The All Roads Theatre Company held a nine-day show run of “One For My Baby,” musical in homage to Harold Arlen, who has composed over 500 songs. It premiered on March 15 and ran until March 23 on the Debbie Reynolds Main Stage at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, Calif. The show, which featured esteemed Broadway performers, gained traction in Los Angeles, and had a solid turnout on day five with seats almost filled to capacity. Cast members sang songs such as “Get Happy,” “Gotta Have Me Go With You,” and more.
The musical is a classic tale, set in 1947, of the woes of life. The characters set the tone as they lean into storytelling reminiscent of the golden era of Hollywood, similar to movies such as “Dinner at Eight” and “Grand Hotel.” Lead character Panama Jones (Lana Gordon), is a sultry and confident Black woman who runs a nightclub as she reminisces about Dreamland. Tess Fleming (Luba Mason), a glamorous diva and socialite, kept using her moments to highlight her dazzling singing lover, Rick Anderson (C.J. Eldred) to the owner of Dreamland, Duke Sullivan (Phil Pritchard), to get him opportunities without realizing that her best friend, Meredith Allen (Lianne Marie Dobbs), has her eyes on Rick.
“One of my favorite moments is my solo, “I Wonder What Became of Me,” before this project, I had never heard the song, but from the first moment I sang it, it felt like it had been waiting for me,” said Lana Gordon. “Fred Barton’s arrangement is absolutely brilliant—it brings out every ounce of emotion in the lyrics. The song feels like my life’s journey laid bare on stage. Every time I perform it, I tap into memories, dreams, and the road I’ve traveled to get here. It’s a moment of complete honesty, and I can feel the audience taking that journey with me.”
Panama Jones’ niece, Jackie James (Amber Wright), is also a club headliner along with her husband Keith, as they juggle their personal and professional lives amidst all the pains and excitement that careers in nightlife and show business can bring.
“I hope the audience gets a sense of what night life used to be, human connection and how almost everything is connected in this life in some way,” said Amber Wright. She added, “Jackie hits a little closer to home than any other character I’ve played. I don’t have to reach too far to know how she feels in each scene.”
Fred Barton, the co-founding artistic director of All Roads Theatre Company and music arranger said that major musicals can take years, money, and luck to come into fruition. All three play a factor in casting, and to Barton, now was the best time for the musical to come into form, at the El Portal Theatre. It took 20 years in the making; the show was presented in association with Scott Thompson and others.
“It’s truly a great feeling to see our vision and fondest hopes realized on the stage on this scale,” said Barton. The writing process began in 2009 with a demo following in 2012; in 2015 Barton and his team presented a score in concert. From 2017 through 2018, Barton and his team traveled to London to identify various theatres and then the Covid-19 lockdown occurred, pushing back the process. Afterwards, they finally obtained a venue for the musical and a paying audience in Los Angeles.
Scott Thompson, the co-founding artistic director of All Roads Theatre Company and director / choreographer for “One For My Baby” said, “I’ve worked seven days a week, 26 hour days for months… I can’t even tell you, it has been worth it. I am so proud of the show, the amazon talent and the cast.”
He discussed one of the moments that made him proud. “There’s a song in particular in the second act that our glorious leading lady sings called “What Became of Me,” that people don’t know. And to hear them discover it and see their reaction… it’s like mining gold.”
Each character, musician, stage assistant, and the full team operated a well-oiled machine as the story of the musical unfolded. This comes by way of Paul Black (set and lighting design) and the rest of the production team. The stage consisted of dim lighting with colors that consisted of fuchsia, royal blue, and purple hues, bringing the details of a nightclub to life. The glamorous dresses female characters wore and suits for the male characters were styled by Shon LeBlanc.
24 songs of Harold Arlen were covered for the musical including the title song “One For My Baby,” “Stormy Weather,” “The Man That Got Away,” “Blues in the Knight,” “That Old Magic,” and “Come Rain or Come Sunshine.”
Bringing characters to life is a task that fully relied on the team, which is well reflected in “One For My Baby.” Thompson says that he thinks the future of the show will continue, possibly at the West End of London.
