ANY TIME IS A GOOD TIME TO GIVE MY
REGARDS TO [THE MAN WHO OWNED] BROADWAY
The tribute show is called George & Me. The only singer on the bill is a man named Bill: That’s Bill Bartus, bow tie at his neck and hat and cane at the ready, and he’s ready to share info and enthusiasm about the subject of his salute. Eager to please, peppy, and personable, he puts the spotlight not so much on himself as on the subject of his affection. Google his name and you can find his performance resume, some other bio bits, and notices about this one-night performance at The Green Room 42 on April 12, another in 2019 in his native Denver, and a one-minute Youtube video.
Search for the title George & Me, however, and there’s scant evidence of this fellow’s act. You’ll find a book by that title by a woman married to a sports star with a drinking problem, Uncle George & Me about a relative who owned slaves, Curious George & Me by the co-creator of the series of stories for kids about that mischievous monkey, as well as Andrew Ridgely’s memoir about his life with his partner in the pop duo Wham!: the late George Michael. But it isn’t George Michael being honored here: it’s George Michael Cohan. Yes, the singer/dancer/composer/lyricist/ director/producer/theatre owner, dubbed “The Man Who Owned Broadway” because of his frequent presence and influence on the stages there.
Did you think we’d be talking about the George currently starring there named Clooney, the George whose music was heard on the Great White Way named Gershwin or a president or king or maybe George Harrison or Boy George or speaking of swine to have a whole show about admiration for the younger brother of the pink cartoon character Peppa Pig? No, no, it is indeed George M. Cohan, whose statue proudly stands in the theatre district on the little island in the street, near the TKTS discount ticket booth, with a plaque bearing the title of the song he wrote and performed in his first hit show, the number called “Give My Regards to Broadway.” And so Bill Bartus gives his regards to George M. Cohan – singing, smiling, tap-dancing, with simple but spirited piano accompaniment, and peppering the show with bio bits, looking at the guy through rose-colored glasses.
Cohan’s material is often in the air and celebrated in July on Independence Day because of his celebrated patriotic songs such as “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Over There,” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy” – that last one with the line about being “born on the Fourth of July,” a birthdate he said he shared, though some insist his birthdate was the day before. But why wait for summer? The timing of booking a night in April was a fine advance reminder of those very enjoyable, well-crafted, infectious, upbeat treats and the many, many other show tunes that aren’t about flag-waving jauntiness. However, in talking directly to the audience, the bubbly Bartus assumes the attendees have minimal familiarity with the Cohan catalogue, saying we probably never heard such-and-such a song and that we might recognize some numbers, perhaps vaguely, but never knew who wrote them. Arguably, this is too big an assumption about an audience motivated to attend an evening about George M. Cohan. Granted, he passed away more than 80 years ago, shortly before the release of the song-stuffed film bio of him, Yankee Doodle Dandy, which starred James Cagney. But the legacy lives on.
Theatre historians could point out that the month of April had Cohan connections long before this performer did his show one April night this year. In his time, the real-life George created or co-produced (with partner Sam Harris) many shows that came to neighboring theatres, starring in some of them. Singling out just the ones that opened in April in various years between 1904 and 1921, the titles were Once Upon a Time, The Beauty Shop, The House Next Door, The Yankee Prince, Running for Office, Nemesis, and Little Johnny Jones. And, decades later, George M!, the stage musical with Joel Grey as Cohan, opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre in April of 1968 and closed in April of the following year. Bill Bartus spoke fondly about discovering the joys of George when he saw the production in his youth; his admiration was cemented when he was cast in productions in college and in a regional theatre production.
Although this performer doesn’t have a huge, strikingly resonant or ravishingly golden-toned voice (neither did Cohan or Cagney) to give goosebumps, he is gracious, game, and gregarious with some old-school vaudevillian verve. It’s not always clear, as he moves from song to song, if he is stepping into the (tap) shoes of Cohan specifically or adopting the persona of one of the characters from a shoe or just being himself, honoring the styles and traditions. It was about entertaining and educating those with modest knowledge while presenting the case for the quality and value of the songwriter’s work — so, “mission accomplished,” we might say. Especially if this performance inspires future opportunities to revisit the considerable Cohan canon — and for someone, whether for the first time or the fiftieth, to step into his shoes once again.
But, wait! That time is upon us again this month of May. Just released digitally and on CD is the soundtrack of a superb film version of George M. Cohan Tonight!, which gives a well-rounded look at the ups and downs of the determined Renaissance man (the movie is currently playing on TubiTV). Its one-man cast: the remarkable singer/dancer/actor Jon Peterson. He’s also the co-writer/co-producer in this adaptation of the stage piece of the same name which he’s done on stages in NYC and elsewhere for years, created by Cohan historian Chip Deffaa, the man who’s also put together a series of stage works and recordings that happily have tons of the talented tunesmith’s work (featuring performers very young and more experienced, himself, and even Cohan), with dozens of delights as well as the better-known things such as “Only 45 Minutes from Broadway,” “Mary’s a Grand Old Name,” “The Yankee Doodle Boy,” and “Harrigan” that were also cheerily championed in George & Me. To be happy and humming, with a pep in your step, you can put a smile and song in your heart, if you gorge on George.
George & Me
Bill Bartus
The Green Room 42, 570 10th Ave, New York
4th floor (the skylobby) of YOTEL
reviewed on April 12, 2025
