By Marilyn Lester***It’s not often that an artist becomes a legend in his/her own time, but when that happens, the reason is usually indisputable. That level of recognition was achieved early in the career of married lyricists, Marilyn and Alan Bergman, whose astounding six-decade partnership produced a plethora of modern songbook standards. In 92NY’s latest Lyrics & Lyricists series, a stellar cast took the Geffen Stage 
at Kaufmann Concert Hall, proving in Every Kind of Light: The Love and Lyrics of Alan & Marilyn Bergman, just how magical the Bergmans were. An early ode to greatness and awe was recognized by fellow writer Larry Kerchner, who penned “What Would the Bergmans Do?,” recorded by none other than Billy Stritch, who with Ann Hampton Callaway, was a featured performer and co-host for the evening, as well as music director-arranger.
A theatrically slow, gliding entrance to the stage by the full cast, including Nikki Renée Daniels, Brandon Victor Dixon and Ali Stroker, slid into a medley of “Summer Me, Winter Me” (Michel Legrand)/”Believe in Love” (Kenny Loggins)/”Something New in My Life” (Legrand), setting the tone for riches to come. As the evening unspooled, so did 27 more tunes, some very well-known, others not so much. In the former category: “The Summer Knows” (Legrand), was 
sung by Daniels and “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (in collaboration with Neil Diamond), was offered by Callaway and Stritch in a beautifully-arranged duet. Lesser-known tunes included “A Child Is Born” (Dave Grusin), sung by Daniels; and “Make Me Rainbows” (John Williams), sung by Dixon.
The smartly-written narrative—not too much, not too little, just right—by Dick Scanlan and Malcolm Gets, was delivered with passion and clarity by Stritch and Callaway, salted among the music with illustrative perfection. Best of all, unlike some recent editions of Lyrics & Lyricists, it was seamingly memorized: not an iPad in sight. One of the most well-known Bergman songs, “You Must Believe in Spring” (Legrand) could be re-imagined 
into “You Must Believe in Fate” to tell their story. Alan Bergman (1925–2025) and Marilyn Bergman (1928–2022) were born in the same hospital in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. They grew up in the same neighborhood, but their paths never crossed until each moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s and each began working with composer Lew Spence, who brought them together. They began writing songs the very day they met (they married in 1958), and never stopped til Marilyn’s death, putting words to notes and writing almost exclusively about love.
Directed by Scanlon and choreographed by Rommy Sandhu, pacing and staging kept the music flowing and visual interest high. A special segment was offered by wheelchair-bound Stroker. A whiz at controlling and moving this particular 
means of transport, that skill was made the most of, especially in a segment of advocacy for those with disabilities, centered around “Ask Yourself Why” (Legrand), paired with Stephen Sondheim’s “Everybody Says Don’t.” In another non-Bergman moment, Callaway’s own very beautiful “In Every Light,” a very powerful statement about same-sex marriage, was delivered against the image of Callaway’s marriage to her wife, Kari.
Wrapping up a glorious evening of Bergman love, the cast offered “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life” (Legrand) and “The Way We Were” (Marvin Hamlisch)—plus a surpise ending of “And Then There’s Maude” (Dave Grusin). This theme song for the television series Maude, led by Stritch, with projections of Bea Arthur as “Maude,” was a great touch and a superb say-it-with-music statement for female empowerment.
Projections by Kylee Loera and Greg Emetaz offered visual dynamism; their work to accompany “The Windmills of Your Mind” (Legrand) was a kinetic masterwork. And where would we be without the musicians who so ably support the vocals? Led by Stritch (who is a premier pianist and accompanist in his own right), were reeds player Aaron Heick, bassist Michael O’Brien, drummer Eric Halvorson and keyboardist Andy Ezrin.
Photos by Richard Termine
