a sharecropper. She has one solo number. Necessity. Also sings with other performers and as part of the chorus through out.

The show is being developed/sponsored by Encore. Apparently a big deal!

Encore revives old shows for a short period. Generally, five days. It puts on the performance big time. A Broadway show!

If in the five day revival, the show is successful critic wise and at the box office, then Encore packages the show to backers, raises the money required for a long Broadway showing and every one is off and running. Such is one of the ways of bringing a new show to Broadway these days.

We all know of South Pacific’s successful revival a year or two ago on Broadway. It is still running and continues to be a major hit. The South Pacific revival was an Encore presentation.

I wish Terri the same success. May she break a leg! May the show turn into a long time big hit run!

And if not, so what! Hard work, but still fun. A recognition of Terri’s talent.

A good to be back thing!

Terri leaves for New York on March 13. Ten hour day rehearsals start on March 14. March 25 is the invited dress rehearsal. The show debuts on March 26 and runs through March 30.

Terri, have fun! We all love you!