The role of a lifetime

When S. Marc Jordan was 29, he debuted on Broadway in the 1960

musical “Do Re Mi.” Forty-five years later, he’ll reprise his role as

Wolfie when the Musical Theatre Guild presents “Do Re Mi” on Sept. 19

at the Alex Theatre in Glendale.

A Glendale resident, Jordan jokes that 3,000 miles and years away

from his original performance, he’s really still in the same place,

but it isn’t true. For the seasoned entertainer whose career has

spanned six decades, a dozen Broadway productions, television and

film, he’s actually come full circle. And as the Musical Theatre

Guild’s only original cast member of “Do Re Mi,” it’s a chance to

revisit a classic era of comedy and provide his co-stars with a link

to the past.

“I find the comedy very easy because I came from there,” Jordan

said. “It’s not subtle at all. It’s just out there.”

Comedy has morphed over the years and the quick wit, vaudeville

style could fade away if it isn’t passed down through generations,

director Lewis Wilkenfeld said. Having Jordan, who worked with the

comedic legends Phil Silvers and Nancy Walker in the original

production, is a unique benefit when reproducing a musical comedy of

another era.

“Hopefully, the younger members of this company will be able to

learn from S. Marc, that’s why these shows are so valuable,”

Wilkenfeld said. “They get to learn things in that style. I look at

it all as a great big history lesson.”

Musical Theatre Guild is in its 10th season of presenting staged

readings of rarely seen musicals. There is only one showing of “Do Re

Mi” with limited rehearsal time and the actors hold the scripts

onstage throughout the performance.

“We’ve got a short amount of time and are giving the audience a

taste of what it might have been like to see the original show, so

the actors have to be really sharp at their game,” Wilkenfeld said.

“Do Re Mi” might be unknown to some but it won’t seem stale

onstage, said leading actor Michael Kostroff.

“As much as ‘Do Re Mi’ is a period piece, it’s not a dusty, old

one,” said Kostroff, who will play the star role written for Silvers,

a man named Hubie Cram, who is just within reach of the stars,

struggling for a life beyond ordinary. “Anyone who has had a dream of

something bigger than themselves can relate to ‘Do Re Mi.’ Plus it’s

funny and funny is timeless.”

Kostroff recently toured with “The Producers” and said “Do Re Mi”

is the type of challenging comedic material he enjoys.

“It’s very energetic,” Kostroff said. “If you do it right, you

feel like you’ve melted at the end of the show.”

Though he’s used to performing this “rapid fire” comedy, Kostroff

said it’s priceless to have an original cast member there to help

interpret the lines and contribute a sense of authenticity to the

production.

“I think I’m going to have a lot of questions for Marc,” he said.

“It’s gold. It’s treasure. It’s very rare that you get to do that.”

For Jordan, the opportunity to revisit his Broadway debuting role

is also a rare and exciting prospect, though it feels a little like

deja vu 45 years later. He’s only sorry there’s just one performance

because he loves musical theater so much.

“I love music,” he said. “I love the immediacy of the audience;

their response, their laughter, their applause. I love it all.”

FYI

WHAT: Musical Theatre Guild presents “Do Re Mi,” book by Garson

Kanin, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19

WHERE: The Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

TICKETS: $35

CONTACT: (818) 243-2539

WEBSITE: www.alextheatre.org; www.musicalthetreguild.com