By Kevin Zimmerman
City Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) wants to make sure the opening number of his stage debut, a rousing reworked version of a song from “Chicago,” does not turn into a solo act.
“So, everybody is going to sing with you?” Wills asked during a rehearsal. “It’s not like a gag where everybody else stops singing and you’re the only one singing?”
Once reassured that his would not be the only voice heard, Wills joined director Kevin R. Free and musical director Mark Wagner and belted out the tune’s refrain from the stage of Queens College’s Colden Auditorium Friday evening. What Wills lacked in vocal prowess he more than made up for in volume.
“The way you sang that was courageous,” Free said. “Don’t be afraid to be yourself. In the moment people are going to say, ‘look at that passion.’”
Wills and the other two dozen or so Queens politicians on the bill may not have a passion for performing, but each is prepared to sing, dance and poke a little fun at themselves all to benefit two of Queens College’s community outreach programs in Saturday’s production of “Legislative Acts 2013.”
Once a mainstay at Queens Theatre in the Park, the event proved to be a hit with audience members and politicians as it brought together Democrats, Republicans and Independents to build a sense of community, said Jeffrey Rosenstock, assistant vice president for external and governmental affairs at the school.
When Rosenstock left Queens Theatre in the Park for the college earlier this year, he opted to bring along the show, but with this new moniker.
“People loved it,” Rosenstock said. “It brought legislators who had not worked with each other together to build relationships among themselves.”
Rosenstock believes the timing was right for this revival as a number of strong leaders have been term-limited out of office and a crop of new people would soon take over.
He points to a scene where current Borough President Helen Marshall performs alongside former President Claire Shulman and President-elect Melinda Katz.
“It gives people a warm feeling and lets the politicians take off their legislator hats,” Rosenstock said. “And it’s all about Queens.”
For the first political show since 2008, Rosenstock reached out to Free, who once ran Queens Theatre in the Park’s educational program.
“I’m really good at herding cats,” Free said. “And for this, we had to get all these important people into one room. But this has been a lot more collaborative than many of the legitimate theater pieces I’ve done.”
Free describes the show as “Saturday Night Live” meets a musical revue meets a business conference staged piece.
Katz opens the show with a reworded version of “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from “Oklahoma!” which replaces lines like “The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye,” with something a little more Queens’ appropriate.
A lot of people may know Katz has a terrific singing voice, but there are a few performers, like Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens), who may surprise the audience, Free said.
“Weprin can really perform,” Free said. “He is singing a song from ‘The Producers.’ Instead of “I Wanna Be a Producer,” he sings, “I Wanna Be a Council Member.”
Free and Dan Andrews from Borough Hall cobbled together the script, then sent scenes out to the various performers for comments and notes. The goal, said Free, is to have the audience laughing with the politicians rather than at them.
Whenever something in the script doesn’t sit well with a performer, it is pulled or passed on to another cast member.
“They’re all putting their two cents in,” Free said. “And there’s no ego about any of it.”
Case in point, Councilman-elect Rory Lancman holds no illusions that if his political career fizzles out, he could try a turn as a performer.
“I’ve set the bar for myself as low as I can,” Lancman said.
Rather he signed on to help the college raise money for two of its community outreach programs: Big Buddy, which pairs college students with at-risk and homeless youth, and Women and Work, which provides victims of domestic violence, single mothers and downsized workers with the skills needed to secure employment.
He also figured he’d have a good time doing it.
“I think it’s fun for people not to take themselves so seriously,” Lancman said. “It also helps build camaraderie between us. We need to work together.”
Unity is important, but so is having a little fun with the other cast members, Wills said.
“When (Councilman Leroy) Comrie comes, he needs to get the treatment,” Wills said to Free. “Give him something hard to do that’s not in the play. Then tape it and send it to me.”
Reach news editor Kevin Zimmerman at 718-260-4541 or by e-mail at kzimmerman@cnglocal.com.
If You Go
“Legislative Acts 2013”
When: Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7 pm
Where: LeFrak Concert Hall, Kupferberg Performing Arts Center at Queens College
Cost: $100
Contact: For tickets, call Nayelli DiSpaltro at (718) 997-3589
