Lesser Lenny

By G.M.

BY BERNSTEIN

It is a sad truism that all too often, the moment a skill or art is mastered, either it is out of date or the practitioners have lost conviction. So it seems with that great American institution, the musical--A Chorus Line notwithstanding. That is what makes this cabaret selection of Leonard Bernstein's theater songs -- or rather those tossed out of such shows as Candide, On the Town, Wonderful Town and West Side Story -- a bittersweet delight. Less than topnotch though they are, the songs brim with confidence and fun. So does the patter, which harks back to the days when sophistication meant wryness and a wise crack was communication. The cast communicates by singing and dancing, and at least two of them -- Patricia Elliott and Janie Sell -- should immediately have their snap and crackle popped into a real musical.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.