I knew this was going to be something unique when I got an email from the  ticket office  explaining  that  they had  to  move  the  production of "Priscilla  Queen of  the  Desert"  from  one  theater  stage  to  another, because the  costumes were  too large for the original stage!! Anyhow, the  story  is  about  3 drag  queens  ( if this makes you uncomfortable, substitute clowns, or mimes) who  travel across the desert of Australia to help out a friend who is about to unite with his 6 year old son for the first time. Along  the way, there  is  every  excuse  to sing,  dance  and choreograph some of disco's biggest hits. "I Will Survive", "It's Raining Men","I Love the Night Life", and many others. The humor is biting and somewhat   predictable.  The   story   moves   along,  and   is   actually somewhat coherent and compelling. But, it's the  costumes  that steals the show. Bright and beautiful  colors, along with innovative costumes, like animated paint brushes,  cupcakes  and a big old  VW  bus that is christened "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." The three queens finally get to their destination and the tender moments ensue. It was my first, but not  last,   trip  to  Playhouse  Square  in  downtown  Cleveland.   This production was at the State. The Ohio and Palace Theaters are nearby.

"Strummin' my pain with his fingers...singin' my  life  with his words..." so begins my favorite Roberta Flack classic, "Killing Me Softly With His Song." Last night, Miss Flack, now 74 years  old, lit  up  the  stage  of  the  magnificent Severance  Hall   on   the   campus   of   the   Cleveland Institutue of Music, Cleveland, Ohio. Spanning a career that began  in the late 1960s to now, Roberta Flack with her  tight  6  piece  band   and  2  background   singers, launched into an evening of hits and favorites. As if that wasn't enough, she was also accompanied by the nearly 100   piece   CIM   Orchestra,   made   up    of   young, accomplished musicians studying from across the world!

Miss Flack began with the classic "Where Is the Love" and sang such  great  songs as  "Feel Like Makin' Love", "Back  Together Again", the  jazz  infused  "Oasis", a  sultry  version  of   "Sweet Georgia Brown",  several Beatles covers from  her latest album, and of course,  two solo  smashes, "Killing  Me Softly  With  His Song" and "The  First  Time  Ever  I  Saw  Your  Face." Staying mostly at the  grand  piano, Miss  Flack  did  seem to  be  a  bit unsteady underfoot.  Could have  been the high heel shoes, or the 25 pound dress she wore, but she received help every step of the way. Vocally, she was  strong. Her between  song patter was incoherent at times, but, hey, the  music more  than made  up for it.