P3 Theatre Company proudly presented Tony Santamaure’s cabaret-style musical revue Day After Day (The Life and Music of Doris Day),a heartwarming and nostalgic celebration of her life, legacy, and music, at The Actors Company Let Live Theatre on April 5 and 6. Previously produced in Long Beach and Hermosa Beach, the episodic production explores themes of perseverance, transformation, and the power of music as it shares the personal struggles Doris Day faced behind her sunny, girl-next-door image.
Deborah Robin, recipient of the Orange County Theatre Guild Award for Best Performance in a Musical for her portrayal of Doris Day, shared her tour-de-force performance as if channeling the real star right before our eyes – not only with her glorious voice but also with Day’s mannerisms, effervescent smile, and positivity while performing/touring with big bands to her popular recordings and movies. She was joined by Christopher Showerman as The Fan, who portrayed many of the men in her life while accompanying Deborah on songs, each bringing a fresh perspective to this poignant story of fame, resilience, and self-discovery.
There are nearly sixty songs in Day After Day, including medleys which are woven into autobiographical stories throughout, each demonstrating the span of Day’s career. Day married four times, was a devoted mother to her son Terry, and brought the goodness of the human spirit to listeners worldwide. And after her retirement from the entertainment world, Day turned her attention to being a warrior for animal rights after leaving Los Angeles for Carmel, CA where she finally got to live the long-dreamed-of quiet and peaceful family life she always wanted.
The show’s title song Day After Day, which she originally performed as a teenager during her audition for band leader Barney Rapp, inspired him to change her last name to Day. She hated it at first even though it perfectly described her sunny disposition. After touring with his band briefly, Day signed with Les Brown and his Band of Renown in 1940, recording her first big hit “Sentimental Journey” with them in 1945. Details about her first marriage to trombonist Al Jorden were revealed, shockingly sharing how he was often violently jealous of Day’s talent and success. After divorcing him in 1943, there was no stopping the whirlwind and deeply-deserved successes that filled the rest of Day’s life.
In 1947, she signed her first recording contract with Columbia Records which led to hit singles of big Broadway musical songs, earning Day the title of “Most Popular Singer.” And when she signed a new Columbia contract in 1956, Day was the first recording artist to earn $1 million a year! Tossing Day’s former goody two-shoes image aside for as moment, Deborah dazzled in a gorgeous red dress to sing Everybody Loves a Lover to wow the audience just as Day did in 1958.
Act 2 focused on Day’s illustrious movie career beginning in 1947 when director Michael Curtiz hired her to replace an ailing Judy Garland in “Romance on the High Seas.” Deborah dazzled in perhaps a few too many and unnecessary costume changes as she sang her way through many of Day’s hit songs performed for the next 10 years, most notably The Lullaby of Broadway, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, and Secret Love from her 1953 hit movie “Calamity Jane” which Deborah performed in a red suede fringed dress, wearing boots and carrying a cowboy hat that fit her character in the film.
On April 3, 1951 (her 29th birthday) at the height of her burgeoning movie career, Day married American film producer Martin Melcher who produced many of her films. They lived a comfortable lifestyle in Toluca Lake to be ideally located near the movie studios where they both worked – and where Day made 17 movies in seven years. But when Melcher died in April 1968, she was shocked to find out she was flat broke due to him spending every cent she made while managing her career. But she rose again and continued to earn fame on her “The Doris Day Show” on CBS until she retired from performing in 1974.
During the entire performance, Deborah Robin was always a joy to behold, singing, acting, and dancing her way through Day’s music catalogue, frequently heading backstage between songs to change into 17 beautifully designed and period-perfect dresses from the 40s-70s, 11 different wigs, jewelry, and shoes with the help of her dresser backstage. While alone onstage, Showerman told stories to move Day’s timeline forward, often performing selections on his own until Deborah joined him onstage to proceed as a duet. And afterwards, I was assured each of her costume changes was done in less than 40 seconds!
Directed by creator Tony Santamauro and P3 Artistic Director Christy Mauro-Cohen, Day After Day is a love letter to Doris Day, offering an intimate glimpse into her extraordinary journey from a hopeful 16-year-old singer to a Hollywood icon in her 40s. Featuring a timeless soundtrack performed by Music Director David Cohen on keyboard, accompanied by a bass player and drummer, the show blends her biggest hits – including Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, Sentimental Journey, Secret Love, It’s Magic, A Guy is a Guy, and Que Sera Sera as the grand finale sing-along, with pivotal moments from her life. It’s a guaranteed walk down memory lane for those of us who remember her talent on display during our lives as well as a great introduction to those destined to become her fans!
With plans in place to take the show on the road (check for dates at https://p3theatre.biz/), I recommend trimming the show down to 90 minutes without an intermission, focusing on her movie career and popular recordings moreso than her early life. Cutting many of the lesser known or silly songs from the show’s repertoire would also help lessen the length. And adding a talkback afterwards would allow audience members to share their own stories about meeting Doris Day during her extraordinary career, which I think the performers, as well as other audience members, would really enjoy hearing.
Harold Hill, a traveling con man, arrives in River City, Iowa by train in the early 20th Century, where he convinces the locals to keep their youth out of trouble by starting a band. After gaining their trust, Harold convinces the town’s parents to purchase uniforms and instruments from him, to be delivered by the Wells Fargo wagon. But of course, his intention is to flee as soon as he receives the money. Librarian and music teacher Marian Paroo suspects Harold is a fraud but says nothing since her moody brother, Winthrop, is excited about being in the band, as are many other kids in town. As Harold begins to develop feelings for Marian, he faces a difficult decision about skipping town with the money or staying behind to “face the music.”
Filled with many clever small-town characters and hit Broadway musical songs including 76 Trombones and Till There Was You, The Music Man by Meredith Willson promises family fun for all ages! Presented by PAMA Advocacy League on April 10-12 at 7 p.m., and April 13 at 4 p.m. at Carson High School, 22328 Main Street, Carson 90745. Run time is two hours and 45 minutes with an intermission. General admission tickets are $22.50 at onthestage.tickets/show/pama-advocacy-league. Any available seats will be sold at the box office prior to performances. All sales are final.