theatre review RESPECT-A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF WOMEN, Herberger Center, Feb 6

Carlita Victoria, Heather Paton, Rachel Richards
and Sarah Shahinian

To read my full review of Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women, at Talkin' Broadway, just click on this link.

"When most people hear a Top 40 pop song from their past they are immediately taken back to a specific moment in their life when that song was in essence the soundtrack to a feeling, expression or experience they had. In 1999 when Vanderbilt professor Dr. Dorothy Marcic was doing research of the more than 2,400 Top 40 songs sung by women in the 20th century she noticed something else, that there was a pattern in the way women were depicted in the song lyrics. Social change over the century was embedded in the lyrics of the songs. The songs told the story of a women's journey from being girls waiting for men to love and rescue them in the early part of the century to learning to love themselves, taking responsibility for their own actions, and becoming powerful individuals toward the latter part of the century. Her research became a book and then a musical. Neither a true jukebox musical nor a simple "revue" of songs, but a show with familiar pop songs that also has an important message at its core, Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women is a fun, well written musical revue and an interesting history lesson as well. Respect has already been performed in over thirty cities and the four women heading up the cast at the Herberger Theater Center are powerful, funny and uplifting, just like the show.

Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women is a musical celebration of women but also a musical revue that both sexes can enjoy. With insightful narrative woven among the songs, and a talented group of ladies singing the songs and telling stories of women throughout the century, the show is uplifting and at times even emotional, but also fun. While it is in parts motivational and inspiring, it is never preachy. You will hear the lyrics of these many well-known songs in a completely different way.

Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women runs through March 2nd at the Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street in Phoenix. Tickets can be purchased by calling 602-252-8497 or at herbergertheater.org. Additional shows are planned in other cities and show dates for all cities can be found at www.respectamusicaljourney.com/.