PSO Pops brings back memories with 'Blockbuster Broadway' shows

The glitter of Broadway lights seem fitting when the show’s a hit, and sadly garish when it’s not. But the biggest hits have more than pizzazz and touch our hearts.

“These are the type of tunes that bring back memories from our childhood or a special event in our lives,” says conductor Stewart Chafetz. “That’s the beauty and power of what we’re going to do.”

Chafetz will conduct the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops in “Blockbuster Broadway!” Feb. 7 to 9 in Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall. The vocalists will be Jessica Hendy, Kelli Rabke, Kerry O’Malley, Steven Brault and the Hamlisch-Page Student Choir.

“When you plan a program called ‘Blockbuster Broadway!’, you really have to think about what that means,” Chafetz says. “The shows we’re including all ran five, 10, 15, 20 years on Broadway. Finding the repertoire was not that hard because there’s so much greatness to choose from.”

Music speaks

Chafetz likes to let the music speak for itself. So, a nice flow for him means an orchestra feature and two or three songs running together.

He also appreciates contrasts of texture. The piano accompaniment of “Burn” from “Hamilton” will be a big scale-back in sound from the full orchestra number preceding it.

The conductor’s personal favorites on the program include the suite from “Chicago,” with its wailing trope and the right energy to open the program. He’s also looking forward to the “Beauty and the Beast” overture, because he’ll be “conducting a Mercedes-Benz like the Pittsburgh Symphony.”

Chafetz was principal timpanist of the Honolulu Symphony for 20 years. He says the orchestra didn’t pay that well, but he was the tannest timpanist in the musician’s union. “Circle of Life” appeals to the drummer in him.

“‘Circle of Life’ has that African drumming influence, and underneath you hear all (this syncopation) that’s woven into the fabric of the show,” he explains.

Special guest

The special guest at these concerts is Pirates pitcher Steven Brault, who will perform “Music of the Night” and “Seasons of Love.” Brault was a vocal performance major in college, has sung the national anthem (a famously hard song) at PNC Park and is lead singer in his rock band, Street Gypsies.

No collection of Broadway’s biggest hits would be complete without “A Chorus Line.” Marvin Hamlisch composed the music for it 20 years before he became principal pops conductor here.

“I love ‘At the Ballet’ from this show,” Chafetz says. “I know Marvin’s connection with the symphony, but for me it goes back to when I was a kid in New York and my mom would play ‘A Chorus Line’ in the car, over and over again.”

Chafetz was resident conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony when Hamlisch was its pops conductor and was thrilled to work with him.

“The guy was so much fun. He was both hilarious and kind,” he recalls. “I still have a recording on my phone of him talking me through the tempos at a rehearsal. It’s one of the things I’ll cherish forever.”