It takes a lot to get me up before noon.  But I left Boston at the crack of dawn to catch a flight to LA in order to see Marilyn Maye at Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Club.  At 96, one would expect Maye to be in diminished form.  But she seems to have defied the laws of nature, time, and gravity.  She never sat during her 90-minute show (to say nothing of an equally long meet-and-greet post-show).  She even included new numbers that I’ve never heard her sing before!  There was a generous helping of love that went out to the capacity crowd and was gleefully returned.  By the end, she sounded like she could go on singing till the cows came home (to coin a phrase).  It was not only a splendid evening of entertainment, but one that made you feel like you witnessed something truly special.

If some mad scientist wanted to create the perfect Broadway leading man in a lab (this would obviously be a gay mad scientist), he’d create Hugh Panaro.  The talented thespian took the stage at Catalina Jazz two nights after Maye and performed his one-man show, Man Without a Mask (referring to his over 2,000 performances of Phantom).  Aside from his extraordinary vocal abilities and matinee idol good looks, we were treated to a great mix of material from his extensive career – cleverly assembled with his director, Richard Jay-Alexander.  Musical Director Joseph Thalken added to the embarrassment of riches, although nobody seemed particularly embarrassed!  Until you get the chance see them live, some clips of Hugh and Marilyn in action can be found on BillyMasters.com.

One of Panaro’s last songs was a gorgeous rendition of “It Only Takes a Moment” from Hello, Dolly.  I couldn’t help but think of the late Gavin Creel, who sang it in the 2017 revival of Dolly (which earned him a Tony Award).  Last week, the lights of Broadway marquees were dimmed in his honor the day after a weepy audience attended his memorial service at the St. James Theatre.  It ended with the cast of the 2009 revival of Hair joining a pre-recorded Gavin for an emotional “Let the Sunshine In”.  Although the memorial was streamed online, union rules dictated that it be taken down after the live viewing.  So if you missed it…well, need I tell you where to look?