March 24-30, 2005

artpicks

The Song Remains So Lame

by Lori Hill

fund-raiser

Hmm, an evening of songs like "MacArthur Park" might sound like fun only to those masochists who enjoy VH1's 50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs Ever. But in the hands of theater artists like Tony Braithwaite, Pete Pryor and Jeff Coon, it's bound to be more awesome than bad. For its annual fund-raiser, 1812 Productions presents "Eventa du Schmancy," billed as "an elegant evening of truly awful song," at the Plough and the Stars.

For years, 1812 has held seemingly contradictory "free fund-raisers," the philanthropic version of pay-what-you-can previews. This year, artistic director Jennifer Childs says it was time for a "grown-up fund-raiser" — without going the "$200 ticket, rubber chicken" route. They settled on the Plough for its dinner-and-cabaret-friendly environment. All the better to hear Maureen Torsney-Weir belt out "Torn Between Two Lovers," Tony Lawton and Dawn Falato pair up on "Run Joey Run" — not to mention a barbershop quartet version of "Seasons in the Sun."

Childs describes the evening, to be emceed by "bad song professor" and 1812 regular David Howey, this way: "the best singers in Philly all decked out singing very earnestly the worst songs ever." Of course, Childs says what constitutes a bad song was up for much debate during the event planning. "People got very defensive," she says. The idea came from Lawton, who, with a friend, recorded a "doo doo tape" they would mail back and forth, each time adding a new despicably bad song.

So the audience has Lawton to thank (blame?) for Todd Waddington (aka Harriett Levy) singing "I've Been to Paradise (But I've Never Been to Me)," Childs dueting with Susan Riley Stevens on "Half Breed" (only one in a Cher medley), and folks like Josh Lamon and Ben Dibble doing more justice than is likely necessary to other jukebox duds.

"Eventa" doubles as a tribute to 1812's founding board president Terry Graboyes, and company members will honor her throughout the night with gifts, speeches and surprise guests.

Tickets for dinner are sold out, but "Party Crashers" can join in the fun for only $35, which means many more can look forward to (dread?) Scott Greer's rendition of ABBA's "Fernando."

Ooh, it's so bad, it's good.

"Eventa du Schmancy," Mon., March 28, 6:30 p.m., $35, The Plough and the Stars, Second and Chestnut sts., 215-592-9560.